West Elk Wilderness is a protected backcountry area in the West Elk Mountains of west-central Colorado, northwest of Gunnison. Established in 1964, it preserves 176,412 acres within the Gunnison National Forest, ranging from about 6,800 feet along Coal Creek to 13,042 feet at the summit of West Elk Peak. Its broad elevation span supports substantial elk and deer populations, and the wilderness is used most heavily during the fall hunting season.