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Photo Gallery Thirty-seven

Wheeler Geologic Area  Creede, Colorado

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Wheeler Geologic Area

View generally north from the main overlook in Wheeler Geologic Area in the Rio Grande National Forest.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Panning slightly northeast from the main overlook in Wheeler Geologic Area in the La Garita Wilderness and Rio Grande National Forest.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Continuing northeast from the main overlook in Wheeler Geologic Area in the La Garita Wilderness and Rio Grand National Forest near Creede, Colorado.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Looking northeast from the main overlook in Wheeler Geologic Area in the La Garita Wilderness and Rio Grand National Forest. This rock is formed from eroded volcanic ash from the nearby La Garita Caldera.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Wheeler Geologic Area area is accessed from a 14 mile long 4WD Forest Service Road. These formations were a National Monument designated in 1908 by Theodore Roosevelt.  Because of the areas isolation the National Park Service felt that it was unable to properly oversee the area and turned it over to the National Forest Service.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Wheeler Geologic Area is at 11,500 feet above sea level.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Wheeler Geologic Area is named after Captain George Wheeler who explored the area for the U.S. Army in 1874.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Zoomed view of eroded volcanic rock.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

The area has several very steep drop offs.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

This is a view looking south from the rock formations toward the drainage that provides access to the area.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

This is view looking generally north from a foot trail that circles the area.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

This is similar view looking generally north. There is a scale figure in the image at the top of the tree on the left.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Zoomed view of previous image.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

This is a view from inside a group of egg shapped rocks along the perimeter of the area.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Another view from inside a labryinth of crevices in the egg shapped rocks.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Another similar view from inside a labryinth of crevices in the egg shapped rocks.

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Wheeler Geologic Area

Another view looking down from inside a labryinth of crevices in the egg shapped rocks. This is not soft rock but hard very much like granite.

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Wheeler Geologic Area Panoramic

Panoramic view from the main overlook.

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Wheeler Geologic Area sunset

Sunset from the campground approximately half mile south and 500 feet below the main rock formations.

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