Wilderness areas

About this campground

Wilderness is defined as a portion of land set aside by the 1964 Congressional Wilderness Act that will remain unspoiled for future generations. The Wilderness Act gave the U.S. Forest Service a mandate to manage these special lands so they would be "an enduring resource," one that would remain "unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness." In contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate that landscape, a wilderness is recognized as an area '…where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain". Wilderness areas are generally over 5,000 acres in size and may contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value. Please view the special regulations associated with Wilderness and always use Leave No Trace techniques to help keep these areas wild, clean, and pristine. Rio Grande National Forest manages four Wilderness areas:  La Garita Wilderness Sangre de Cristo Wilderness  South San Juan Wilderness Weminuche Wilderness