Written by Kyle
Summers are always so busy here in Creede, because they’re fairly short you’re always trying to cram every activity possible into the summer! We’ve intended to go to Wheeler Geologic Area the past couple years, but it always seems like the weather or timing never quite lined up. This summer it finally did!
We knew from checking out maps and talking to other people that this was an all day trip. From our cabin to the beginning of the trail at the Hansen Mill area was about an hour drive, from there, 14 Miles of forest roads lead to Wheeler geologic area.
We left early and arrived at the trailhead where we used the restroom and aired down the tires. We hadn’t seen another vehicle the whole way up, so we took advantage and hit it! The road definitely requires a high clearance vehicle as posted. Lots of whoops and rocks along the way, although it was honestly less technical or difficult than I had heard. There were a couple steeper hills and small stream crossings, but realistically nothing you actually need four-wheel-drive for – at least in dry conditions! I’m guessing after a good rain, all the loose silt and whoops make this road a bit slippery.
It took roughly an hour and 40 minutes to arrive at the hiking trail at the base of the area. From there, we started the hike up, well marked and easy to follow. We ran into a couple coming down, who advised us to head up to the top of the loop saying it was a better view. We made our way up and I believe they were right, this is a pretty incredible area! Originally named Wheeler National Monument, it is an area so strange it has been referred to as “The City of Gnomes,” “White Shrouded Ghosts,” and “Dante’s Lost Souls”. Check out the full history here on the Creede website! We were lucky enough to be the only ones there and we’re able to just sit and enjoy the silence and of course snap a few photos.
We headed back down to Hansen Mill, passing a few side-by-sides and a couple jeeps on their way in. I felt it was absolutely worth the trip and it’s pretty amazing to have something like this in our backyard!
Ramble Around 