James Peak Wilderness Trails

James Peak Wilderness Trails

James Peak’s journey to permanent wilderness protection was winding and arduous. The area was routinely passed over for special attention because of its proximity to the undeniably dramatic cirques and summits of the adjacent Indian Peaks to the north. Complicating its situation was a large tract of private land encompassing the area’s largest valley. For decades, the Toll family owned a 1,320-acre parcel of private land that controlled nearly all of South Boulder Creek and most of the area’s scenic alpine lakes and basins. The tolls’ name adorns peaks and towns, and an ancestor was deeply involved with the establishment of Rocky Mountain National Park. Brothers Henry Toll and Giles Toll, one a retired physician and the other a practicing attorney, were dedicated hikers and mountaineers who generously made this dramatic valley available for public enjoyment. Hikers and skiers benefited year-round from explorations launched from the Moffat Tunnel’s east portal across the tolls’ property. In 1995, the tolls sold their property to the forest service with the hope that consolidating land ownership could clear the way for permanent wilderness protection of their cherished landscape. Citizen volunteers led by boulder Sierra Club members launched a grassroots campaign to recruit support among local city councils and county commissioners. Their successful campaign led to the introduction of wilderness legislation—first by rep. David Skaggs in 1998 and then by rep. Mark Udall—which was enacted in 2002, after a decade’s effort. This trail guide includes descriptions of Jim Creek, Heart Lake, and James Peak via Continental Divide Trail.

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