Information
Landmark: San Juan National ForestCity: Durango
Country: USA Colorado
Continent: North America
San Juan National Forest, Durango, USA Colorado, North America
San Juan National Forest sprawls across over 1.8 million acres in southwestern Colorado with a raw untamed landscape eerily venerated deeply.
It sprawls gigantically across arid high-desert mesas and thick pine woodlands and glacial lakes beneath some dramatically towering rocky peaks.
This forest reeks of raw wildness and humbles visitors with rugged terrain beneath dense canopy overhead quite intensely every time.
Forest sprawls haphazardly across multiple counties including La Plata and Montezuma and San Juan and Dolores and Archuleta somehow.
Rugged terrain rises unpredictably from low canyons at 6,000 feet to jagged summits soaring over 14,000 feet extremely high.
Vast meadows sprawl beside old-growth spruce forests and miles of wildly meandering rivers surround glacial basins and volcanic spires.
Weminuche Wilderness sprawls extensively across San Juan Mountains reckoned among geologically youngest ranges in U.
S.
Colorado's largest wilderness area lies at forest's core.
Boots wear trails faintly in this utterly desolate place devoid of roads or cell signal and shortcuts are nonexistent here naturally.
Backpackers and mountaineers come here not for convenience but rather for rather deep immersion in rugged natural surroundings.
Chicago Basin stands out as a gem reachable solely by trekking in or riding Durango & Silverton train getting dumped off deep in wilderness.
Alpine valleys rise sharply into craggy knife-edge ridgelines alongside 14000-foot Needle Mountains looming ominously in rugged terrain.
Mountain goats roam freely alongside black bears and marmots and elk inhabit nearly every rugged terrain pretty much everywhere.
You feel like you're being watched but never actually threatened somehow.
La Plata range forms a distinct western outcrop of forest closer somewhat obscured near Durango.
This compact mountain group offers solitude and excellent day hiking beneath serene skies away from hordes of annoying people.
Steep slopes and flower-filled meadows surround Tomahawk Basin and Sharkstooth Peak as Columbine Lake Trail winds pretty thoroughly through them.
Hiking and Trails sprawl across mountains with hundreds of miles of pathways ranging from serene riverside strolls beneath willows to grueling high-altitude treks.
Engineer Mountain Trail beckons hikers on a classic summit day promising breathtaking panoramic views from dizzying heights.
Hermosa Creek Trail spans pretty lengthy forested terrain ideal for biking enthusiasts embarking on rugged multi-day treks beneath lush canopies.
Ice Lakes Trail near Silverton is notoriously tricky for beginners and famous for its extremely turquoise lakes.
Vallecito Creek Trail unfolds rather quietly through deep pine forests alongside a very powerful river beneath largely shaded terrain.
Camping here sprawls across serene riverside campgrounds and isolated backcountry solitude.
Molas Lake beckons families or stargazers with car-accessible sites nestled beside a gorgeous high-alpine lake.
Transfer Campground situated deep in Dolores County boasts a woody tranquil atmosphere and is pretty darn remote.
Backcountry camping's allowed pretty much everywhere in forest terrain just be prepared for mercurial weather conditions sudden summer snowfalls and lengthy treks between potable water sources.
Million Dollar Highway stretches sinuously from Durango up through Silverton rather majestically and reaches Ouray via a narrow twisting road.
Sheer drop-offs plunge downward with jaw-dropping views unfolding constantly beside unguarded edges beneath a sprawling landscape.
Not for faint hearts this experience proves unforgettable.
La Plata Canyon Road winds roughly west from Durango up into dense forest then bursts suddenly into bright alpine meadows high overhead.
It blazes brightly gold amidst aspen trees in fall.
Dunton Hot Springs Road and West Dolores Road boast pretty quiet mountain scenery with old historic cabins tucked deeply into tall trees.
Flora and fauna thrive variably with altitude shifts occurring pretty rapidly here.
Lower zones rather strikingly feature juniper and ponderosa amidst scattered piñon pine trees on rugged terrain beneath blue skies.
