San Isabel National Forest
Wahatoya Trail #1304

This difficult, 9 mile long trail crosses the saddle between the Spanish Peaks in the Spanish Peaks Wilderness (so wilderness rules and regs apply). Most folks use this trail in the summer and fall.

Elevations:

• Trail beginning: 8,400'
• High Point: 10,800'
• Trail ending: 9,800'

Access: Take County Road 360 south and east out of La Veta (toward Wahatoya Camps). At about 6 miles, you'll see the sign for the Wahatoya Trail (before you enter the Camps). A high clearance 4WD can get you to the trailhead at the south end of that road, otherwise, park and walk is the safest thing to do.

Notes: The Wahatoya Trail climbs up into the saddle on the ridge between the Spanish Peaks. From the saddle you can go east and climb the East Peak or you can go west and climb the West Peak. Or you can continue on to the south, dropping down and then heading west to the junction with the Apishapa Trail on the south side of the West Peak. This is wild and woolly country with great granite dikes, outcroppings of sedimentary rock and nearly virgin forest. This area also saw some gold mining activity back in the 1870's so there's a few artifacts out in those woods (but any mines you come across are probably pretty dangerous places...) This is pine and aspen country with one of the largest stands of bristlecone pines in the world.

USGS Maps: Herlick Canyon, Spanish Peaks