Flat Tops Area

The Flat Tops area is managed by the Yampa Ranger District, and consists mainly of its' namesake Wilderness and surrounding recreation sites. The Bear River corridor, Chapman and Sheriff Reservoirs, and Dunckley Pass are popular locations. Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway, County Road 8, runs through the northern portion of this area.

Flat Tops Wilderness spans the Routt National Forest and White River National Forest.  Elevations range from 7,640 to 12,354 feet.  This is the third largest Wilderness in Colorado.

The United States Congress designated the Flat Tops Wilderness in 1975 and it now has a total of 235,214 acres. Arthur Carhart's 1919 visit to Trappers Lake in the Flat Tops prompted him to be the first U.S. Forest Service official to initiate a plea for Wilderness preservation.