With some planning you can find a perfect spot for you and your family. GPS: 37.3289, -108.1198 . Toll Free: 800.642.5389 Local: 970.325.4925 [email protected] Operating under special use permit in the San Juan National Forest and the Grand Mesa/Uncompahgre National Forest - Shoshone National Forest - Denali National Park - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - Indian Creek BLM - Moab BLM. #9 - Coyote Hill Loop Trail. San Juan National Forest. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. Top trails ( 30) #1 - Ice Lake Basin San Juan National Forest hard (1296) Length: 8.3 mi • Est. Gain access to the San Juan National Forest and the Weminuche Wilderness for backpacking, day hikes, rafting, and fishing trips via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad during the summer season. Humans started more than a quarter of all wildfires from 2000 to 2018 in San Juan National Forest, and those fires tended to be closer to campgrounds, trails and roads, clear evidence that people enjoying the outdoors are often to blame, wrote University of North Alabama researchers who reviewed 18 years of data from the southern Colorado forest. #2 - Columbine Lake Trail #509. Write a Review. Cherry Creek Rd. San Juan National Forest. San Juan National Forest: Hiking - See 574 traveler reviews, 195 candid photos, and great deals for Durango, CO, at Tripadvisor. Regulations and Recommended Practices: To minimize your impact, please review all San Juan National Forest regulations. 9 h 5 m. Coyote Hill Loop Trail. Maps:South San Juan/Del Norte, #142 ($9.95, Trails Illustrated, 800-962-1643). 2. Campgrounds near Ridgway Ridgway Reservoir, Ouray County, Colo. Photo: J. Stephen Conn Coming from the north on CO-550, Ridgway is a true gateway to the mountains, sitting at the base of the Mt. Silverton, CO. The water is gorgeous. The first lake, Lower Ice Lake, is just below timberline, at the foot . Located in Southwest Colorado, the Weminuche Wilderness area (pronounced whem-a-nooch) is the largest Wilderness area in Colorado, spanning 499,771 acres across the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests. It is know as the "land of many uses." One can enjoy hiking on the many trails, camping, picnicking, mountain biking, horseback riding, kayaking, and fishing. CO National Forest : Rio Grande- Divide Ranger District Map 2016 $ 16.00. . The delightful mountain towns of Durango, Silverton, Pagosa Springs, South Fork and Creede surround and provide . #1 - Ice Lake Basin. The oxygen (or lack there of) killed me, but I made it up anyways. hard (445) Length: 8.3 mi • Est. Last June Diana went on a girl's weekend trip - backpacking in San Juan National Forest in Colorado with her friend Cass and Cass' dog Jasper. The campground offers single-family sites, many of which have lake views. San Juan National Forest Campground Guide . 3,096 Reviews. Campground Camping. Mavreeso Campground is located on the West Dolores Road (Forest Road 535), which branches north from Colorado Highway 145 about 20 miles northeast of Dolores. Chicago Basin Visitors enjoy the area for its beautiful scenery and wide range of recreational activities, including boating, fishing and hiking. The San Juan National Forest has hundreds of trails, many within a short drive of Durango, Dolores, Mancos, Bayfield, Silverton, and Pagosa Springs. San Juan National Forest. Tucked away in the San Juan National Forest northeast of Durango, Colorado, the Lemon Reservoir is a beautiful, secluded alpine lake created by the Lemon Dam. RV Camping. Visitors enjoy the area for its beautiful scenery and wide range of recreational activities, including boating, fishing and hiking. Named after the first Cattle Point Lighthouse keeper, George Jakle, Jakle's Lagoon is located just south of the Fourth of July Beach on Cattle Point and is part of the San Juan Island National Historical Park. Difficult. Graham Creek Campground is situated above Vallecito Lake, in the scenic San Juan National Forest of southwestern Colorado. San Juan National Forest. GPS: 37.3474, -106.9343. Free maps and parking information for dry camping, boondocking, dispersed camping, wild camping and tent camping on County Road 316 in the San Juan National Forest, Hesperus, Colorado, U.S.A. Ice Lake + Island Lake Hike: This 8-mile round-trip hike gains 3,000 feet in elevation, starting in a subalpine forest and finishing at an undeniably gorgeous alpine lake. Visitors enjoy the area for its trail and fishing opportunities, which are part of a very scenic, natural setting. Owing to its easy access via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, its proximity to three of Colorado's 14-ers, and its scenic beauty, Chicago Basin is a very popular backpacker destination in the Weminuche Wilderness. Camping or hiking, you'll have the adventure of a lifetime in the San Juan's. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the outdoors by hiking, biking and fishing. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you . We received 4G LTE with AT&T and T-Mobile. The water is gorgeous. Terrain ranges from high-desert mesas to alpine peaks, with thousands of miles of back roads and hundreds of miles of trails to explore. Distance: 16.9 miles Time: 3-4 days Elevation gain: 5,660 feet Despite their impressive appearance from Molas Pass between Durango and Silverton, most hikers pass by the twisted, slabby West Needle Mountains on their way to somewhere else. San Juan National Forest. Campendium, AllStays, etc are great tools and we use them all the time, but they simply do not include all of the many potential boondocking locations on US Forest Service lands. San Juan National Forest Campground Guide . Check with the local Forest Service for the most current information or for details about public campgrounds. Ice Lake Basin. $0 - $200 avg/night. Hike Through an Autumn Rainbow at San Juan National Forest's Island Lake. Why you should camp here: Ideal campground near the San Juan National Forest for large RVs and families. Weminuche Wilderness was created by the Wilderness Act of 1964 and was officially founded by Congress in 1974. Explore the most popular kid friendly trails in San Juan National Forest with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO […] Join us in one of the most wonderful hiking trips we have ever completed. Chicago Basin is a small part of the 487,912-acre Weminuche Wilderness within the San Juan National Forest. For more information visit our Wilderness page. Trail Info: San Juan/Rio Grande National Forests, Conejos Peak District, (719) 274-8971. San Juan National Forest. The San Juan National Forest is 1.8 million acres of fantastic wilderness with snow-capped mountains, meadows of wildflowers, mountain streams, and occasional glimpses of wildlife. 5 h 20 m Columbine Lake Trail #509 in San Juan National Forest is a difficult and steep trail with 16 discernible switchbacks but it's worth the effort. The Lemon Dam was built in 1963 for the purpose of storing water for irrigation. San Juan National Forest. It sits on Vallecito Creek, adjacent to the Weminuche Wilderness. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. San Juan National Forest. 3.4 mi. We endured hai. 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