Wheeler Geologic Area
Certainly one of Colorado’s more unusual geologic formations, the Wheeler Geologic Area is also one of its most remote natural features. Volcanic in origin, the white tuff of the area has eroded into a variety of hoodoos, pinnacles, and canyons. So unusual are these formations that they captured the interest of the then chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot, and his boss, Teddy Roosevelt, who made the Wheeler formations the centerpiece of a 300-acre national monument in 1908. Due to lack of access, however, the area was redesignated as a geologic area in 1969 and its size was increased to 640 acres. Today a rough and lengthy 4WD road reaches the Wheeler Geologic Area, as do a number of hiking trails. This hike follows the shortest of these trails, the East Bellows Trail. New signs along the route refer to it as the Wheeler Trail.
Driving Directions
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Directions to: Wheeler Geologic Area
print directionsTrail Statistics & Information
| Activity | Hiking |
|---|---|
| Nearby City | Creede |
| Length | 15 mi |
| Elevation Gain | 0 ft |
| Skill Level | Moderate |
| Duration | 8 hours |
| Season | July to September |
| Trailhead Elevation | 10,800 ft |
| Top Elevation | 11,800 ft |
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