Quick Tips
- Watch for afternoon thunderstorms
- Dress in layers
- Consider using horses
On The Ground
Colorado Parks and Wildlife estimates the Holy Cross herd to have 15 mountain goats. Holy Cross Wilderness and White River National forest both provide thousands of acres of public lands for hunters.
Holy Cross Wilderness has hundreds of backpackers and hikers each summer and fall on its trails. Mountain goats can be found above 11,000 feet along the southern and eastern border.
Terrain
Mt. Holy Cross is surrounded by many 13,000 foot and 12,000 foot peaks within the Holy Cross wilderness. The wilderness has rugged rock ridgelines, glacier-carved valleys, dozens of alpine lakes and a number of cascading streams that drain into Eagle River.
Roughly 148 square miles
99.7% public land
Elevations from 8,153-14,005 feet
Vegetation
Mountains are covered in dense spruce fir forests with open grassy parks. Alpine tundra has a wide variety of wildflowers, mosses, lichens with small pockets of barren ground willow near seeps and small pockets of water. Aspen groves, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, ridges of oakbrush and mountain mahogany can be found at lower elevations.
Access
U.S. Highway 24 heads south of Interstate 70 at Minturn and connects with county and Forest Service roads on its way to Leadville. From Eagle area take Brush Creek Road or Salt Creek Road to each wilderness boundary. The Holy Cross Wilderness Area is 123,409 acres and is known for its excellent hiking and backpacking on over 150 miles of trail.
Camping and Lodging
White River National Forest improved campgrounds include Halfmoon, Hornsilver, Fulford Cave and Yeoman Park. Vail is a community that offers a substantial number of lodging options, restaurants and cafes, world class medical facilities and 24/7 gas and diesel. Leadville has motels, café, restaurants and gas and diesel.
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