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Wilkerson Pass, Colorado

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Wilkerson Pass, elevation 9,504 feet (2,897 meters), is a scenic mountain pass in central Colorado, in the Rocky Mountains within Pike National Forest of Colorado and marks the eastern boundary of South Park (Park County, Colorado). The pass is traversed by U.S. Highway 24 with a Forest Service visitor center at the summit along with a few short trails that are well worth the time to take a hike on if you ever visit the summit. The pass is about 50 miles (80 km) west of Colorado Springs and is surrounded by peaks over 14,000 feet (4,300 meters), including Pikes Peak on the Front Range to the east and the Collegiate Peaks of the Sawatch Range to the west.

The Wilkerson Pass Visitor Center is twelve miles west of Lake George. Its main trail is an easy hiking 0.9-mile loop interpretive trail that has great views in all directions, includings views of South Park and the Sawatch and Mosquito ranges. On a clear day you can also see the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the far south. It also has a very short, somewhat uphill trail that also has fantastic views; this trail is to the south of the visitor center. The visitor center has kind volunteers who are available to assist guests with many of their travel needs and questions.

Wilkerson Pass features a harsh, high-alpine climate characterized by cool summers, very cold and windy winters, and frequent severe weather and unpredictable mountain snows. The Wilkerson Pass Automated Weather Station sits atop Badger Mountain, roughly 1.5 miles northeast of the pass at an elevation of 11,280 feet (3438 meters).  It reports an average snowfall of around 65 inches of total snow per season, which for a Colorado mountain pass isn't a lot. But don't be fooled by that, as this area still sees a long, severe, and windy winter, and snow is common well into the spring. Summer is the most temperate time, with pleasant, crisp days. High temperatures usually reach the 60s°F (16°C ), but overnight lows drop into the 30°Fs (-1.1°C ). Frequent afternoon storms roll in quickly, bringing lightning and sudden drops in temperature. The highest temperature ever recorded at Wilkerson Pass, is 88°F (31°C). This record  was set on June 29, 2018. The lowest temperature ever recorded at Wilkerson Pass is -35°F (-37°C), which was set on February 3, 2022. 

Wilkerson Pass, CO
(looking southeast towards Pikes Peak, from Hwy 24)

Wilkerson Pass Summit (Visitor Center), CO
(looking south, from Hwy 24)

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