The United States Congress designated the Savage Run Wilderness Area in 1978 and it now has a total of 14,927 acres. For a complete listing of public laws and further information on district offices, click here. The land rises to about 10,000 feet and rolling plateaulike terrain. At the tree line you'll find Engelmann spruce, ponderosa pine, limber pine, Douglas fir, subalpine fir, cottonwood, and quaking aspen.
Anglers come for the creek's brook trout, while a resident elk population attracts hunters.
Savage Run Creek tumbles through the heart of the area in roughly an east-west direction. Along the way you'll pass through stands of virgin timber. The strenuous Cottonwood Trail enters from the southern boundary and travels two miles to join the Savage Run Trail.