The Rawah Wilderness just west of Fort Collins is one of Colorado’s most overlooked treasures and one so unbelievably stunning it’ll leave you speechless. Just before the Colorado Rockies fade into the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming, are nearly 75,000 glorious acres of protected land with 76 miles of trails, 26 named lakes, and an abundance of wildlife, glacier-carved alpine valleys, and towering 12,000-foot peaks. The remarkable Rawah Wilderness is one of the most remote, isolated spots near Denver, where you’re likely to see more four-legged creatures than fellow homo-sapiens and are sure to be privy to scenery, serenity, and solitude that is unmatched.
We're immeasurably fortunate to have this ruggedly beautiful protected space right in our own back yard, where we can happily immerse ourselves in the remote, isolated wilds of the Rawah Wilderness and Medicine Bow Mountains of Colorado, just a matter of hours from our urban Denver homes.
The trails leading to the awe-inspiring alpine lakes may be strenuous, but you'll be blown you away by their unparalleled beauty. Anglers will be pleased to find cutthroat, rainbow, brook, and greenback trout of generous size in all 26 lakes, as well as an abundance of wildlife, including bighorn sheep, bear, elk, deer, bear, mountain lion, and moose, which were reintroduced in the 1970s.
Though the highlight of your hike will most likely be the stunning vistas and serene lakes, the trails boast perfectly picturesque scenes every step of the way, like the sublimely forested slopes of the surrounding mountain valleys.
Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be the original inhabitants of this land and stand atop the majestic peaks and gaze out into the great unknown? The Ute tribe named the area Rawah (pronounced Ray’-wah), meaning "wild place" and "medicine bow," which referred to the belief that wood collected here for build material was blessed by the gods.
With the majestic Medicine Bow Mountains as its centerpiece and the infinite number of alpine and sub-alpine waters, the Rawah Wilderness is something truly magical to behold.
Experience the breathtaking alpenglow of the high country, spend your leisurely Indian summer days exploring and the crisp, cool nights sleeping beneath the stars. But most importantly, let all your cares and woes be carried away on the wings of the alpine winds.
