Salida Ranger District - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

This is one of the nation’s most popular locations for whitewater rafting and kayaking and home to the most commercially rafted river in the United States. It extends about 148 miles from Leadville to the Pueblo Reservoir through the towns of Buena Vista, Salida, Caсon City, and Florence. The spectacular scenery is highlighted by the steep, narrow, rocky canyons that provide excellent opportunities to view Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.

San Isabel National Forest is a stunning stretch of wilderness, which covers nearly 1.4 million acres and includes seven different mountain ranges, making it a paradise for hiking, camping, and fishing. There are also plenty of opportunities for wildlife watching. In addition to its natural beauty, San Isabel National Forest also has a rich history. Today, the Forest is a popular recreation destination for both locals and visitors from all over the world.

Poncha Pass is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado, located on the continental divide in the Sawatch Range, within the San Isabel National Forest. The pass is an important section of U.S. Highway 50 and is traversed by the Rio Grande Railroad. It is one of the few transcontinental railroad passes in North America not currently served by Amtrak. The highest point on Poncha Pass is 12,095 feet, making it one of the highest mountain passes in Colorado.

O'Haver Lake is a reservoir in Chaffee County, Colorado in the San Isabel National Forest. It is located about two miles from U.S. Highway 50 west of Poncha Pass. The lake and adjacent campground are just off Forest Road 200, also known as Marshall Pass Road. The pass is about twelve miles up the road from the lake.

This is a 7-mile trail to the Continental Divide or 6 miles to the Green’s Creek Crossing. The lower section of the trail is smooth and winds through tight aspen trees. The upper section is steep, wet, and rocky. The trail is used by hikers, horseback riders, bikers and motorized dirt bikes.

The Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands covers nearly three million acres from western Kansas and Colorado's highest mountain peaks along the Continental Divide. This landscape offers a variety of ecosystems rich in history, geology, scenery, wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities.