Colorado

The United States Congress designated the Holy Cross Wilderness (map) in 1980 and it now has a total of 123,409 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Colorado and is managed by the White River and Pike San Isabel National Forest. The wilderness is characterized by rugged ridgelines and glacier-carved valleys, spruce-fir forests, cascading streams and dozens of lakes; elevations range from 8,500 feet to 14,005 feet.

Holy Cross Wilderness is named after Mount of the Holy Cross, which became famous in 1873 when William Henry Jackson first photographed the cross of snow on the northeast face of the mountain. The area became protected as a national monument in the early 1930’s. More recently, the wilderness has become known for its excellent hiking and backpacking on over 150 miles of trail. The ever-increasing numbers of visitors means that solitude can be difficult to find in areas such as Mount of the Holy Cross, Missouri Lakes, Fancy Lake, Beaver Lake, Cross Creek, Fall Creek and Timberline Lake.

Protect this special place for the future by always using Leave No Trace techniques and following all special Wilderness restrictions.

Holy Cross Wilderness

© Outdoor Trail Maps LLC

When Open? Area Acres Operated By
Year-round; 24 hours a day 123,409 acres US Forest Service
Holy Cross Ranger District
Eagle Ranger District
Sopris Ranger District
Dogs Allowed? Miles of Trail Max/Min Elev (ft)
Dogs allowed on leash 279 8,080ft - 14,005ft
Location overview for Holy Cross Wilderness Map

