Archuleta County - 24 Attractions You Must Visit

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About Archuleta County

Archuleta County is a gateway to the beautiful Southwest Colorado. Pagosa Springs, the county seat and largest city of Archuleta County, sits quietly at 7,079 feet in the heart of the San Juan Mountains.It is the gateway to 2.8 million acres of wilderness and national forest areas including the San Juan National Forest, Weminuche Wilderness Area and the South San Juan Wilderness Area.

Types of Attractions in Archuleta County

Activities Around

List of Attractions in Archuleta County

Blackhead Peak

Blackhead Peak

1 Day Treks

Mountain Peaks

Blackhead is a rugged peak that rises to the east of the town of Pagosa Springs in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. It is one of the peak which gives you a beautiful view of this area.

Buckles Lake Trailhead

The Buckles Lake trail is 3 miles long. It begins at Forest Road 663m - Buckles Lake Rd., continues past Buckles Lake and ends at Harris Lake. The trail is open for Hiking, Horseback Riding.The trail continues past Buckles Lake to Harris Lake. Both Buckles and Harris Lakes are reservoirs where you can find Cutthroat and Brown trout. If you like fishing, the lakes are good options with calm water and plenty of room to cast.

Chalk Mountains

Chalk Mountains

1 Day Treks

Mountain Peaks

The Chalk Mountains are a mountain range in Archuleta County, Colorado. Chalk Mountain is interesting in its remoteness and lack of traffic, as well as its spectacular view from the summit. Compared to Front Range peaks, it is fairly neglected.

Chama Lake

Chama Lake

Lake/ River/ Ponds

This is a major tributary river of the Rio Grande, is located in the U.S. states of Colorado and New Mexico. The river is about 130 miles long altogether. From its source to El Vado Dam its length is about 50 miles , from El Vado Dam to Abiquiu Dam is about 51 miles, and from Abiquiu Dam to its confluence with the Rio Grande is about 34 miles.

Chimney Rock National Monument

Chimney Rock National Monument

Outdoors- Other

Old Ruins

This is a sacred place that celebrates the life of Ancestral Puebloans over 1000 years ago. It lies on 4,726 acres of San Juan National Forest land surrounded by the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. Housing approximately 2,000 ancient Pueblo Indians between AD 925 and 1125, the settlement included a Great House Pueblo with round ceremonial rooms, known as kivas, and 36 ground-floor rooms.

Coyote Hill Trailhead

Coyote Hill Trailhead

1 Day Treks

Mountain Peaks

The Coyote Hill Ski Trail system consists of over 11 kilometersIt is actually two parallel trails, with an equestrian trail on the northern levee and a bicycle trail on the southern levee, connecting with the Coyote Hills' Bay View bike trail. of groomed routes suitable for classic and skate skiing.

East Fork San Juan River

East Fork San Juan River

Lake/ River/ Ponds

East Fork San Juan River is a tributary of the San Juan River in southern Colorado in the United States. The stream flows from the confluence of Crater Creek and Elwood Creek in Mineral County to a confluence with the West Fork San Juan River in Archuleta County that forms the San Juan River.

Echo Canyon Reservoir

Echo Canyon Reservoir

Lake/ River/ Ponds

Echo Canyon Reservoir was constructed in 1969 in the Meadow Valley Wash, approximately 10 miles downstream from Eagle Valley Reservoir in Lincoln County. The 65-acre reservoir presents the perfect place for boating and swimming and is home to a variety of waterfowl, including mallards, teals and herons.

Horse Mountain

Horse Mountain

1 Day Treks

Mountain Peaks

A majestic peak in the San Juan Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. It is an isolated forest and woodland providing habitat for wildlife including mule deer, elk, golden eagles, mountain lions, bobcats, and occasionally, bald eagles. UIt is also a good trekking destination and also there is so many things to see and do.

