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Recreation

Come and enjoy the natural splendor of the San Juan Mountains and your public lands! The stunning scenery ranges from high desert mesas and canyons to high alpine peaks and meadows. Recreational opportunities abound from fishing to biking, hunting to hiking, OHV riding to simply going to for drive along one of our scenic forest roads. 

In addition, did you know that the San Juan National Forest includes four Wilderness Areas and a National Monument? Explore Chimney Rock National Monument, a culturally-rich area where you can take a step back in time and imagine the landscape as it was a thousand years ago with cultivated fields and settlements extending from the valley floors to the mesa tops.

Looking for outfitters or guides to take you on your San Juan adventure? Visit our Tours page.

Showing: 1 - 10 of 92 results

Animas River Trail

Hiking Horse Riding and Camping Hunting, Fishing and Shooting
The Animas River Trail is an excellent trail for day hikers, backpackers, and stock riders. The Animas River Trail is an alternative to taking the train to get to Chicago Basin by connecting…

Aspen Guard Station

Hiking Biking Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV)
Aspen Guard Station is a beautiful cabin. Built between 1938-1940, this cabin offers a visit to the past  while being near enough to civilization to have a foot in both worlds.  This old cabin…

Blanco River Group Campground

Site Open
Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Hiking
The Blanco River Group Campground is a convenient stopping point between Chama, New Mexico, and Pagosa Springs, about 15 miles southeast of Pagosa Springs. This group campground offers one group…

Bradfield Campground

Site Open
Water Activities
The Bradfield Campground is located 30 miles northwest of Dolores in the Dolores River Canyon below McPhee Dam. The campground is large and open with 22 campsites, all first-come, first-serve. It…

Bridge Campground

Site Open
Picnicking Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Hiking
Bridge Campground offers 19 campsites in a flat, open area all on a first-come, first-serve basis between May and September.Plenty of large sites offer views of the high peaks to the north. Horses…

Buckles Lake Trailhead

Horse Riding and Camping Hiking
The Buckles Lake Trailhead leads to both Buckles Lake Trail (688) and V Rock Trail (578).Buckles Lake Trail is 3 miles long. It begins at Forest Road 663m - Buckles Lake Road, continues past…

Bull Creek Trail

Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) Hiking Biking Horse Riding and Camping
Bull Creek Trail #682 begins at Forest Road 613, Fossett Gulch Road and ends at the boundary with Southern Ute Agency. The trail begins in ponderosa pine and gambel oak forest before opening up into…

Burnt Timber Trail

Hiking Horse Riding and Camping
The Burnt Timer Trail was named for a fire that swept through the area years ago. Large stands of aspen now flank the trail. You gain 1,000' in elevation the first mile. The trail continues climbing…

Burro Bridge Campground

Site Open
Horse Riding and Camping Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Hiking Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV)
Two miles northeast of Dunton, Burro Bridge is one of three campgrounds along the West Dolores Road (Forest Rd. 535). The campground has 14 sites with a few shade trees on a sloping hillside above…

Cascade Creek Trail

Hiking Horse Riding and Camping Biking Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Winter Sports
Cascade Creek Trail passes by several beautiful views and waterfalls. There are two trails, on either side of the creek. The trail on the east is a stock driveway that is steep and muddy in spots.…