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Mt. Zirkel Wilderness, Colorado
By PK | November 6, 2008
Mt. Zirkel Wilderness is one of the five Colorado wilderness areas and covers approximately 160,000 acres in the Routt National Forest. This rugged area is characterized by beautiful broad valleys and numerous alpine lakes and cirques. Mt. Zirkel’s high country offers a 60-mile loop hike through its unspoiled alpine terrain and runs along the Continental Divide for 36 miles. Mt. Zirkel Wilderness area is north of Steamboat Springs within the Sawtooth Range and has elevations of 7,000 feet to 12,180 feet.
Wildlife in the area includes a large Elk herd in addition to Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, Osprey, Peregine Falcon, Marmots, and Bears. While Dalton and I were checking this area for the first time, we saw a bull Moose. One local informed me that more Moose are living in this rugged wilderness area in the past few years.
Dalton and I left Steamboat Springs via Elk River Road (County Road 129) and headed north towards Clark, Colorado, where we then turned right onto CR 64 (also known as Seedhouse Road) about a mile or two past Clark. Further up it turns into National Forestry Road #400 or River Road. It was a rainy, damp and cold fall day as we began our adventure into the wilderness.
Dalton and I had been only this far, to these signs announcing Mount Zirkel Wilderness, on an earlier excursion, vowing to return and document the rugged beauty of this area. This trip is totally accessible by vehicle, although we did use a four-wheel drive truck.
The rocky crags of the mountains in this wilderness area lend to the rugged beauty that inspire Dalton and I in our exploration of Colorado. Though not as young and vigorous as a youth who would look upon these cliffs with thoughts of rock-climbing, we enjoy our hiking, hunting, and other adventures that keep our feet firmly planted on the ground.
The light, drizzling rain kept the dust on the road to a minimum as we traveled along NF 400. The ride was comfortable, with several pull offs and ample width for passing oncoming vehicles. It was quite busy on this mid-October day with abundant hunters.
The scenery was awesome as we traversed through one of the many river valleys Mt. Zirkel offers its visitors. You can see the road ahead of us as it winds through the valley.
Some of the mountains here always have snow on its peaks year round.
National Forestry Road 400 ends at one of the numerous trails in this wilderness area.
This huge bull moose was meandering along the road. He did not feel threatened by our presence and continued to stay in the area allowing us plenty of photos to document his exsistence. Dalton said he was in rut and that prompted me to stay in the truck and let Dalton snap these photos. I had enough of bull elks in rut during bow season when Dalton sprayed ‘the essence’ on me and wasn’t about to get close to this bull moose.
You can’t imagine how big moose actually are until you are ‘up close and personal’ with one, so I included this next photo of me with a ’stuffed’ moose. These animals are huge! Thoughts that run through my mind are, “Run, Forest, Run!”
I love to capture the expressions on the wildlife’s faces as I snap their pics. I never tire of taking their pictures and sharing them with you, my readers. Wildlife are a true natural beauty. I only wish I knew what their thoughts are when they see us.
This healthy mule deer buck stayed frozen so long I thought he was a statue, until he finally moved. I’ve been told they freeze thinking you cannot see them as long as they are still. It just goes to prove their childish mentality comparable to a toddler, but, oh, so cute!
Mount Zirkel Wilderness has many trails for motorized and unmotorized use, along with several campgrounds. As yet, Blogging Us has not documented these trails but we hope to do so next summer. There are so many trails in Routt County I’m thinking about having us cloned so we can cover more ground!
Thanks for visiting and I hope you’ve enjoyed yet another episode of Exploring Colorado.
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Topics: Colorado |
November 7th, 2008 at 5:16 am
Stunning scenery in Autumn colours, you could make a calendar with the shot you’ve made on this blog! Big animals those elks, they could do major damage, even the head falling off the wall!
November 11th, 2008 at 10:16 am
[...] Mt. Zirkel Wilderness, Colorado [...]