Hiking Byers Peak

Standing at 12,804 feet, Byers Peak overlooks a wilderness rendered unique by the fact that about one half of the area consists of alpine tundra, the land above the tree line. Most of the entire Byers Peak Trail, which traverses the area north to south from Bottle Pass to Saint Louis Peak, rises above the shadow of the Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, or lodgepole pine that cloak the lower elevations. Though Byers Peak Wilderness is small in acreage, only the undeveloped head of the Fraser Experimental Forest separates this Wilderness from Vasquez Peak Wilderness, making it a part of a much larger roadless region of Colorado. Although it lacks the size associated with many Colorado Wildernesses, Byers Peak contains several scenic lakes and 23 miles of trails offering panoramic views along some of the finest ridge hiking in the state. Views worth the effort are available from atop the peak itself, accessible via the Byers Peak Trail, a distance of 8.6 miles round-trip from the trailhead. Mule deer, elk, ptarmigan, and marmots are common sights, but the main lure of the place is the peace and quiet afforded by one of the Rocky Mountain's most obscure Wildernesses.