You pass into dense spruce-fir stands and mixed conifer forests then emerge above treeline into rather barren alpine tundra ecosystems suddenly.
Wildflowers erupt vibrantly in lofty basins during spring and summer with columbine and Indian paintbrush blooming alongside bluebells.
Aspens blaze brightly with fiery hues in autumn.
Black bears are fairly common yet incredibly shy and mountain lions remain elusive while bighorn sheep populations and moose numbers are swelling rapidly.
Snow falls heavily on San Juan forests rendering many trails impassable except on foot with snowshoes or by ski down steep slopes.
Avalanche risk remains extremely high in steep alpine terrain but offers incredibly pristine backcountry skiing and utter isolation for sufficiently trained thrill-seekers.
Snow blankets upper elevations pretty thoroughly from November through May somehow.
Indigenous peoples inhabited this land for millennia with rich cultural heritage deeply rooted beneath worn dusty terrain.
Ute tribes still fiercely maintain deeply rooted ancestral ties here amidst lingering traditional practices and worn sacred pathways.
Abandoned railroad trestles and old mining cabins alongside crumbling ghost towns sporadically dot rugged landscape quite eerily everywhere.
Colorado's silver rush history hangs heavily over forest terrain especially around Rico and Animas Forks in remarkably rich fashion.
San Juan National Forest has a rough-around-the-edges atmosphere and experience that feels pretty unrefined and totally unpolished nowadays.
This place bears little resemblance to magical Disneyland.
Overlooks lack railings and gentle warnings are noticeably absent.
Something quite profound it asks of you silently.
It rewards thorough preparation with presence and earns respect.
You descend upon this tranquil haven getting away from hordes of rowdy people noisy surroundings stifling timetables and inane societal pressures.
Merely 15 minutes down a rugged forest track world feels eerily quiet and drastically altered somehow.
Time crawls excruciatingly in darkened rooms.
Sky expands enormously upward.
Wind whispers secrets eerily from ancient corners.
Each fiery blaze crackles energetically beside rugged vantage points that lodge vividly in your recollection long afterwards you wander away.
This forest offers more than pretty scenery and clarity seeps in slowly beneath twisted roots and decaying leaves.
It sprawls gigantically across arid high-desert mesas and thick pine woodlands and glacial lakes beneath some dramatically towering rocky peaks.
This forest reeks of raw wildness and humbles visitors with rugged terrain beneath dense canopy overhead quite intensely every time.
Forest sprawls haphazardly across multiple counties including La Plata and Montezuma and San Juan and Dolores and Archuleta somehow.
Rugged terrain rises unpredictably from low canyons at 6,000 feet to jagged summits soaring over 14,000 feet extremely high.
Vast meadows sprawl beside old-growth spruce forests and miles of wildly meandering rivers surround glacial basins and volcanic spires.
Weminuche Wilderness sprawls extensively across San Juan Mountains reckoned among geologically youngest ranges in U.
S.
Colorado's largest wilderness area lies at forest's core.
Boots wear trails faintly in this utterly desolate place devoid of roads or cell signal and shortcuts are nonexistent here naturally.
Backpackers and mountaineers come here not for convenience but rather for rather deep immersion in rugged natural surroundings.
Chicago Basin stands out as a gem reachable solely by trekking in or riding Durango & Silverton train getting dumped off deep in wilderness.
Alpine valleys rise sharply into craggy knife-edge ridgelines alongside 14000-foot Needle Mountains looming ominously in rugged terrain.
Mountain goats roam freely alongside black bears and marmots and elk inhabit nearly every rugged terrain pretty much everywhere.
You feel like you're being watched but never actually threatened somehow.
La Plata range forms a distinct western outcrop of forest closer somewhat obscured near Durango.
This compact mountain group offers solitude and excellent day hiking beneath serene skies away from hordes of annoying people.
Steep slopes and flower-filled meadows surround Tomahawk Basin and Sharkstooth Peak as Columbine Lake Trail winds pretty thoroughly through them.
