Ten Places to Winter Recreate on BLM-managed Public Lands

Emerald Mountain Recreation Area

Location: Steamboat Springs (BLM Little Snake Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: Nordic skiing, backcountry skiing, snowshoeing

Located near Steamboat Springs, the Emerald Mountain Recreation Area provides Nordic and backcountry skiing and snowshoeing opportunities in the winter. From the trails on Emerald Mountain, you can enjoy in views of Mt. Werner, Sleeping Giant Mountain, and other scenic icons of the Yampa Valley while winding through Gambel oak, aspen, sage and pine forests. A seasonal closure is in effect December 1 – June 30 for the all areas south of the Ridge Trail, including Beall Trail and Kemry Draw to protect elk during their sensitive winter and calving seasons. This closure corresponds with Colorado Parks and Wildlife lands to the east and the Humble Ranch property to the southeast. 

Learn more: https://www.blm.gov/visit/emerald-mountain

Silverton Mountain Ski Area

Location:  Silverton (BLM Gunnison Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: expert skiing, heli-skiing, backcountry skiing
 

Silverton Mountain is a BLM permitted, expert only, ski area with a peak elevation of 13,487 feet.  As the highest and steepest ski area in North America, Silverton Mountain offers a no frills experience for skiers not found anywhere else in the United States.  Besides avalanche mitigation work, the mountain is left in its natural state with no cut or groomed runs. With a base area at 10,400 feet and a single lift that reaches 12,300 feet, visitors hike in a high-alpine environment along ridgelines to access numerous untracked bowls, chutes, cliffs, and tree runs.  Silverton Mountain offers visitors guided, unguided, and helicopter skiing experiences.

Cedar Mountain Special Recreation Area

Location: Craig (BLM Little Snake Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, hiking

The Cedar Mountain Special Recreation Area is an 880-acre day-use only recreation area where you can enjoy cross-country skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing in the winter. The horseshoe-shaped, juniper-rimmed Cedar Mountain stands 1,000 feet above the Yampa Valley, offering beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. The recreation area is a place to escape and experience solitude in nature, just a few miles from Craig.

Learn more: https://www.blm.gov/visit/cedar-mountain-srma

Molas Pass/Silverton Winter Trails

Location: Silverton (BLM Gunnison Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: cross-county skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding (mushing), snowshoeing, backcountry skiing

The Silverton Snowmobile Club maintains more than 150 miles of groomed and ungroomed multi-use winter trails in and around Silverton.  Riders, cross-country skiers, fat bikers, and mushers are all welcome on this easily accessed system that crosses BLM-managed and other public lands.  Trail opportunities include a mix of groomed trails, deep powder, and breathtaking views between 9,000 to 13,000 feet.  Equipment rentals and winter tours are available on site.

Eureka

Location Silverton (BLM Gunnison Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: ice climbing

The area around the old Eureka town site is a popular ice climbing destination, with multi pitch climbs ranging from WI3 to WI5.  Eureka got its start in 1860 when a small group of prospectors found traces of placer gold nearby. What followed was steady growth of a mining town until a rapid decline in the late 1930s.  All that remains of the original town site is the Eureka jail and the foundation of the Sunnyside Mill.  This area, accessed via a plowed road from the town of Silverton, features more than ten challenging ice climbs on BLM-managed lands. Guy Lacelle, famed ice climber known for his skill and first ascents, named one of the Eureka climbs among the top 100 ice climbs in the world!

Lake City Ice Park

Location: Lake City (BLM Gunnison Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: ice climbing

The Lake City Ice Climbing Wall is a park maintained by the Town of Lake City in conjunction with the Bureau of Land Management. Located on BLM-managed public lands, the ice park provides a one-of-a-kind ice climbing experience. The town of Lake City will be hosting its annual Lake City Ice Festival on Saturday, February 9. Much of the ice park is located on BLM-managed lands along Henson Creek, just west of town on the Alpine Loop. There are 10-15 farmed ice routes ranging from WI3 to WI5 and sixty to one-hundred feet in length. The City operates the ice-wall and festival through permits issued by the BLM Gunnison Field Office.

Learn more: http://lakecityicepark.com/about--contact.html

Mike’s Mile

Location: Crested Butte, (BLM Gunnison Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: cross-country skiing

Mike’s Mile is one of many trails in the 55-kilometer (about 34 miles) system of cross-country skiing trails outside of Crested Butte in partnership with Crested Butte Nordic. The trail is on an old rail grade left over from Crested Butte’s mining history and crosses BLM-managed public land and Crested Butte Land Trust property.

Contact the BLM Gunnison Field Office for more info: https://cbnordic.org/our-trails/

Hartman Rocks Recreation Area

Location: Gunnison (BLM Gunnison Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: cross-country skiing, fat biking, snowshoeing

The Hartman Rocks Recreation Area includes more than 14,000 acres of BLM-managed public land and 160 acres (The Base Area) owned and managed by the City of Gunnison and Gunnison County. In the winter, 16 miles of roads are groomed as cross-country ski trails for classic and skate skiing, with approximately 20 miles of single-track trails groomed for fat biking.

Learn more here: https://www.blm.gov/visit/hartman_rocks

Zapata Falls Special Recreation Management Area:

Location: Monte Vista (BLM San Luis Valley Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: ice climbing

Zapata Falls is a waterfall located near the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on BLM-managed land adjacent to the Rio Grande National Forest and south of Great Sand Dunes National Park. A short but adventurous hike leads to the magnificent 25-foot waterfall. During the winter, the waterfall freezes into an enormous column of ice, perfect for the experienced ice climber.

Learn more: https://www.blm.gov/visit/zapata-falls-special-recreation-management-area

Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area

Location: South of Grand Junction (BLM Grand Junction Field Office)

Winter recreation activities: Hunting, hiking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing

In the winter, Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area (NCA) provides wonderful outdoor opportunities. Quail hunting season is in full swing and the landscape itself makes a walk with your bird dog worthwhile. Known for its breathtaking scenery, the Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompahgre Plateau where you can enjoy winter hikes.

Learn more: https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/colorado/dominguez-escalante-nca