Pagosa Springs and southwestern Colorado abound with recreational and historical activities.

Summer provides warm days and cool nights to help visitors take advantage of the San Juan National Forest and the Weminuche Wilderness. Hiking, biking, rafting, horseback rides, camping and world-class fishing await our warm weather visitors. Winter offers up the most snow in Colorado to fulfill the wishes of downhill and cross-country skiers. Snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice skating and ice fishing will keep winter visitors busy.

Waterfalls galore await the adventurous traveler! Some are right on the way, but most involve glorious hikes that culminate in magnificent vistas. Plan a visit to at least one when you’re in town! Rafting, kayaking or fishing on the San Juan River, hiking in the national forest, soaking in the hot springs and many more activities await visitors to Pagosa Springs.

What’s your idea of camping? Pulling your popup into town, driving into the San Juan National Forest, or leaving it all behind and backpacking into the Weminuche Wilderness? It’s all here in Pagosa. Don’t forget to “leave no trace” when you’re out in the forest. If you pack it in, pack it out!

To the east, over the divide, is the San Luis Valley, home of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and headwaters of the Rio Grande River. To the west lies Durango, Mesa Verde National Park and the famous gold mining remains of the San Juan Range.

Pagosa Springs is a short drive to any of these locations — an easy day in the car over scenic roads that is as worthy as the destinations themselves.

A drive over Wolf Creek Pass is a must-do. In good weather, don’t miss the short drive up Lobo Overlook on the north side — near the summit. From the overlook, you’ll enjoy 360 degrees of views. Swing by Big Meadow Reservoir a few miles from the summit, on the north side of the highway.

On the other side of the pass, you arrive in South Fork — where you are given the option of driving north on Colo. 149 on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway toward Lake City, or continuing east on U.S. 160 towards the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Taking Colo. 149, you’ll discover Creede, an old mining town with a deep heritage. Don’t miss the Mining Museum at the far north end of Main Street. You will also find the Creede Repertory Theatre, this renowned summer theater offers plays and musicals for the whole family.

After leaving Creede, you’ll travel over Slumgullion Pass, named for the yellowish dirt that a mudslide uncovered a thousand years ago. The slide dammed the river north of Lake City forming beautiful Lake San Cristobal, the highest natural lake in Colorado.

Lake City is a small town, with an interesting past. The town proudly features the history of Alferd Packer, the only U.S. citizen ever charged, tried and convicted for the crime of cannibalism.

From Lake City, you can drive the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, a 65-mile, four-wheel drive road over Engineer Pass toward Silverton and Ouray.

From South Fork, traveling east will point you towards the Great Sand Dunes National Park, located just outside of Alamosa, off of U.S. 160. The dunes offer an amazing playground parked at the base of the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountain range.

A visit to Alamosa wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad. Just over a century ago, the railroad opened the San Luis Valley to the rest of the world. Today, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad whisks passengers off to remote parts of the San Luis Valley, and those just beyond those borders — still wild and unspoiled by the last 100 years.

Driving south from Pagosa on U.S. 84 offers a wide variety of areas to explore through the mesa country of northern New Mexico.

Just 40-50 minutes away, you have a choice ­— you can stop in Chama, New Mexico, and explore the Cumbres Pass area by car or rail.

The Cumbres-Toltec Scenic Railroad takes you on an historic train ride, guiding you through the San Juan Mountains and its rich silver-mining history. The narrow gauge train offers sweeping vistas as it climbs over the Continental Divide from Chama, New Mexico, to Antonito, Colo. North America’s longest and highest narrow gauge steam train is an adventure you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Or, you can explore the rich history in Dulce, the center of the Jicarilla Apache Indian Tribe. Turn south in Dulce on State Road 537, which runs the length of the reservation through a beautiful pine forest. You can take 537 to Stone Lake, and return to Pagosa via U.S. 550.

If you continue on U.S. 84, Taos (and Taos Pueblo) is a longer, beautiful drive across the scenic Brazos Mountains to Tierra Amarillo. Taos, a busy tourist town, is full of both arts and crafts and historic interest — with Taos Pueblo, a surviving pueblo from ancient times, located just north of town. You’ll turn off of U.S. 84 to get to Taos.

Santa Fe is a three-hour drive south on U.S. 84. Explore the central plaza where Native American arts and crafts are sold near the Governor’s Palace. Many art galleries line the streets near the plaza along with historic churches and places of interest.

A short drive west of town will lead you to Chimney Rock Archeological Area, offering great opportunities to learn about the Ancestral Puebloan Indians who settled here over 1,000 years ago.

Navajo State Park, just 30 miles from Pagosa on Colo. 151, offers something for everyone. Camping, water skiing, sailing, fishing or boating. Perched on the shore of Navajo Lake, this park offers every type of water recreation imaginable. Take advantage of their campsites and enjoy their educational programs around the campfire at night.

An hour drive west of Pagosa Springs on U.S. 160 will have you in Durango. Nestled between red sandstone bluffs in the vast Animas River Valley, Durango is a great jumping off point for exploring Native American ruins to the south and west and old gold mining towns in the San Juan Mountains to the north.

Be sure to take a ride on the Durango & Silverton Railroad through the Animas River gorge where lofty peaks rise above on this historical train ride from Durango to Silverton. Enjoy the shops and food in Silverton before traveling back to the 21st century on the train or by bus.

Traveling further west beyond Durango on U.S. 160 you will find Mesa Verde National Park, our nation’s third most visited national park offering a look back in time. Explore the cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans who settled here, and envision what life was like nearly 1,000 years ago. Tours to some ruins require steep climbs and no fear of heights.

Traveling further west beyond Mesa Verde on U.S. 160 you will find Cortez near the Four Corners junction of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

Canyon of the Ancients National Monument is located northwest of Cortez and includes several smaller Anasazi ruin sites for a quieter and more private experience.

South of Durango in northern New Mexico, you will find the Aztec-Solomon Sites, two Anasazi ruin sites in the Aztec-Farmington area. The Solomon Ruin has several more modern and complete Indian dwellings along with the ruins and Aztec has the best rebuilt kiva structure available to the public.

Whichever route you decide to explore from Pagosa Springs, you will be met with amazing views and a rich history left from those that once settled in this area.

Detailed maps are available at local retailers and the Forest Service office in Pagosa Springs. Enjoy your trip!