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A Walk in the Woods:
Hiking Trails in Pagosa Springs
Awesome natural beauty draws most of the visitors to the Pagosa
Springs area... however, many do not take the opportunity to hike
"back in" and enjoy the beauty in a more intimate way. You can
experience the unique sights, sounds, and fragrances of the San
Juan National Forest by leaving your car behind and walking up
a trail that winds beneath the towering pines and along a clear
mountain stream. The following hikes cover a variety of terrain
and are geared to different levels of ability. We hope you will
stay awhile in Pagosa and return home with some of the unforgettable
memories that any of these hikes will provide.
A couple of suggestions: If you are going to be
more than 30 minutes away from your car, take a day pack with
rain gear and a sweatshirt or sweater; mountain weather can change
rapidly. You will also want to bring water and, perhaps, insect
repellant. It is a good idea to pick up a national forest map;
it more clearly shows access roads and trails. Maps of the San
Juan National Forest may be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce
Visitors Center.
REMEMBER: Let someone know where you are going,
even if you're just planning a day hike.
Fourmile Falls Distance: approximately three miles
each way. A relatively easy hike, the Falls are among the highest
in this region. Drive out of Pagosa Springs north on Fourmile
Road; take the right turn just past Pagosa Peak Ranch, for about
14 miles to its end.
 Opal
Lake Distance: about two miles each way. It is a steep
and twisting trail through an aspen grove, then across an open
meadow to the lake. The lake is a nearly round body of water,
contained by beaver dams, bordered by wooded hillsides and directly
behind, sheer mountains loom upward. Head south out of Pagosa
Springs on US Highway 84 approximately eight miles to Blanco Basin
Road. Follow east to Castle Creek. Turn right across the Blanco
River and follow the road two miles to a parking area identified
by a sign denoting the trailhead.
Piedra Falls Distance: between 15 and 30 minutes
each way. The Falls are impressive, thundering off a cliff into
a v-shaped canyon of huge boulders. To get there, drive north
on Piedra Road to Sportsman's Supply, turn onto the road behind
it, follow this road for two miles and take the East Fork Road
(first road to the right) to its end. Walk up river to the headgate
where the trailhead begins.
Williams Creek No destination, start north of the
reservoir and Cimarrona Campground, the trail follows Williams
Creek northward into the Wilderness Area, edge your way along
a narrow ledge on the side of a steep canyon, and marvel at a
variety of mountain vistas.
Piedra River A day's hike at a moderate altitude (about
7,000 feet) with no long, steep climbs; follow a well-marked trail
beside the Piedra. Start at either end of the trail - from the
Piedra River crossing via Piedra Road, or from following US Highway
160 about 23 miles to where the Piedra River crosses under the
highway. Follow the river via First Fork Road, approximately ten
miles to the end of the road where the trailhead is. It is a good
idea to leave a car or have someone meet you at one end or the
other.
West Fork or Rainbow Trail Distance: 11.75 miles
one way. Hot springs about five miles up trail but off beaten
path (check with the Forest Service to find out exact location).
This trail crosses both the West Fork of the San Juan River and
Beaver Creek. Hikers need to proceed with extreme caution especially
during spring run off. Access from Pagosa Springs is by US Highway
160 northeast for 15 miles, left on Forest Service Road 648, then
past the West Fork Campground, crossing the West Fork of the San
Juan River at mile 17.5 and on to the trailhead at mile 20.8.
 Treasure
Falls At the western base of Wolf Creek Pass, can be viewed
from US Highway 160 northeast of Pagosa Springs. A short trail
leads to the falls.
Continental Divide Trail Distance: 80 miles. The
most exciting trail in the Weminuche Wilderness, it traverses
through the most remote and beautiful sections of the Wilderness.
Easiest access: US Highway 160 northeast to Wolf Creek Summit
then left a short distance further on a road that leads to a telephone
microwave tower to the end. The Continental Divide Trail also
extends south - from the Wolf Creek Pass Summit into New Mexico.
Quartz Lake Trail Distance: about 3.5 miles each
direction. Quartz Ridge is actually 12,349 feet high - well above
the tree line, yet reachable from a good gravel road. Drive out
Mill Creek Road (at the Red Ryder Rodeo grounds) 15 miles. Leave
Mill Creek Road and follow Nipple Mountain Road near-ly to the
end. Watch for a sign marking the trail-head.
Cimarrona Creek Trail Distance: 6.5 miles one way. The
trail wanders through conifers and aspen. Take Piedra Road north
to Williams Lake Road. Cimarrona Trail begins on Williams Lake
Road at mile 4.1, just beyond the entrance to Cimarrona Campground
on the left side.
Middle Fork Trail Distance: 10.6 miles one way.
The Middle Fork Trail is steep, exposed to storms and offers little
camping. Drive north on Piedra Road to Sportsman's Supply. Turn
onto road behind it continuing until the Middle Fork Hunter Campground.
Turkey Creek Trail Distance: 18.6 miles one way.
With some of the best scenery to be found in the entire Wilderness,
head northeast from Pagosa Springs on US Highway 160 for 7.3 miles.
Turn left on Jackson Mountain Road. Follow it for four miles to
the end where the trailhead for Turkey Creek Trail is located.
Williams Creek Trail Distance: 9.5 miles one way.
The old Spanish name for Williams Creek was Huerto: "garden-like."
The first few miles of Williams Creek do give the impression of
a gigantic, walled garden. Take Piedra Road north for 22 miles,
and then take Williams Lake Road to its end - about 4.75 miles
where the trail begins.
Treasure Mountain Trail Distance: approximately
10 miles total. Begin at the top - Wolf Creek Pass on US Highway
160, about 10,500 feet, just east of the summit marker where the
Continental Divide Trail winds southward and connects with the
Treasure Mountain Trail at Treasure Pass after a hike of a mile
or two.
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