Tundra and marshlands surrounding West Ute lake. Camp perched above Rock Creek, and not a soul to be seen. Click here for up-to-date weather forecast. Courtesy of Jack Brauer. The South San Juan Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the San Juan National Forest, east of Pagosa Springs, in southern Colorado. The wilderness area contains: 32 lakes; many peaks above 13,000 feet (4,000 m), the highest of which is Summit Peak at 13,307 feet; and 180 miles (290 km) of hiking trails, that includes 42 miles (68 km) of the Continental Divide Trail. Blue Lake. This page offers a map and GPS tracks of the entire wilderness. BLM Maps: 12 Colorado Southwest regions $ 8.00. The doubletrack ends at this open hilltop, a perfect resting spot. Looking across the Continental Divide in the Weminuche Wilderness. A short-cut, thought to be simpler, was chosen with a rendezvous at Forty-Mile Spring, south of the town of Escalante. Conejos Peak Loop, South San Juan Wilderness, CO. If the expedition chose either route used by the scouts, it would mean a trip of nearly 500 miles (800 km). Fine views of Strom King peak from the CDT. Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site near La Junta; Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site near Chivington; National Historic Trails. It begins at the South Fork Trailhead on FR 250, follows the South Fork, Canon Rincon and Roaring Gulch Trails. San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act. Blue Lake Trail is a 10.2 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Pagosa Springs, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site near La Junta; Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site near Chivington; National Historic Trails. This bill would expand wilderness designations and safeguard beloved high country destinations, like Ice Lake Basin, from future mining. It includes all that are larger than 50,000 acres (200 km²). South San Juan Wilderness, CO 1/11 Tucked deep within a glacial bowl beneath two rugged 13,000-foot peaks, Crater Lake is one of the more accessible subalpine lakes in the Southern San Juans. Created in 1976, it comprises 83 small, uninhabited islands, scattered throughout the San Juans, with a combined area of approximately 454 acres (1.84 km 2). Originally designated as wilderness by Congress in 1980, it is a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System and now maintains 158,790 acres. › South San Juan Wilderness › Green Lake to Blue Lake Loop off 250. Turkey Lake (Weminuche Wilderness) Rating: Difficult. Old Spanish National Historic Trail through southwestern Colorado The tour detailed below is a true San Juan wilderness experience. From the Hunchback Pass TH,  follow the Continental Divide Trail south (813) up and over Hunchback Pass, to Nebo Creek. South San Juan Wilderness, Colorado Maybe not as famous as the larger Weminuche Wilderness, the 158,790 acre South San Juan Wilderness of the Rio Grande and San Juan National Forests offers of 180 miles of trails, including 42 miles along the Continental Divide. The broader San Juan Mountains consist of numerous sub-ranges including the remarkable Sneffels Range, Grenadier Range, Needle Mountains, San Miguel Range, and more. Explore. More. Conejos Peak Loop, South San Juan Wilderness, CO. The San Juan Mountains are roughly the size of the Swiss Alps, including the spectacular 499,771  acre Weminuche Wilderness- Colorado's largest designated wilderness area. Photos; Directions; Print/PDF Map; Share; More; Green Lake to Blue Lake Loop off 250 is a 35.6 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Capulin, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. From here, head downhill off-trail to the right (west). Ruybalid Trail is a 9.6 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Antonito, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. The San Juan Mountains are roughly the size of the Swiss Alps, including the spectacular 499,771 acre Weminuche Wilderness- Colorado's largest designated wilderness area. The United States Congress designated the South San Juan Wilderness (map) in 1980 and it now has a total of 160,998 acres. [citation needed], A mountain the wilderness area at the confluence of the Conejos and South Fork Conejos rivers, 66 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, Yanks Gulch/Upper Greasewood Creek Natural Area, Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=South_San_Juan_Wilderness&oldid=960191516, Protected areas of Archuleta County, Colorado, Protected areas of Conejos County, Colorado, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 June 2020, at 16:16. The San Juan National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering over 1,878,846 acres (2,935.7 sq mi, or 7,603.42 km²) in western Colorado.The forest occupies land in Archuleta, Conejos, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, Montezuma, Rio Grande, San Miguel and San Juan Counties. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, fishing, and horses and is best used from April until October. 3.1 miles to where the trail intersects the CDT (655) at Nebo Creek, closing the loop. The lake lives up to its name - it supports a healthy cutthroat trout population thanks to its depth, adequate drainage area, and remoteness. The doubletrack ends at this open hilltop, a perfect resting spot. The trailhead for Crater Lake is a fair distance off any major highway - roughly 18 miles off of US Highway 160 - in close proximity to relatively unknown Elwood Pass (Forest Road 380). However, for more casual travelers, one can enjoy the wonderful forests that are almost park-like in their leisurely beauty. Gain: 3,380 ft (1 way), 4,860 ft (round trip) Lake: 11,150 feet. Photos; Directions; Print/PDF Map; Share; More; Green Lake to Blue Lake Loop off 250 is a 35.6 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Capulin, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. It begins at the South Fork Trailhead on FR 250, follows the South Fork, Canon Rincon and Roaring Gulch Trails. TBL005 Looking across the Continental Divide in the Weminuche Wilderness. A site at the mouth of Montezuma Creek on the San Juan River was selected, but a viable route was still uncertain. This is a list of the largest wilderness areas in the National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States. The four National Historic Trails that pass through the state of Colorado are: . More frequent updates occur as needed to add newly designated or expanded areas. A sobering uneasiness about your place in the local food chain notwithstanding, you can trek an incredible 26-mile circle route by stitching together five trails within this 158,790-acre wilderness. Updates. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The two National Historic Sites within the state of Colorado are: . San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act. Updates. 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