Holy Cross Wilderness
Public land becomes wilderness through legislation passed by the United
States Congress in the form of public laws. For the Holy Cross
Wilderness, this process began in 1980 when 126,000 acres were
designated by Public Law 96-560. The Holy Cross Wilderness contains a
total of 122,884 acres and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. All
of the wilderness is in the state of Colorado.
The Holy Cross Wilderness is part of the 106 million acre National
Wilderness Preservation System. This system of wild lands contributes
significantly to the ecological, economic, and social health of the
state of Colorado, and the United States as a whole.
Wilderness provides clean air and water, a shelter for endangered
species, sacred places for indigenous peoples, a living laboratory for
research, and a classroom for exploring personal values while
experiencing risk, reward, and self-reliance.
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.
In an age of "...increasing population, accompanied by expanding
settlement and growing mechanization," 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.
41FOther pages you might find helpful:
Holy Cross Wilderness
The forest service site for the Holy Cross Wilderness.
