In 1980 the United States Congress designated the Uncompahgre Wilderness which has a total of 102,721 acres. The name comes from a Ute Indian word with one of the translations being "dirty water". This wilderness is located in the north-central region of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. There are two fourteeners and at least twenty-five thirteen foot peaks in the Uncompahgre Wilderness. Big Blue Creek flows off Uncompahgre Peak (14,309 feet) in this rough and majestic section of the San Juan Mountains, which was formerly known as Big Blue Wilderness Area. When BLM land was added in 1993, including the rolling gentle tundra of American Flats, the name was changed. Today, the Uncompahgre Wilderness combines USFS land with BLM land on its south side.

Uncompahgre Peak's unusual broad, flat, tilted summit falls away almost vertically on three sides for as much as 1,500 feet, a landmark visible from far away. Its fourth side lies gentle and inviting to many climbers. Below Uncompahgre Peak, the Wilderness is a mountainous land of towering rock castles and sweeping ridges that some claim form the most splendid scenery in the state. Technical climbers find endless routes to challenge their skills. Wetterhorn Peak (14,015 feet) stands not far southwest of Uncompahgre Peak. Water off Wildhorse Peak near the southwest corner combines to create the turbulent and deep Cow Creek Canyon, which is ragged and densely forested enough to prevent any trails being carved in its depths. American Flats lies south of Wildhorse Peak. Numerous forks of the Cimarron River rush out of the central section of this Wilderness, flowing north to eventually become one. You'll find a few small lakes with trout, and many trout in the many streams.

From "Wilderness.net"