San Isabel National Forest – near Salida, CO | Biking, Boating, Camping, Hiking & Fishing

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 and 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

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.

Agnes Vaille Falls – Nathrop

Buffalo Peaks Wilderness Snow Tracks Colorado

Buffalo Peaks Wilderness – by Leadville

Clear Creek Reservoir – Granite

Cordova Pass – Cuchara-Aguilar

Cottonwood Pass – Buena Vista-Almont

Cuchara Mountain Park

Cuchara Pass – Cuchara-Monument Park

Hagerman Pass – Leadville

Hancock, CO Ghost Town – by Nathrop

Hermit Lake – Westcliffe

Hermit Pass – Westcliffe

Holy Cross Wilderness – by Vail

Independence Pass – Twin Lakes-Aspen

Image of La Plata Peak from Winfield, Colorado

La Plata Peak – near Leadville

Lake Isabel – Rye

Lake Of The Clouds – Westcliffe

Marshall Pass – Poncha Springs-Sargents

Monarch Pass – Poncha Springs-Sargents

Monument Lake Resort – Weston

Mount Antero – near Nathrop

Mount Elbert – near Leadville

Mount Harvard – near Buena Vista

Mount Massive – near Leadville

Mount Shavano and Tabeguache Peak Colorado

Mount Shavano – near Salida

Poncha Pass – Poncha Springs-Villa Grove

Ptarmigan Lake – Buena Vista

Image of the Purgatoire River flowing through the plains

Purgatoire River – near Trinidad

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

Image of the South Colony Lakes and Cresone Needle in Westcliffe, Colorado

South Colony Lakes – Westcliffe

Sawatch Range Tabeguache Peak, Mount Shavano and Mount Antero

Tabeguache Peak – near Salida

Tennessee Pass – Leadville-Red Cliff

Tincup Pass – Nathrop-Almont

Turquoise Lake – Leadville

Twin Lakes Reservoir – Twin Lakes

Vicksburg, CO Ghost Town – by Granite

Weston Pass – Fairplay-Leadville

Winfield, CO Ghost Town – by Granite

National Forests Grasslands Map — Map of 11 national forests and 2 grasslands.

Chalk Creek Canyon: Located on County Road 162, southwest of Buena Vista, there are a number of sights to see 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 US 24, with a campground. There are 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 shortcut 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, Cross Country Skiing, Snowmobiling, Snowshoeing