Hiking and Trails sprawl across mountains with hundreds of miles of pathways ranging from serene riverside strolls beneath willows to grueling high-altitude treks.
Engineer Mountain Trail beckons hikers on a classic summit day promising breathtaking panoramic views from dizzying heights.
Hermosa Creek Trail spans pretty lengthy forested terrain ideal for biking enthusiasts embarking on rugged multi-day treks beneath lush canopies.
Ice Lakes Trail near Silverton is notoriously tricky for beginners and famous for its extremely turquoise lakes.
Vallecito Creek Trail unfolds rather quietly through deep pine forests alongside a very powerful river beneath largely shaded terrain.
Camping here sprawls across serene riverside campgrounds and isolated backcountry solitude.
Molas Lake beckons families or stargazers with car-accessible sites nestled beside a gorgeous high-alpine lake.
Transfer Campground situated deep in Dolores County boasts a woody tranquil atmosphere and is pretty darn remote.
Backcountry camping's allowed pretty much everywhere in forest terrain just be prepared for mercurial weather conditions sudden summer snowfalls and lengthy treks between potable water sources.
Million Dollar Highway stretches sinuously from Durango up through Silverton rather majestically and reaches Ouray via a narrow twisting road.
Sheer drop-offs plunge downward with jaw-dropping views unfolding constantly beside unguarded edges beneath a sprawling landscape.
Not for faint hearts this experience proves unforgettable.
La Plata Canyon Road winds roughly west from Durango up into dense forest then bursts suddenly into bright alpine meadows high overhead.
It blazes brightly gold amidst aspen trees in fall.
Dunton Hot Springs Road and West Dolores Road boast pretty quiet mountain scenery with old historic cabins tucked deeply into tall trees.
Flora and fauna thrive variably with altitude shifts occurring pretty rapidly here.
Lower zones rather strikingly feature juniper and ponderosa amidst scattered piñon pine trees on rugged terrain beneath blue skies.
You pass into dense spruce-fir stands and mixed conifer forests then emerge above treeline into rather barren alpine tundra ecosystems suddenly.
Wildflowers erupt vibrantly in lofty basins during spring and summer with columbine and Indian paintbrush blooming alongside bluebells.
Aspens blaze brightly with fiery hues in autumn.
Black bears are fairly common yet incredibly shy and mountain lions remain elusive while bighorn sheep populations and moose numbers are swelling rapidly.
Snow falls heavily on San Juan forests rendering many trails impassable except on foot with snowshoes or by ski down steep slopes.
Avalanche risk remains extremely high in steep alpine terrain but offers incredibly pristine backcountry skiing and utter isolation for sufficiently trained thrill-seekers.
Snow blankets upper elevations pretty thoroughly from November through May somehow.
Indigenous peoples inhabited this land for millennia with rich cultural heritage deeply rooted beneath worn dusty terrain.
Ute tribes still fiercely maintain deeply rooted ancestral ties here amidst lingering traditional practices and worn sacred pathways.
Abandoned railroad trestles and old mining cabins alongside crumbling ghost towns sporadically dot rugged landscape quite eerily everywhere.
Colorado's silver rush history hangs heavily over forest terrain especially around Rico and Animas Forks in remarkably rich fashion.
San Juan National Forest has a rough-around-the-edges atmosphere and experience that feels pretty unrefined and totally unpolished nowadays.
This place bears little resemblance to magical Disneyland.
Overlooks lack railings and gentle warnings are noticeably absent.
Something quite profound it asks of you silently.
It rewards thorough preparation with presence and earns respect.
You descend upon this tranquil haven getting away from hordes of rowdy people noisy surroundings stifling timetables and inane societal pressures.
Merely 15 minutes down a rugged forest track world feels eerily quiet and drastically altered somehow.
Time crawls excruciatingly in darkened rooms.
Sky expands enormously upward.
Wind whispers secrets eerily from ancient corners.
Each fiery blaze crackles energetically beside rugged vantage points that lodge vividly in your recollection long afterwards you wander away.
This forest offers more than pretty scenery and clarity seeps in slowly beneath twisted roots and decaying leaves.
