San Isabel National Forest
Greenhorn Mountain National Wilderness Area

Greenhorn Mountain National Wilderness Area, comprising some 22,040 acres in the southern Wet Mountains, came into being through an Act of Conress in 1993. Once upon a time there were homesteads and cattle ranches in some areas out here but over time, they were abandoned and this land was incorporated into the Wet Mountains section of the San Isabel National Forest. These days there's no mechanized vehicles allowed, which includes mountain bikes and hang gliders. Except for the igneous intrusion that forms and fills the upper rock faces of the Greenhorn Peaks, this area of the Wet Mountains is built on glacier-carved and eroded formations of 1.8 billion-year-old granite. The rock of the Peaks themselves plus Santana Cone and Badito Cone are from one igneous intrusion, about 25 million years ago (about the same time as the main Spanish Peaks and Mt. Mestas-Silver Mountain-Sheep Mountains intrusions).

• Group Size: Size is limited to 25, including pack and saddle animals, with no more than 15 people in any one party.
  ***This minimizes resource damage and improves opportunities for solitude for Wilderness visitors.
• Camping/Trails: Camping is not permitted within 300 feet of lakes and 100 feet of streams or trails. Obey posted signs prohibiting camping or other activities. Some campsites may be closed to allow the area to recover from overuse. Before leaving, “naturalize” your campsite by removing signs of your use. Cutting switchbacks in trails is prohibited.
  ***Shortcuts cause severe erosion, eventually destroying the trail.
• Campfires: A lightweight backpacking stove is recommended. Campfires should be at least 300 feet from lakes, streams and trails. If a campfire is desired, build it in a manner that minimizes impact. Collect only dead and down wood that is less than three inches in diameter. Remember: if you can’t break it by hand, don’t use it. To prevent scarring, do not build a fire on exposed rock surfaces. If possible, use a fire blanket or a fire pan (like a pan used to change motor oil). Place several inches of soil in the bottom of the pan and build the fire on this. Always use extreme caution and avoid building fires in dry or windy conditions. Leave Wilderness unspoiled for yourself and others by packing-out all of your garbage. It is NEVER acceptable to bury trash. Follow the rule: “…if you pack it in, then pack it out.”
• Sanitation: Dig a Cat Hole! Nature has provided a system of “biological disposers” that work to decompose organic material (like human waste) in the top 6 to 8 inches of soil. Dispose of your human waste in the following manner:
  
  • Select a suitable location at least 300 feet away from any open water, trail or campsite
  • Dig a hole 6 to 8 inches deep
  • Bury your waste and refill the hole with the removed soil.
  • Wash your dishes, and your self, at least 300 feet away from any water and dump your dirty water in the bushes. BIODEGRADABLE SOAP CAN CONTAMINATE A PRISTINE STREAM.

Directions: We went to the Ophir Creek Turnoff, just north of Bishop's Castle on State Highway 165 and went west on Forest Road 360 to the intersection with the Gardner Road (FR 634). There we turned left on FR 369 and followed that to the trailhead at the end of the road. It is a long road with many twists and turns and you don't even see Greenhorn Mountain itself until you are almost on it. There are quite a number of hiking trails leading off along the way and all of it looks gorgeous.