Watanga Mountain
| Watanga Mountain | |
|---|---|
  Watanga Mountain Location within Colorado | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,772.51 m (12,377.0 ft) |
| Prominence | 610 ft (190 m) |
| Parent peak | Hiamovi Mountain |
| Isolation | 1.18 mi (1.90 km) |
| Coordinates | 40°10′07″N 105°42′49″W / 40.1685575°N 105.7136944°W |
| Geography | |
District(s) | Grand County, Colorado |
| Parent range | Front Range, Rocky Mountains |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | 2 |
Watanga Mountain is a 12,377'-foot mountain of the Front Range in Grand County, Colorado, in Arapahoe National Forest.[1][2] It is included in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. The summit provides dramatic views of the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park, the Continental Divide, and Lake Granby. The peak is remote but accessible via a long hike.
Name
The peak is named for an Arapahoe Chief Wa-ton-gha which translates to "Black Coyote".[3] It was originally proposed in 1914 by Ellsworth Bethel, a biology teacher in Denver. He proposed naming 10 peaks south of Longs Peak for Native Tribes.[4]
Hiking Access
There is a forest service trail, Roaring Fork, to Lake Watanga from Lake Granby.[5] This trail is 4 miles and 2500' vertical climb with an average grade of 10%.[6] From that location at 10,800' elevation there is no trail, but one can hike directly east for 1 mile and 1500' to reach the summit. The rock formation at the summit can be safely climbed with no technical skills or equipment.[1] Primitive camping is permitted in the area by permit.[7] The lake and peak are in the Roaring Forks Backcountry zone.
References
- 1 2 "Watanga Mountain - 12,377' Colorado". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
- ↑ "Geographic Names Information System". edits.nationalmap.gov. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
- ↑ Society, Oklahoma Historical. "Watonga | Encyclopedia". Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
- ↑ McCormick, Carol Ann (2022-05-11). "Ellsworth Bethel". North Carolina Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
- ↑ "Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests & Pawnee National Grassland | Watanga Lake Trail | Forest Service". www.fs.usda.gov. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ "Watanga Lake Trail Hiking Trail, Grand Lake, Colorado". Hiking Project. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
- ↑ "Indian Peaks Wilderness Overnight Permits – 3 Days in Advance, Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee Ng - Recreation.gov". Recreation.gov. Archived from the original on 2026-07-23. Retrieved 2026-07-26.