Uncompahgre Forest

Photo by Lars Leber
The Uncompahgre National Forest lies in the heart of American alpine country. It’s a land of 14,000-foot peaks, fast-flowing creeks, alpine lakes, deep spruce forests, red rock gorges, and lots of black bears. It’s also a land of gold.

Abandoned mine shafts and ghost towns dot the landscape, emblems of the Uncompahgre’s Gold Rush past. Prospectors staked their claims in the 1800s and built up towns like Telluride that have since become wildly popular vacation destinations. The roads built by the miners now serve as major thoroughfares into the forest’s vast backcountry.

Read more: http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/uncompahgre-national-forest-outdoor-pp2-guide-cid9416.html#ixzz3ddg5aBse
Visitor’s Information for the Uncompahgre Forest can be found here.