Jim Janke's

Old West

South Park and Wilkerson Pass, Colorado

A park is a wide meadowland in the middle of the mountains. South Park is located in Fourteener Country; it's surrounded by mountains exceeding 14,000 ft in height. The photos below were taken from Wilkerson Pass on Hwy. 24 coming west about 50 miles from Colorado Springs through Pike National Forest. There is a small visitors' center just at the point where you can suddenly see South Park from the highway. The vista comes upon you abruptly and the sight is awe-inspiring. If you weren't expecting to suddenly descend out of the mountains, you'll have to turn around and park in the visitors' center. You have to stop to see the view.

Photos, July 22, 2003
Photo Credits: Jim Janke

Pike National Forest, east of Wilkerson pass. pike.jpg (74115 bytes)
A telephoto view of the same scene as above. tele_pike.jpg (55215 bytes)
Looking back east from Wilkerson Pass. lookeast.jpg (88196 bytes)
South Park from Wilkerson Pass, looking to the northwest. tonw.jpg (22025 bytes)
South Park from Wilkerson Pass, looking to the southwest. tosw.jpg (39049 bytes)
Telephoto view of same scene as above. tele_toSW.jpg (39513 bytes)
An even closer view of the above scene from farther down the highway. close_toSW.jpg (61259 bytes)
Hillside near the visitors' center at Wilkerson Pass. hillside.jpg (116654 bytes)
Hillside near the visitors' center at Wilkerson Pass. hillside2.jpg (110033 bytes)

October 14, 2003