Recreation
More than 3,000 miles of trails and routes provide access to areas of rugged beauty and solitude. Many were carved by indigenous peoples, early explorers and miners, offering an experience that connects visitors to the land and its prehistoric and historic past. The topography allows the forest to provide year-round trails for beginners to experts. The mountains, plateau and mesa never fail to provide a breathtaking backdrop.
Nearby
Recreation opportunities on the Grand Mesa National National Forest and surrounding areas are varied, and millions of visitors come to enjoy nearly 60 campgrounds and 13 picnic areas and more than 3,700 miles of system roads, including national and state-designated scenic byways and other scenic or recreation travel corridors. Thousands of miles of trails for hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, mountain biking and motorcycle riding are available, including sections of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the Colorado Trail. More than 300 lakes and 3,600 miles of streams are found on the Forest. Six mountain peaks reach more than 14,000 feet in elevation, creating many popular areas for rock and ice climbing, hiking and driving along high elevation meadows thick with colorful wildflowers and nature observation and photography of Colorado's abundant wildlife. A variety of historic mining sites are also found in the forest, including the San Juan Mining area, as well as the Alpine Tunnel Historic District, which includes approximately 13 miles of the former Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad railbed across the Continental Divide. The forest also contains three ski resorts, three lodges, two organizational camps and one marina.