Camps near lakes, we got it. One of my favorite Flat Tops hikes is the Marvine Loop, a 21-mile long trail that circles you through the forest, up to the Flat Tops, and back down the other side. Add Your Trails. Once above the treeline, around 11,000 feet, the landscape opens up into a surprisingly flat meadow with horizons visible on all sides and views of jagged cliffs and lush valleys below. Colorado's stunning Flat Tops Wilderness is one of the state's most expansive wilderness areas - it is a wonderland of alpine lakes (over 100! 5.4 mi 8.8 km #1 Arthur H. Carhart Trail #1815. Camps near elk migration trails, we got it. The Flat Tops Wilderness, designated a wilderness area in 1975 by the United States Congress and nicknamed “The Cradle of Wilderness”, is the 2nd largest wilderness area in Colorado. For 82 scenic miles, Colorado's Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway winds its way through lush river valleys, skirts the bountiful Flat Tops Wilderness and climbs over two of Colorado’s least-traveled passes. You’re stuck with whatever they might have! Glenwood Springs, CO Easy/Intermediate. ), rivers, waterfalls, volcanic peaks (up to nearly 13,000 feet), abundant wildlife, incredible trout fishing, and world-class hiking and backpacking. From a distance, the Flat Tops could be mistaken for the setting of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1912 classic The Lost World, in which dinosaurs roam cloud-penetrating mesas in a land that time forgot.These 10,000- to 12,354-foot-high tablelands seem to levitate above the surrounding valleys, altogether out of place in a state known for jagged summits. At the end of the journey in Meeker, you're greeted by a town filled with pastoral charm and a gritty history.Make these pit stops along the way: Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway is a secluded, 82-mile stretch in beautiful Northwest Colorado. (Quotation from A Hiking and Camping Guide to the Flat Tops Wilderness Area - Al Marlowe, Author) Arthur Carhart's 1919 visit to Trappers Lake in the verdant embrace of the Flat Tops prompted him to be the first U.S. Forest Service official to initiate a plea for Wilderness preservation. To reach the trailhead turn westbound onto County Road 7 off of Highway 131 in the town of Yampa, roughly halfway between Wolcott and Steamboat Springs. Intermediate. In 2017, we received a new permit for backpacking, hiking, and fly fishing in the Flat Top Wilderness (and Mountain Biking – White River National Forest) and have created many great 3-14 days multi-day wilderness experiences that are sure to be trips of a lifetime! Our closest camps in the Flat Tops Wilderness are 2 miles and 1,800 ft. elevation gain from our base camp. Trails in Flat Tops Wilderness - 75. Colorado. Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. Hiking in the Flat Tops Wilderness has much of what Colorado is known for, including mountain views, wildflower-filled meadows, and rugged forests. Although remote, active ranches, mines and logging exist along the drive, with something around every turn. It connects the towns of Yampa (to the east) and Meeker (to the west). Camps near elk rutting areas, we got it. Vail resident Rita Wechter hikes in the Flat Tops Wilderness area, found in the White River National Forest north of Glenwood Springs. Glenwood Springs, CO 2 14.9 mi 24.0 km #2 East Fork Trail #1119. Easy/Intermediate. The entire expanse of the Flat Tops is located in the White River and … An outfitter with 4 camps? Camps near oak brush for bucks and bears, we got it. 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