Eagles Nest Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Eagles Nest Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the Gore Range
near Vail
, Copper Mountain
, Frisco
, Silverthorne, and Heeney, in Summit and Eagle Counties Colorado
. Eagles Nest Wilderness falls within the jurisdiction of Dillon Ranger District and Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest
. The 133496 acres (540.2 km²) wilderness with 180 miles (289.7 km) of trails was established in 1976. In 2010, additional lands were proposed for wilderness protection under the Hidden Gems proposal, affecting Elliot Ridge, Tenmile, and Lower Piney areas of Summit and Eagle Counties.
The Eagles Nest Wilderness lies in the southern area of the Gore Range of mountains. The Gore Range was named in honor of Sir George Gore arising from a hunting expedition led by Jim Bridger, 1804–1881, early trapper and explorer of the Rocky Mountains. Bridger documented the Great Salt Lake in 1824 and guided westward settlers through Bridger Pass in 1850, shortening the Oregon Trail by 61 miles. In 1854, Sir George Gore hired Bridger as a hunting guide out of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The Gore expedition traveled through the central Colorado mountain range before heading north into the Yellowstone area. Gore practiced a policy of heavy treading on the land, hauling 30 wagons and more than 50 servants on his expedition of 6,000 miles. Gore shot thousands of large game animals during his guided tour of the mountains that extended into 1855.
Subsequently, the Gore Range became a site of interest to miners seeking gold and silver during the latter half of the Nineteenth Century. Many mine tailings and shallow digs exist throughout the Gore Range, including the former Boss Mine ruins along the Rock Creek Trail
.
The earliest rumors of gold in the area were based on trading with the local Ute people. Then, a member of the Gore expedition discovered gold in the area surrounding Piney Lake, near the present Upper Piney Lake Trail
north of Vail. Lemuel Pollard, a member of the Bela M. Hughes party, discovered gold when passing through the Gore Range. Numerous other gold seekers left the slopes of the Gore Range pock-marked with diggings that remain part of the features of the landscape within the forest.
Hiking trails within the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area include Gore Range Trail
, Buffalo Mountain Trail
, South Willow Creek Trail
, Rock Creek Trail
, Cataract Lake Loop Trail
, Mirror Lake Trail
, Eaglesmere Lakes Trail
, Tipperary Lake Trail
, Salmon Willow Trail
, Meadow Creek Trail, North Tenmile Creek Trail
, Gore Creek Trail
, Booth Creek Trail
, Upper Piney Lake Trail
, Pitkin Creek Trail
, Elliot Ridge Trail
, and Wheeler Lakes Trail
. Hiking trails within the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area are described in Greatest Hikes in Central Colorado: Summit and Eagle Counties, a hiking guide, by Kim Fenske.
Gore Range
The Gore Range is a mountain range in the Rocky Mountains of north central Colorado in the United States. The range runs for approximately 60 miles northwest-to-southeast, through western Grand and Summit counties, and eastern Routt and Eagle counties...
near Vail
Vail, Colorado
The Town of Vail is a Home Rule Municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,589 in 2005. The town was established and built as the base village to Vail Ski Resort, with which it was originally conceived...
, Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain
-Landforms in Canada:*Copper Mountain in Alberta*Copper Mountain in British Columbia-Landforms in the United States:*Copper Mountain in Alaska*Copper Mountain in Arizona*Copper Mountain in Colorado...
, Frisco
Frisco
Frisco may refer to:in places:*Frisco, Colorado*Frisco, Louisiana*Frisco, North Carolina*Frisco, Pennsylvania*Frisco, Texas*Frisco, Utah*Frisco City, Alabama*nickname for San Francisco, California in motion pictures:...
, Silverthorne, and Heeney, in Summit and Eagle Counties Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Eagles Nest Wilderness falls within the jurisdiction of Dillon Ranger District and Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest
White River National Forest
White River National Forest is a National Forest in northwest Colorado. It is named after the White River that passes through it. It also contains the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, largely considered the birthplace of the U.S...
. The 133496 acres (540.2 km²) wilderness with 180 miles (289.7 km) of trails was established in 1976. In 2010, additional lands were proposed for wilderness protection under the Hidden Gems proposal, affecting Elliot Ridge, Tenmile, and Lower Piney areas of Summit and Eagle Counties.
