Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness is a protected backcountry area in central Colorado’s Elk Mountains, established in 1980 within the Gunnison and White River national forests. Spanning 181,535 acres, it is named for the Maroon Bells and Snowmass Mountain. The wilderness includes about 100 miles of trails, seven of Colorado’s fourteeners, and nine mountain passes higher than 12,000 feet. With its concentration of high peaks, elevated passes, and extensive trail network, it ranks among Colorado’s major mountain wilderness areas. Its protected status preserves a large undeveloped stretch of the Elk Mountains.