The Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness was designated by Congress in 1993, and it now has a total of 23,087 acres. Soaring dramatically from the plains of Colorado, Greenhorn Mountain rises from 7,600 to 12,347 feet in the center of the northern section.

The Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located northwest of Walsenburg, Colorado in the San Isabel and Pike National Forests. The wilderness area includes the summit of Greenhorn Mountain, the highest point in the Wet Mountains of Colorado. There are 11 miles (18 km) of trails, all in the northern half of the wilderness. [3 ...

Unusual for Colorado, Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness has no lakes and no towering alpine peaks--and, consequently, few human visitors. Numerous small canyons and sharp ridges are the dominant geological features. A few streams descending from the mountain furnish a habitat for threatened greenback cutthroat trout.

Greenhorn Mountain offers some of the most remote and lightly used wilderness in the state. It lacks jagged alpine peaks and contains nary a single lake, both of which typically draw visitors. The area is small, steep and relatively dry, which means that opportunities for overnight and extended loop trips are few.

GREENHORN MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS. In 1993 the 22,000 acre Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness was designated after a 20 year wait. No other wilderness area in Colorado offers such a vast display of the ecosystem. Starting at the prairies near 7,600 feet and traveling all the way to the alpine tundra at over 12,000 feet.

Want to find the best trails in Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness for an adventurous hike or a family trip? AllTrails has 5 great trails for hiking and more. Enjoy hand-curated trail maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you.

Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness – by Walsenburg Designated as a Wilderness Area by the U.S. Congress in 1993, the Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness contains a total of 23,087 acres and is located in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests.

Soaring dramatically from the plains of Colorado, Greenhorn Mountain rises from 7,600 to 12,347 feet in the center of the northern section. Its summit is the highest point in the wilderness, and nowhere else in the state provides such a vivid and dramatic change from plains to mountains.

Information, photos and maps of Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness in the Wet Mountains of southern Colorado

The Greenhorn Mountain wilderness lies in south-central Colorado to the south of the city of Colorado Springs. The wilderness is named after Greenhorn Mountain, the tallest and most prominent peak in the region. The peaks within the wilderness are part of the Wet Mountains, a small subrange of the Sangre de Cristo Range.