Ever hear of Wheeler Geologic Area? I'm guessing not....but it's no fault of your own, this is a TRUE hidden gem. Its secrecy is outweighed only by its utter magnificence.
Tucked away in the remote backcountry of the La Garita Wilderness, Wheeler Geologic Area is one of Colorado’s most surreal landscapes—yet hardly anyone has heard of it. It was actually designated a national monument in 1908, but that didn't last. Due to its inaccessibility and thus, lack of visitors, it was quietly removed from the list in 1950 and absorbed into the Rio Grande National Forest. Personally, I love that its jaw-dropping beauty has stayed hidden. If it had stayed on the list, trees would have been cut down, land would have been manipulated, and roads would have been paved. Trust me, it is so much better this way.
Getting there isn’t easy. You can either take a fairly challenging 14-mile round-trip hike in or drive most of the way on a severely rutted-out, high-clearance 4WD road (and even then, you’ll still have to hike a bit). But for those willing to make the journey, the payoff is more than worth it. The landscape looks like something from another planet—towering white rock spires carved by volcanic ash and beautifully striated standing eerily in the middle of the forest. It is such a special place to visit, and the cherry on top is the desolation and seclusion.
So how about you - have you heard of Wheeler Geologic Area??
P.S. I couldn't find the folders from the time period I explored this area, unfortunately, so I added a photo from Flickr 🤣 If you want more, you're going to have to hike in and see it yourself 😉