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. 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.

Main Attractions

Agnes Vaille Falls – Nathrop

Buffalo Peaks Wilderness Snow Tracks Colorado

Buffalo Peaks Wilderness – Leadville

Clear Creek Reservoir – Granite

Cordova Pass – Cuchara-Aguilar

Cottonwood Pass – Buena Vista-Almont

Cuchara Mountain Park – Cuchara

Cuchara Pass – Cuchara-Monument Park

Hancock, CO Ghost Town – near Nathrop

Hermit Pass – Westcliffe

Holy Cross Wilderness – near Vail

Independence Pass – Twin Lakes-Aspen

Lake Isabel – Rye

Lake Of The Clouds – Westcliffe

Marshall Pass – Poncha Springs-Sargents

Monarch Pass – Poncha Springs-Sargents

Monument Lake Resort – Weston

Poncha Pass – Poncha Springs-Villa Grove

Saint Elmo, CO Ghost Town – near Nathrop

Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Stout Lake Colorado

Sangre de Cristo Wilderness – Alamosa

Tennessee Pass – Leadville-Red Cliff

Tincup Pass – Nathrop-Almont

Turquoise Lake – Leadville

Twin Lakes Reservoir – Twin Lakes

Vicksburg, CO Ghost Town – near Nathrop

Weston Pass – Fairplay-Leadville

Winfield, CO Ghost Town – near Granite

Highlights

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.