South Fork lies at the confluence of the South Fork and Rio Grande rivers. It also sits at the intersection of Highway 160 and Highway 149, which goes north to Creede. In 2010 there were 386 recorded residents.
The town was founded in 1882 and didn’t become a statutory town until 1992. In 1983 it was featured as a stop by Clark Griswold in the movie National Lampoon’s Vacation starring Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold.
South Fork serves as a gateway to the Southwest, sitting just before Wolf Creek Pass, which leads west to Pagosa Springs in about an hour. It resides at an elevation of 8,209 feet in Rio Grande County.
Main Attractions
Wolf Creek Ski Area – It makes a great base if coming from the east to ski at Wolf Creek Ski Area. It’s closer than going all the way to Pagosa Springs to backtrack to ski.
Silver Thread Byway. – It lies at the southern start of the Silver Thread Scenic Byway, which goes north to Gunnison. This is CO-149 and one of the prettiest byways in the state. It’s full of national forests and old mining relics.
Read about the top things to do in South Fork.
Recreation
Camping:
- Read about the camping near Alamosa and South Fork.
Fishing:
- Read about the lakes and rivers to fish near South Fork.
Hiking:
- Read about the hiking trails near South Fork and Del Norte.
Accommodations
Hotels and lodging:
- Spruce Lodge – historic 2 star
- Read about the best hotels in South Fork.
Activities near South Fork
Federal Lands:
Hiking:
Scenic Drives:
Ski Areas:
- Wolf Creek Ski Area (18mi)
State Wildlife Areas:
- Beaver Creek Reservoir SWA (6mi)
- Big Meadows Reservoir SWA (13mi)
Towns:
- Alamosa (48mi)
- Del Norte (15mi)
- La Garita (29mi)
- Monte Vista (30mi)
- Pagosa Springs (42mi)
- Platoro (42mi)
Transportation:
Waterfalls:
- Treasure Falls (27mi)
Whitewater Rafting:
