On a recent trip to Mica Lake Basin and “Medium Agnes Peak” (a sub-peak between Big Agnes and one of the Little Agnes Mountains), I was reminded how unique the Zirkel Wilderness is in Colorado. It’s a bit of a drive but not terribly difficult to reach and the crowd level is low—and most of the people you’ll encounter are locals. Even though a lot of the terrain is below treeline, there are great expanses of open land that offer good views and spacious camping. And the flowers, even as late as October were numerous and several sections of the trail had the distinct scent of ripened raspberries and blueberries.
It’s good stuff, that Zirkel Wilderness. A little more lush and younger than other mountain areas, the low-alpine forests and rugged peaks are a great autumn getaway for man and dog alike. Or as Ferdinand Zirkel would say, “Jawohl, this place is sehr gut!”
For more info check out the US Forest Page or local Colorado author Raymond Ave’s Zirkel Wilderness page.
