Maroon Bells: What lies at the intersection of recreation and wilderness?

Hikers, artists and day trippers arrive early in the day at Maroon Lake near Aspen. Photo by Shanna Lewis

On this day, 50 years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act and since then, Congress has assigned the highest protection to some 110 million acres of public lands.

Colorado alone has more than 40 wilderness areas, and the Maroon Bells – Snowmass Wilderness, was among the first.

The popularity of part of this wilderness just outside of Aspen has exploded, with thousands of visitors every day. It’s getting so much use, it almost seems to run counter to our notions of what a wilderness is.

Read more and listen to Maroon Bells: What lies at the intersection of recreation and wilderness? reported and produced by Shanna Lewis for Colorado Public Radio.