If the campground is at capacity, there are other dispersed camping sites along Forest Road 585 at Anvil, Bear, and Sultan camping areas. This may be the most popular campground in San Juan National Forest. It’s first-come, first-serve, so get there early if you’re heading out on a weekend because they fill up fast. But if these hikes are the ones you’re after, make sure to snag a campsite at South Mineral Campground. In fact, that exact comparison is even pointed out at the trailhead. Over the course of 3.5 miles, you climb the equivalent of two Empire State Buildings. These two lakes are the most-trafficked trails in the entire forest, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to get there. Both have become increasingly trendy due to social media. When most hikers talk about San Juan National Forest, they’re likely wanting to hike to the popular Ice and Island alpine lakes. Why you should camp here: Sleep in close proximity to the-famed Ice Lake Basin hikes South Mineral Campground Photo: Kristi Blokhin / Shutterstock Related Read: 10 Classic Mountain Cabins in Ouray, Colorado 1. Regardless of the activities you’ve got planned, here’s a quick run-down of the best campgrounds in San Juan National Forest. Grab a Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR) card and an interagency pass before heading out so you can snag some discounts on fees. Since San Juan National Forest covers a large area, you’ll want to plan out your adventures first before choosing a place to rest your head. Make sure to check with the local ranger district on the status of their campsites as many might be closed due to fire activity at any given time. There are over 30 official campground in the San Juan National Forest scattered within the forest boundary and dozens of free, dispersed camping options. So in order to have the best possible adventure, you’ll need a good basecamp. So it’s no wonder that Colorado’s second-largest national forest attracts visitors from both far and wide. In 2012, President Obama added to San Juan’s list of magnificent places and established Chimney Rock National Monument: Colorado’s version of Machu Picchu. It also encompasses four designated wilderness areas, dozens of alpine lakes, and several mountain towns. That’s not a typo: there are more than 300 high-altitude mountains in this forest. If climbing fourteeners isn’t really your jam, though, there are also 314 thirteeners. The San Juan National Forest includes 13 of Colorado’s fourteeners (peaks over 14,000 feet above sea level) across its 1.8 million-acre expanse. Outdoor enthusiasts have long kept a special place in their hearts for the San Juans.Īnd there’s good reason for it. It’s no secret that San Juan National Forest houses one of the best mountain ranges (of the same name) in Colorado.
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