San Isabel National Forest
Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area

The Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Preservation Area encompasses 226,455 acres in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This range is located in south-central Colorado, within the San Isabel and Rio Grande National Forests. The Wet Mountain Valley borders this wilderness (to the east) and the San Luis Valley (to the west). The western side of the range adjoins with the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The towns of Salida (north), La Veta (south), Westcliffe (east), Saguache (west) and Crestone (west), all border this mountain range.

The Sangre de Cristo Wilderness is one of the youngest in Colorado. Designated in 1993, this area has over 60 alpine lakes, 400 miles of streams and nearly 400 miles of trails. Sangre de Cristo is Spanish for “Blood of Christ”. According to legend, a Spanish Priest, Father Francisco, was mortally wounded by an Indian’s arrow. In his dying moments, Father Francisco raised himself on his elbow, viewed the setting sun’s red glow on the mountain range and gasped, “Sangre de Cristo.”

By the time the Conquistadors arrived in the 16th and 17th centuries, Ute, Comanche, Navajo and Pueblo peoples lived in the region. For 250 years, Spanish and Indian farming communities maintained a tenuous existence in the San Luis Valley. To encourage frontier settlement, Spain and independent Mexico granted enormous tracts of land to influential and enterprising citizens. Over 150 years later, the Sangre de Cristo and Luis Maria Baca land grants still remain largely intact.

In the 1870’s and 1880’s, American ranches and railroads flanked the Sangre de Cristo range. Over one million head of cattle and sheep grazed the San Luis, Huerfano and Wet Mountain Valleys, moving in to the high mountains for summer pasture. During this time, Rocky Mountain elk, bighorn sheep, and beaver nearly disappeared and grizzly bears were wiped clean from the mountains of Colorado. Between 1860 and 1910, fires were purposely set, burning most of the forest to increase summer sheep pastures, expose minerals or produce charcoal. The glorious aspen glades we see today owe their origins to this period of burning. In 1902 a major portion of the Sangre de Cristo's was set aside as the San Isabel Forest Reserve. The Reserve later became the San Isabel and Rio Grande National Forests, managed by the U.S. Forest Service. In 1993, Congress designated the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.

• Group Size: Size is limited to 25, including pack and saddle animals, with no more than 15 people in any one party.
  ***This minimizes resource damage and improves opportunities for solitude for Wilderness visitors.
• Camping/Trails: Camping is not permitted within 300 feet of lakes and 100 feet of streams or trails. Obey posted signs prohibiting camping or other activities. Some campsites may be closed to allow the area to recover from overuse. Before leaving, “naturalize” your campsite by removing signs of your use.Cutting switchbacks in trails is prohibited.
  ***Shortcuts cause severe erosion, eventually destroying the trail.
• Campfires: A lightweight backpacking stove is recommended. Campfires should be at least 300 feet from lakes, streams and trails. If a campfire is desired, build it in a manner that minimizes impact. Collect only dead and down wood, that is less than three inches in diameter. If you can’t break it by hand, don’t use it. Do not build a fire on exposed rock surfaces. If possible, use a fire blanket or a fire pan (like a pan used to change motor oil). Place several inches of soil in the bottom of the pan and build the fire on this. Always use extreme caution and avoid building fires in dry or windy conditions. Leave Wilderness unspoiled for yourself and others by packing-out all your garbage. It is NEVER acceptable to bury trash. Follow the rule: “…if you pack it in, then pack it out.”
• Sanitation - Dig a Cat Hole! Nature has provided a system of “biological disposers” that work to decompose organic material such as human waste in the top 6 to 8 inches of soil. Human waste should be disposed of in the following manner: Select a suitable location at least 300 feet away from any open water, trail or campsite; Dig a hole, 6 to 8 inches deep; Bury your waste and refill the hole with the removed soil. Wash your dishes, and yourself, at least 300 feet away from any water and dump your dirty water in the bushes. Biodegradable soap can contaminate a pristine stream.
• With increasing visitor use in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, the Forest Service is considering a self-issuing permit system. For more information, please contact the San Carlos Ranger District (719) 269-8500.