Sarvis Creek Wilderness

Sarvis Creek Wilderness has no alpine tundra on its 47,140 acres. Instead, Routt National Forest in this area is very thick with lodgepole pines at the lower elevations and spruce and sub-alpine fir higher up. The only openings in the almost impenetrable tree cover are at large rock outcroppings and in open marshy meadows. That means lots of hiding spaces for the elk, deer, black bear, mountain lions and bobcats that call Sarvis home.

Service Creek and Silver Creek are at the hearts of the 2 principal drainages in the Sarvis Creek Wilderness. Both creeks run east-to-west beneath a large burden of deadfall (trees fallen across the waterways) before emptying into the Yampa River. There's a trail that runs uphill along Service Creek for about 12 miles. There's another that follows Silver Creek uphill for about 10 miles. The upper ends of the 2 trails can be connected by a difficult cross-country trek while the lower ends are separated by several miles of road. Other than that, there's just not much for hiking trail in Sarvis Creek.

PS: The name comes from the Sarvis Creek Timber Company, the folks who owned the property before it was acquired by the Forest Service.