Mt. Sneffels Wilderness Area photo © glennrandall.com

The most protective status available to federal public lands, wilderness safeguards the irreplaceable values of Colorado's wild treasures -- scenic splendor, cultural artifacts, wildlife habitat, and quiet recreation. By designating these spectacular, untrammeled vestiges of solitude and beauty as wilderness, Colorado's wild places will enjoy permanent protection from development and degradation from oil and gas drilling, logging, off-road vehicle use, and other high-impact activities.

In order to become a Wilderness area, lands must meet criteria set forth by the Wilderness Act, including:

1. The area must be “natural” in that it generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable.
   
2. The area should have outstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfined type of recreation.
   
3. The area must be at least 5,000 acres of land or be of sufficient size as to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition.
   
4. The area should be recognized for other supplemental values such as ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.

Congress requires federal land management agencies like the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service and National Park Service to inventory and identify lands that have wilderness characteristics. These agencies have inventoried their lands and periodically revisit those inventories. Agencies, individuals, or organizations all have the ability to recommend areas for wilderness, but it is up to Congress to pass an act actually designating wilderness areas.

For a place to become a Wilderness Area, Congress must enact a law designating lands identified in the law as Wilderness. While the legislative process can be time consuming, the fact that Wilderness Areas are protected by law makes the designation one of the best protections for our federal public lands.

Only public lands managed by the federal government can be designated Wilderness. These public lands include our National Forests,

National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and Bureau of Land Management lands. State and private lands can be included within the boundaries of a Wilderness Area but those lands are not subject to the requirements of the Wilderness Act.

Exploring Colorado's stunning wilerness areas photo © glennrandall.com

To become a designated Wilderness Area, the United States Congress must pass a law consistent with the Wilderness Act of 1964. The Wilderness Act defines what lands qualify for Wilderness designation and how the lands are to be managed after designation.  Activities that are allowed in designed wilderness include hunting, fishing, backpacking, horsepacking, hiking, rafting, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, birdwatching and other similar activities.  In order to protect these special lands and the solitude they provide, mining, drilling, road building, motorized and mechanized vehicles and equipment (including mountain bikes), are not allowed.  However, wheel chairs, and measures necessary to control fire and insect outbreaks, or to respond to search and rescue needs and other emergencies are allowed.

Designated Wilderness areas protect:

• Backcountry recreation: As our state continues to grow, becoming increasingly filled with homes, roads and traffic, access to quiet, pristine places to backpack, hike, horseback ride, hunt, fish and paddle is more important than ever. Lands protected as wilderness are permanently available for the backcountry recreation that clears the head and enriches the heart.
  
  
• Cultural resources: Colorado is rich in artifacts from our state's past residents. Designating wilderness protects many of the remaining treasure troves of past cultures for future generations to enjoy.
  
  
• Water quality: With increasing demand and dwindling supplies, ensuring Colorado's water quality is a top priority. Wilderness protection guarantees that the watersheds that feed our state's cities and towns will stay clean and clear.
  
  
• Wildlife habitat: Colorado's wildlife relies on wild places for food, water and shelter. Wilderness protection ensures that the deer and elk, falcons and eagles, marmots and mice, and bears and mountain lions will have the habitat they need to thrive.