Camp Hale National Historic Landscape. - Witness Tree Media

A large sign posted in the former military training facility of Camp Hale warns people about the possible danger of discovering unexploded ordinances in the area.
Historic postcard of Camp Hale, the former World War II high elevation military training facility located in Central Colorado. Courtesy of the Denver Public Library.
Snow in the riparian zone of the Eagle River with views toward snow covered Sheep Mountain and Kokomo Pass on the Continental Divide.
A historical photograph of a soldier from the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division posing in Camp Hale with a copy of the March 27, 1943 edition of the Saturday Evening Post. Photographs courtesy of the Denver Public Library.
The abandoned munitions bunkers at Camp Hale are some of the last remaining echoes of the areas historic military past.
A historical photograph of a soldier from the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division training at Camp Hale. Photograph courtesy of the Denver Public Library.
Wooden street signs are some of the last remaining echoes of the areas historic military past.
A historical photograph of soldiers from the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division marching along the channelized Eagle River in Camp Hale. Photograph courtesy of the Denver Public Library.
The ruins of the field house at Camp Hale are some of the last remaining echoes of the areas historic military past.
Aerial view of Camp Hale and the Pando Valley with the channelized Eagle River running down the middle of the valley floor.
A survey marker on the banks of the East Fork of the Eagle River in Camp Hale.
Historic photograph inlaid over my contemporary photograph of the straightening of the Eagle River at Camp Hale. During construction, the oxbows of the river were removed through channelization and the surrounding wetlands were drained.
A historical photograph of a billboard at Camp Hale. Photograph courtesy of the Denver Public Library.
Historic photograph inlay shows Camp Hale in 1943 looking north up the channelized section of the Eagle River and contemporary photograph of the same view after the military facilities were removed and only the straightened river remains.
During construction of the high elevation military training facility of Camp Hale, a section of the Eagle River was straightened and the surrounding wetlands drained.
Riparian restoration is one goal the National Forest Foundation will achieve by restoring the straightened section of the Eagle River that was channelized during construction of the military training facility in the early 1940s.
A historical photograph of a steam train heading north on a spur of the Denver and Rio Grande railroad passing by Camp Hale. Photograph courtesy of the Denver Public Library.
US Forest Service informational sign about native and non-native fish species found in the Eagle River and its tributaries.
Harmful algae blooms are able to develop due to the warm sluggish and shallow Eagle River that was straightened when Camp Hale was built in the early 1940s.
Snow hangs around until late spring in Camp Hale due to its high elevation.
Spring in the riparian zone of the Eagle River at Camp Hale.
Backpackers on a section of the 486 mile long Colorado Trail that goes through Camp Hale.
Mountain biking on a section of the 486 mile long Colorado Trail that crosses over the East Fork of the Eagle River through Camp Hale.
Autumn in Camp Hale looking north up the East Fork of the Eagle River toward the Continental Divide.

Camp Hale National Historic Landscape.

On October 12, 2022, President Biden used the Antiquities Act to establish Camp Hale as the United States’ first National Historic Landscape. Located in a glacial valley, in the shadow of the Continental Divide, is the former US Military training facility called Camp Hale. It was established during World War II to prepare soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division for high elevation warfare in Italy. After the war Camp Hale was decommissioned and management was transferred to the US Forest Service.

During the construction of Camp Hale, a section of the Eagle River was channelized and the surrounding wetlands drained. The National Forest Foundation has included Camp Hale as part of their Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences program. The program aims to restore the riparian zone of the Eagle River by removing invasive plant species, reestablishing wetlands and restoring the Eagle River’s natural oxbows that were straightened during construction of Camp Hale.

Tenth Mountain Division troops trained year round to prepare for harsh winter conditions and navigating unrelenting mountainous terrain. Along with combat skills, they learned how to ski, rock climb and backpack in an unforgiving landscape. Key allied victories were achieved by soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division. After the war, many veterans of the 10th went on to establish some of the world’s most recognized outdoor recreation brands, ski resorts and environmental movements including Paul Petzoldt, Pete Seibert and David Brower. Read the official proclamation that established the Camp Hale National Historic Landscape for a detailed description of the history and prehistory of the Pando Valley.

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