Weminuche Wilderness
The Weminuche Wilderness is a wilderness area in southwest Colorado managed by the United States Forest Service as part of the San Juan National Forest on the west side of the Continental Divide and the Rio Grande National Forest on the east side of the divide. It is about south east of the town of Silverton and about northeast of Durango. At, it is the largest wilderness area in the state of Colorado. The wilderness was named after the Weminuche Indians.Background
The area is divided into two sections by the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad that follows the Animas River Gorge. In the smaller Western portion, the West Needle Mountains consist of several peaks that terminate in the Animas River Gorge. Within the Eastern portion of wilderness can be found three fourteeners of the San Juan Mountains; Mount Eolus, Sunlight Peak and Windom Peak, in addition to numerous thirteeners and other peaks of note. These peaks belong to the Needle Mountains proper, and are known for their rugged terrain. Chicago Basin, an alpine valley situated on Needle Creek below the mountains at around 11,200', is a popular camping destination for backpackers looking to access the fourteeners.