The Eagles Nest Wilderness lies in the southern area of the Gore Range of mountains. The Gore Range was named in honor of Sir George Gore arising from a hunting expedition led by Jim Bridger, 1804–1881, early trapper and explorer of the Rocky Mountains. Bridger documented the Great Salt Lake in 1824 and guided westward settlers through Bridger Pass in 1850, shortening the Oregon Trail by 61 miles. In 1854, Sir George Gore hired Bridger as a hunting guide out of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The Gore expedition traveled through the central Colorado mountain range before heading north into the Yellowstone area. Gore practiced a policy of heavy treading on the land, hauling 30 wagons and more than 50 servants on his expedition of 6,000 miles. Gore shot thousands of large game animals during his guided tour of the mountains that extended into 1855.
Subsequently, the Gore Range became a site of interest to miners seeking gold and silver during the latter half of the Nineteenth Century. Many mine tailings and shallow digs exist throughout the Gore Range, including the former Boss Mine ruins along the Rock Creek Trail
Rock Creek Trail
Rock Creek Trail is in the northern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County. Rock Creek Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, north of Silverthorne....
.
The earliest rumors of gold in the area were based on trading with the local Ute people. Then, a member of the Gore expedition discovered gold in the area surrounding Piney Lake, near the present Upper Piney Lake Trail
Upper Piney Lake Trail
Upper Piney Lake Trail is in the northern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest, Eagle County...
north of Vail. Lemuel Pollard, a member of the Bela M. Hughes party, discovered gold when passing through the Gore Range. Numerous other gold seekers left the slopes of the Gore Range pock-marked with diggings that remain part of the features of the landscape within the forest.
Hiking trails within the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area include Gore Range Trail
Gore Range Trail
Gore Range Trail is in the Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County. Buffalo Mountain Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, in Silverthorne...
, Buffalo Mountain Trail
Buffalo Mountain Trail
Buffalo Mountain Trail is in the southern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County. Buffalo Mountain Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, in Silverthorne...
, South Willow Creek Trail
South Willow Creek Trail
South Willow Creek Trail is in the southern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County. South Willow Creek Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, in Silverthorne...
, Rock Creek Trail
Rock Creek Trail
Rock Creek Trail is in the northern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County. Rock Creek Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, north of Silverthorne....
, Cataract Lake Loop Trail
Cataract Lake Loop Trail
Cataract Lake Loop Trail is in the northern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness in Summit County. Cataract Lake Loop Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, north of Silverthorne and near Heeney.Cataract Lake...
, Mirror Lake Trail
Mirror Lake Trail
Mirror Lake Trail is in the northern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County. Mirror Lake Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, north of Silverthorne and near Heeney. The trail extends west...
, Eaglesmere Lakes Trail
Eaglesmere Lakes Trail
Eaglesmere Lakes Trail is in the northern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County...
, Tipperary Lake Trail
Tipperary Lake Trail
Tipperary Lake Trail is in the northern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County. Tipperary Lake Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, north of Silverthorne and near Heeney...
, Salmon Willow Trail
Salmon Willow Trail
Salmon Willow Trail is in the southern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County. Salmon Willow Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, in Silverthorne...
, Meadow Creek Trail, North Tenmile Creek Trail
North Tenmile Creek Trail
North Tenmile Creek Trail is in the southern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Dillon Ranger District, White River National Forest, Summit County...
, Gore Creek Trail
Gore Creek Trail
Gore Creek Trail is in the southern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest, Summit County. Gore Creek Trail is north of Interstate 70 in Vail.The trail is moderately...
, Booth Creek Trail
Booth Creek Trail
Booth Creek Trail is in the southern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest, Eagle County...
, Upper Piney Lake Trail
Upper Piney Lake Trail
Upper Piney Lake Trail is in the northern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest, Eagle County...
, Pitkin Creek Trail
Pitkin Creek Trail
Pitkin Creek Trail is in the southern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest, Eagle County...
, Elliot Ridge Trail
Elliot Ridge Trail
Elliot Ridge Trail is in the northern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Summit County. Elliot Ridge Trail is north of Interstate 70, west of Highway 9, north of Silverthorne and near Heeney.The Gore Range peaks...
, and Wheeler Lakes Trail
Wheeler Lakes Trail
Wheeler Lakes Trail is in the southern Gore Range, part of the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado. It is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, Dillon Ranger District, White River National Forest, Summit County...
. Hiking trails within the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area are described in Greatest Hikes in Central Colorado: Summit and Eagle Counties, a hiking guide, by Kim Fenske.