Wheeler Geologic Area

A trip up the 7-mile trail by foot or by 4-wheel drive vehicle is only for the well prepared. However, the ghostly spires and flowing folds of earth will reward you with one of the most astounding geologic sites in Colorado. The unearthly landscape seems to have been plucked from an alien planet and dropped in the middle of the forest. The 640 acre area became America's first National Monument in 1908 but was later decommissioned due to its inaccessibility. There is now a rough 4-wheel drive road to the site, but many say it's easier and faster to walk.