About this campground
The James Peak area became part of the National Wilderness Preservation System in 2002. James Peak (13,294 feet) was named for Edwin James, an American physician and botanist who traveled to Colorado on the 1819 U.S. Army expedition led by Major Stephen Long. James was the first botanist to describe many of the plants of the Rocky Mountains. Bordered by Indian Peaks Wilderness to the north, the 17,015 acre James Peak Wilderness is located within Boulder, Gilpin and Clear Creek counties. Adjacent to the Continental Divide on the eastern slope, James Peak Wilderness includes several peaks over 13,000 feet and more than a dozen alpine lakes. The area's elevation ranges from 9,200 to 13,294 feet, which includes upper montane, sub-alpine, and alpine ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains. Always use Leave No Trace techniques to help keep this area wild, clean, and pristine.
Activities
- HIKING
- HORSEBACK RIDING
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Vasquez Peak WildernessArapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG2 mi
- Herman Gulch TrailheadColorado4 mi
- Loveland Pass TrailheadArapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG6 mi
- Clear Creek Picnic SiteArapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG7 mi
- Second Creek TrailheadColorado8 mi
- South Fork Group Site - Arapaho NF (CO)Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG8 mi
Explore more Colorado camping
James Peak Wilderness doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Colorado campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.
Browse Colorado camping →Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.