Holy Cross Wilderness Trail and Map Finder

Area Hiking Trails:
1 - Allies Way Trail
2 - Bear Lake Access Trail
3 - Bear Lake Trail
4 - Beaver Creek Area Trails 1
5 - Beaver Creek Area Trails 2
Area Hiking Trails:
1 - Allies Way Trail
2 - Bear Lake Access Trail
3 - Bear Lake Trail
4 - Beaver Creek Area Trails 1
5 - Beaver Creek Area Trails 2
6 - Beaver Creek Area Trails 3
7 - Beaver Creek Trail
8 - Blodgett Way Trail A #1944W.2A
9 - Burnt Mountain Trail
10 - Carter Creek Trail - PRIMITIVE
11 - Carter Lake #1944.1
12 - Carter Lake Spur Trail
13 - Cleveland Lake Trail
14 - Colorado Trail #1776 - Segment 8
15 - Colorado Trail #1776 - Segment 9
16 - Connector Trail
17 - Cross Creek Trail #2006.1
18 - Dead Dog Trail #2220.1
19 - Eagle Area Trails 1
20 - Eagle Area Trails 2
21 - Eagle Area Trails 3
22 - Eagle Lake Trail #1915
23 - East Lake Creek Trail #1880.1
24 - Eastern Hillside Spur Trail - PRIMITIVE
25 - Eastern Hillside Trail #2347.1
26 - Fall Creek Trail #2001.1
27 - Fulford Cave Trail
28 - Gold Dust Trail #1896.1 - PRIMITIVE
29 - Grouse Lake Trail #2127.1
30 - Harvey Lake Trail
31 - Haymeadow Trail
32 - Holy Cross City Trail
33 - Ironedge Trail #1873.1
34 - Josephine Lake Trail #1916.1
35 - Lake Charles Trail #1899.1
36 - Lake Constantine Trail
37 - Last Chance Trail #1945.1
38 - Line Shack Trail
39 - Lonesome Lake Trail #2126.1
40 - Longs Gulch Trail #1496
41 - Lyle Lake Spur Trail
42 - Lyle Lake Trail #1919.1
43 - Martin Creek Trail #2128.1
44 - Meadow Mountain Trail
45 - Middle Lake Trail #2223.1
46 - Missouri Lakes Spur Trail
47 - Missouri Lakes Trail #2003.1
48 - Mount of the Holy Cross Trail #2009.1
49 - Mud Springs Trail
50 - New York Lake Trail #2221.1
51 - New York Mountain Access Trail
52 - New York Mountain Trail #1876.1
53 - Nolan Lake Trail #1898.1
54 - Notch Mountain Summit Trail
55 - Notch Mountain Trail #2000.1
56 - Old Holy Cross Road Trail 1
57 - Old Holy Cross Road Trail 2
58 - Olsen Lake Trail
59 - Paulies Plunge Connector Trail
60 - Paulies Plunge Stone Creek Trail #2349.1
61 - Paulies Sister Connector Trail
62 - Paulies Sister Trail #2350.1
63 - Royal Elk Trail
64 - Salt Creek Trail #1878.1
65 - Savage Lakes Trail #1918.1
66 - Slide Lake Trail #1500
67 - Slim Gulch Trail
68 - Snowslide Park Trail #2225.1
69 - Sopris Lake Trail #2132.1
70 - Squaw Creek Trail #1897.1
71 - St. Kevin's Lake Trail #1508
72 - Stag Gulch Trail #1866.1
73 - Tellurium Lake Trail #1917.1
74 - Tellurium Park Trail - PRIMITIVE
75 - Timberline Lake Trail #1495
76 - Trail #1895
77 - Tuhare Lakes Trail
78 - Turquoise Lake Trail #2109.1
79 - West Grouse - Line Shack Connector Trail
80 - West Grouse Creek Trail #2129.1
81 - West Tennesee Lakes Trail #1499
82 - West Tennessee Lakes Spur Trail - PRIMITIVE
83 - Whiskey Creek Trail #2348.1
84 - Whiskey Creek Trail #2348.1A
85 - Whitney Lake Trail #2002.1
86 - Woods Lake - Slim Jim Trail #1928.1
87 - Yoder Gulch Trail - PRIMITIVE
Area Trailheads:
1 - Beaver Creek Trail
2 - Beaver Creek Trail
3 - Burnt Mountain Trail
4 - CT Trailhead
5 - Colorado Trail Trailhead
Area Trailheads:
1 - Beaver Creek Trail
2 - Beaver Creek Trail
3 - Burnt Mountain Trail
4 - CT Trailhead
5 - Colorado Trail Trailhead
6 - Cross Creek Trail #2006.1
7 - Cross Creek Trail #2006.1
8 - Eagle Lake Trail #1915
9 - East Lake Creek Trail #1880.1
10 - Fall Creek Trail #2001.1
11 - Fulford Cave Trail
12 - Fulford Cave Trail
13 - Gold Dust Trail #1896.1 - PRIMITIVE
14 - Ironedge Trail #1873.1
15 - Lake Charles Trail #1899.1
16 - Last Chance Trail #1945.1
17 - Lonesome Lake Trail #2126.1
18 - Longs Gulch Trail #1496
19 - Lyle Lake Trail #1919.1
20 - Martin Creek Trail #2128.1
21 - Missouri Lakes Trail #2003.1
22 - Mount of the Holy Cross Trail #2009.1
23 - Nolan Lake Trail #1898.1
24 - Paulies Plung Stone Creek Trail #2349.1
25 - Paulies Plung Stone Creek Trail #2349.1
26 - Paulies Sister Trail #2350.1
27 - Paulies Sister Trail #2350.1
28 - Salt Creek Trail #1878.1
29 - Salt Creek Trail #1878.1
30 - Savage Lakes Trail #1918.1
31 - Slide Lake Trail #1500
32 - Slide Lake Trail #1500
33 - Slim Gulch Trail
34 - Slim Gulch Trail
35 - Sopris Lake Trail #2132.1
36 - Squaw Creek Trail #1897.1
37 - Squaw Creek Trail #1897.1
38 - Stag Gulch Trail #1866.1
39 - Timber Lake Trailhead
40 - Trail #1895
41 - Trailhead
42 - Tullurium Lake Trail #1917.1
43 - Tullurium Lake Trail #1917.1
44 - Turquoise Lake Trail #2109.1
45 - West Grouse Creek Trail #2129.1
46 - West Tennesee Lakes Trail #1499
47 - Whiskey Creek Trail #2348.1
48 - Whiskey Creek Trail #2348.1A
49 - Whiskey Creek Trail #2348.1A
50 - Whitney Lake Trail #2002.1
51 - Woods Lake - Slim Jim Trail #1928.1
Area Campgrounds:
1 - Camp Hale Memorial Campground
2 - Elk Wallow Campground
3 - Fulford Cave Campground
4 - Gold Park Campground
5 - Halfmoon Campground
Area Campgrounds:
1 - Camp Hale Memorial Campground
2 - Elk Wallow Campground
3 - Fulford Cave Campground
4 - Gold Park Campground
5 - Halfmoon Campground
6 - Hornsilver Campground
7 - Yeoman Park Campground