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San Isabel National Forest
San Isabel National Forest near Buena Vista.

San Isabel National Forest – near Salida

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San Isabel National Forest contains 19 of the state’s 54 fourteeners. It’s located in central Colorado, from Leadville south past Salida.

There are many gems spread around this easy-to-access national forest. You can access parts of the San Isabel from nearby Leadville south all the way to Trinidad by the southern border with New Mexico.

Main Attractions

Agnes Vaille Falls

Agnes Vaille Falls – Nathrop

Buffalo Peaks Wilderness Snow Tracks Colorado

Buffalo Peaks Wilderness – Leadville

Clear Creek Reservoir

Clear Creek Reservoir – Granite

The summit of Cordova Pass, CO

Cordova Pass – Cuchara-Aguilar

Cottonwood Pass

Cottonwood Pass – Buena Vista-Almont

Cuchara Mountain Park, CO

Cuchara Mountain Park – Cuchara

Cuchara Pass, CO

Cuchara Pass – Cuchara-Monument Park

Hagerman Pass, Colorado

Hagerman Pass – Leadville

Hancock Ghost Town

Hancock, CO Ghost Town – by Nathrop

Hermit Lake, Colorado

Hermit Lake – Westcliffe

Hermit Lake near Hermit Pass Westcliffe Colorado

Hermit Pass – Westcliffe

Holy Cross Wilderness Colorado

Holy Cross Wilderness – near Vail

Independence Pass

Independence Pass – Twin Lakes-Aspen

Lake San Isabel, Colorado

Lake Isabel – Rye

Lake Of The Clouds – Westcliffe

Marshall Pass, Colorado

Marshall Pass – Poncha Springs-Sargents

Monarch Pass, CO

Monarch Pass – Poncha Springs-Sargents

Monument Lake Resort Weston Colorado

Monument Lake Resort – Weston

Poncha Pass, Colorado

Poncha Pass – Poncha Springs-Villa Grove

Ptarmigan Lake, Colorado

Ptarmigan Lake – Buena Vista

Image of the Purgatoire River flowing through the plains

Purgatoire River – near Trinidad

Saint Elmo Ghost Town

Saint Elmo, CO Ghost Town – by Nathrop

Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Stout Lake Colorado

Sangre de Cristo Wilderness – Alamosa

Image of the Canadian River in New Mexico with a railroad bridge crossing over

South Canadian River – Las Animas County

Tennessee Pass Road, CO Autumn Colors

Tennessee Pass – Leadville-Red Cliff

Tincup Pass Colorado

Tincup Pass – Nathrop-Almont

Turquoise Lake in Leadville, CO

Turquoise Lake – Leadville

Twin Lakes Reservoir Colorado

Twin Lakes Reservoir – Twin Lakes

Vicksburg Ghost Town

Vicksburg, CO Ghost Town – by Granite

Weston Pass, Colorado

Weston Pass – Fairplay-Leadville

Winfield Ghost Town

Winfield, CO Ghost Town – by Granite

Highlights

Highway 285 runs from Buena Vista to Salida passing several great spots, including Clear Creek Reservoir and Chalk Creek Canyon. The former is along County Road 390 and leads west to some interesting ghost towns, Vicksburg and Winfield. The latter leads west on Chalk Creek Drive to the massive and well preserved ghost town of St. Elmo.

Chalk Creek Canyon – Located on County Road 162, southwest of Buena Vista. A number of sights including Agnes Vaille Falls, Mount Princeton, Saint Elmo and Hancock ghost towns and Tincup Pass (4×4). There is a campground situated near Chalk Lake, but primitive, car camping does not exist in the canyon.

Clear Creek Reservoir – Located between Leadville and Buena Vista on US 24. The reservoir is located very close to the US 24, with a campground. There’s also countless primitive sites along the county road. The ghost town of Winfield lies 12 miles down at the end of the road, passing Vicksburg, another former mining town on the way back.

Cottonwood Pass – This scenic highway connects Buena Vista and the San Isabel NF to the east, with the town of Almont (near Gunnison) and the Gunnison NF to the west. Primitive car camping is easy to find.

Independence Pass – A scenic, summer short-cut to Aspen. The drive is 36 miles from Twin Lakes. Camping is easy to find near the pass. Twin Lakes has 3 campgrounds available with 104 campsites (no RV hook-ups or shower facilities).

Activities: Biking, Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Picnicking, OHV, Scenic Drives, Winter Rec – Cross Country Skiing, Snowmobiling, Snowshoeing

Read about the camping near Buena Vista and Nathrop.

Read about the camping near Salida and Poncha Springs.

Read about the camping near Trinidad, Walsenburg and La Veta.

San Isabel National Forest Map Salida CO
Map of San Isabel National Forest surrounding Salida, CO in middle. Photo: fs.usda.gov
National Forests Grasslands Map
Map of 11 national forests and 2 grasslands.
Mount Princeton.
Twelve acre Chalk Lake is a fee area.
Reflections off Chalk Lake.
Twin Lakes.

Details

Nearby Towns:

  • Buena Vista
  • Cañon City
  • Leadville
  • Poncha Springs
  • Pueblo
  • Salida
  • Twin Lakes

Map: San Isabel (shown in dark green) (.png)

Motor Vehicle Use Maps: Large, PDF’s from the USFS. They show forest service roads and where dispersed camping is permitted.

  • Leadville – Leadville, Buena Vista
  • Salida – Buena Vista, Poncha Springs, Salida
  • San Carlos North – Cañon City
  • San Carlos South – Walsenburg

San Isabel Campgrounds: Reservations

Website: fs.usda.gov/psicc

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