Pike National Forest
Lost Creek Wilderness Area

The Lost Creek Wilderness was created under the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1980. The original 105,000 acres plus the 1993 addition of approximately 14,700 acres brought the total acreage to its current 119,790 acres. The entire Wilderness lies within Pike National Forest, split between the South Park and South Platte Ranger Districts. Unlike most of Colorado's jagged alpine wilderness profiles, Lost Creek is a land of fascinating rounded granite domes and knobs, split boulders, rare granite arches, and tree-lined mountain parks. Wilderness elevations range from 8,000 feet to 12,400 feet. Lost Creek, the wilderness's name sake, got its name from its numerous disappearances into rock piles and underground passages, only to later reappear further downstream. At its final reappearance, it becomes Goose Creek. Black bears, bighorn sheep, deer, elk and bobcats share the region. Vegetation in the area includes ponderosa, bristlecone, and lodgepole pine, aspen, spruce, fir and alpine tundra. About 130 miles of trails serve the Wilderness, including the Colorado Trail, which passes through the area.

Although there are remains of logging camps and sawmills on the outskirts of the Wilderness, the heart of Lost Creek was too wild for much commercial use other than grazing. There was a failed attempt between 1891 and 1913 by the Antero and Lost Park Reservoir Company to dam Lost Creek underground at a site just below the confluence of Lost Creek and Reservoir Gulch. All that remains now near the site are a few old buildings and some rusting machinery.

One of a set of three maps of the Pikes Peak, Plum Creek, and South Platte Forest Reserves (most of the current Pike National Forest), drawn in 1898 for the 20th annual report of the USGS, shows most of the southern end of the present day Wilderness as being "Badly Burned". In 2002, the Hayman Fire burned approximately 6,000 acres along the east edge of the wilderness. Fortunately, very little of the trail system, other than the short sections of the Goose Creek and Hankins Pass trails immediately adjacent to the Goose Creek Trailhead, were affected. Be aware of the possibility of falling snags, particularly on windy days.

In 1963, the 15,120 acre Lost Creek Scenic Area was created under the precursor of the Wilderness Act, the “U-Regulations” of 1939. In 1979, it was also designated a National Natural Landmark. During the first U.S. Forest Service RARE process, Lost Creek received more comments recommending its wilderness designation than any other Colorado area.

Maps:

The following maps cover the Lost Creek Wilderness and can be purchased at many area stores:

• National Forest Maps:
  • Pike National Forest
• National Geographic/Trails Illustrated:
• #105 Tarryall Mountains
• USGS 71⁄2 minute Quadrangles:
• Mount Logan
• Shawnee
• Bailey
• Observatory Rock
• Topaz Mountain
• Windy Peak
• Green Mountain
• Farnum Peak
• McCurdy Mountain
• Cheesman Lake
• Tarryall
• Hackett Mountain