| Located in the Arapaho and Routt National Forests the Never Summer Wilderness Area provides an impressive backdrop to the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Elevations range from 8,900 to 12,524 feet. Spruce, fir and lodgepole pine are abundant at lower elevation and alpine tundra at higher elevations.The Never Summers fit its namesake very well, as it gets hit with large amounts of precipitation throughout the year.The 20,692 plus 9,620 proposed wilderness acres are home to 16 summits that rise above 12,000 feet. Straddling the Continental Divide, the runoff from these peaks supplies water to three main rivers: the Colorado, the North Platte, and the Cache la Poudre. Water from the Colorado winds its way to the Pacific Ocean and water from the North Platte and Cache la Poudre winds there way to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.With 20 miles of trails, wilderness users will discover serene alpine lakes and blissful views off high mountain passes. Bowen, Blue, Ruby and Parika Lakes all contain small populations of native cutthroat trout. Wildlife species in the area include deer, elk, bear, bighorn sheep, moose, mountain lion, bobcat, ptarmigan, blue grouse, marmot, and various rodent and bird species. |
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