Flat Tops Wilderness Area
| Flat Tops Wilderness | |
|---|---|
The wilderness area from Ripple Creek Overlook | |
| Location | Garfield / Rio Blanco / Eagle counties, Colorado United States |
| Nearest city | Yampa, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 39°56′56″N 107°15′58″W / 39.94889°N 107.26611°W |
| Area | 235,214 acres (951.88 km2) |
| Established | January 1, 1975 |
| Governing body | United States Forest Service |
Flat Tops Wilderness Area is the third largest U.S. Wilderness Area in Colorado. It is 235,214 acres (951.88 km2), with 38,870 acres (157.3 km2) in Routt National Forest and 196,344 acres (794.58 km2) in White River National Forest. It was designated a wilderness area in 1975. Trappers Lake, located in the north of the area, was the lake that inspired Arthur Carhart, a United States Forest Service official, to plead for wilderness preservation.