Lake Pagosa

Lake Pagosa

Lake/ River/ Ponds

A beautiful lake nestled against the San Juan Mountains. Enjoy hiking, fishing, or a scenic picnic. it surrounds a park featuring lakefront, wooded, and hillside terrain. Lake Pagosa is the largest of the four stocked fishing lakes in Pagosa Lakes.

Montezuma Peak

Montezuma Peak

Mountain Peaks

Montezuma Peak is a Class 2 peak in the South San Juan Wilderness, with a trailhead accessible to most passenger vehicles. It is one of the iconic location with breathtaking views and also there are so many things to see and do.

Navajo State Park

Navajo State Park

Outdoors- Other

Forests

Navajo State Park is a major recreational facility in southwest Colorado, drawing more than 300,000 visitors every year. Its area is 15,000 acres, and it has 150 miles of shoreline in two states. Park activities include boating, houseboating, fishing, camping, and wildlife viewing. There is a New Mexico state park at the southern end of the lake.

Opal Lake

Opal Lake

Lake/ River/ Ponds

A beautiful freshwater lake located on the western region of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, in King County, Washington. The lake is connected by stream to Emerald Lake and Jade Lake, which form together the Neckelace Valley Lakes. Opal Lake and its surrounding lakes and peaks are a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing Rainbow trout. Access to Opal Lake and other Necklace Valley Lakes is through Necklace Valley Trail #1062.

Pagosa springs

Pagosa springs

Lake/ River/ Ponds

Pagosa Springs is located approximately 35 miles north of the New Mexico border, at 7,126 feet above sea level on the Western Slope of the Continental Divide. This combination of high desert plateau and the Rocky Mountains to the north and east creates an unusually mild climate, especially in the summer months. Pagosa sees around 300 days of sun each year, as well as four distinct seasons.

Rio Blanco

Rio Blanco

Lake/ River/ Ponds

Rio Blanco is a stream that is tributary of the San Juan River in southern Colorado, United States. The stream originates in the San Juan Mountains and flows for 30 miles through the San Juan National Forest and private lands to its confluence with the San Juan River in Archuleta County, Colorado.The river also features native cutthroat trout and introduced rainbow trout fishing.

Rio Grande National Forest

Rio Grande National Forest comprises 1.86 million acres in south-central Colorado. It’s one of the more secluded national forests in the state and is located near Pagosa Springs and the town of Creede. It forms the scenic backdrop to the San Luis Valley. With a landscape of high peaks, geological wonders, and steep river canyons, the spectacular scenery beckons adventures from near and far.

Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park

Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park

Forests

Wildlife Sanctuaries

Tucked into the rolling hills of Archuleta County, there's a small, hidden refuge to animals that call the Rocky Mountains home.This privately owned and operated facility since 1986 has been educating the people about the importance of animals in the ecology of that area. The animal enclosures of Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park are so beautifully created on the theme of their natural habitat that the animals thrive here peacefully and are totally cool with the proximity of the humans.

San Juan Historical Museum

A majestic historical museum located on the former James King farm which was homesteaded in the 1880s. It consists of the original farmhouse, carriage house, root cellar and milk house in addition to the first San Juan County jail, a pioneer log cabin, and a barn and resource center. The history museum includes 19th and 20th century life on San Juan Island, featuring photographs, pioneer stories, and a blend of cultures that have shaped the island over the years.

San Juan National Forest

The San Juan National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering over 1,878,846 acres in western Colorado. It encompasses about 1.8 million acres in the southwestern corner of Colorado. From high-desert mesas to alpine peaks, these federal lands are managed for multiple uses and visitors are asked to respect each other and the natural resources.

San Juan River Walk

San Juan River Walk

Lake/ River/ Ponds

Urban Walks

The San Juan Riverwalk is a paved path running along the San Juan river in Pagosa Springs. It's an easy walk with great views of the Hot Springs. Watching the rafters go by, seeing all the birds, it was really enjoyable and it has access to free hot spring pools.

Map of attractions in Archuleta County

Comments

For more information about Archuleta County, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archuleta_County,_Colorado