Mount Sneffels Wilderness
Area Management
The Mount Sneffels Wilderness is part of the 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. This System of lands provides clean air, water, and habitat critical for rare and endangered plants and animals. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities like hiking, backpacking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, horse packing, bird watching, stargazing, and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. You play an important role in helping to "secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by the Congress of the United States through the Wilderness Act of 1964. Please follow the requirements outlined below and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting the Mount Sneffels Wilderness to ensure protection of this unique area.General Wilderness Prohibitions
Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport is generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles, motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation.In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Contact the Forest Service office or visit the websites listed on the 'Links' tab for more specific information.
These general prohibitions have been implemented for all national forest wildernesses in order to implement the provisions of the Wilderness Act of 1964. The Wilderness Act requires management of human-caused impacts and protection of the area's wilderness character to insure that it is "unimpaired for the future use and enjoyment as wilderness." Use of the equipment listed as prohibited in wilderness is inconsistent with the provision in the Wilderness Act which mandates opportunities for solitude or primitive recreation and that wilderness is a place that is in contrast with areas where people and their works are dominant.
Wilderness-Specific Regulations
Wilderness managers often need to take action to limit the impacts caused by visitor activities in order to protect the natural conditions of wilderness as required by the Wilderness Act of 1964. Managers typically implement 'indirect' types of actions such as information and education measures before selecting more restrictive measures. When regulations are necessary, they are implemented with the specific intent of balancing the need to preserve the character of the wilderness while providing for the use and enjoyment of wilderness.The following wilderness regulations are in effect for this area. Not all regulations are in effect for every wilderness. Contact the Forest Service office or visit the websites listed on the 'Links' tab for more specific information about the regulations listed.
ALL VISITORS
The following are prohibited:
1. Exceeding the maximum group size limit of 15 people per group, with a maximum combination of people and stock not to exceed 25 per group.
2. Camping within one hundred (100) feet of any lake, stream, or trail.
3. Campfires, or wood-burning stove fires:
a) within one hundred feet of any lake, stream or trail
b) above treeline
c) within the East Dallas Creek Drainage of the restricted area T.43N., R.9W, NMPM, Section 11 and portions of Sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 and T.44N, R.9W., NMPM, portions of Sections 34, 35.
4. Storing equipment, personal property, or supplies for longer than seven days.
5. Hitching, tethering, hobbling or otherwise confining a horse or other saddle or pack animal in violations of posted instructions, or within 100 feet of all lakes, streams, and trails.
6. Out-of-control dogs or a dog that is disturbing or damaging wildlife, people, or property. Note: the term "under control" is defined as being leashed and/or under direct verbal control at all times.
Learn more about why regulations may be necessary in wilderness.
