Pagosa Springs

Pagosa Springs is a town in southwest Colorado known for its hot springs. It’s surrounded by the rugged San Juan Mountains and vast areas of national forest. The San Juan River, with its abundant trout, runs through town. To the northeast, Wolf Creek Ski Area offers downhill runs and cross-country trails. Southwest, Chimney Rock National Monument features the ruins of ancient Ancestral Puebloan dwellings.
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Pagosa Springs Trip Planner

Pagosa Springs Trip Planner

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Top attractions in Pagosa Springs

Treasure Falls
1. Treasure Falls
4.8
(313)
Waterfall
Nature & Parks
National forest waterfall reaching 105-ft. accessed via 2 hiking trails from a parking lot.
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Wonderful falls! This 105’ waterfall is impressive. You have about a 1/4 mile trek to the falls that was rocky and an elevation gain of over 300’. They had 3 different views. A handicap parking lot level and a half way view and then the top view at the base of the falls.
The hike is well worth it. It’s a must see. My husband’s granny made the hike with us so it’s doable for most people.
Beautiful waterfall. You can see this from the lot, for those unable to make the way up. A short uphill, relative easy hike for gorgeous view!
We'll worth the trip. Short hike to get really up close to the falls as well as to an overlook
The waterfall is located near the road. Parking right next to the road and then walk about half a mile uphill. On the way, the first one will be a bridge with a view of the waterfall, but if you continue going uphill, you can reach the end from where there is an even better view. It's worth it to walk to the waterfall and admire God's creation.
Breathtaking. After a short, up-hill hike you’ll be rewarded! We were here in the winter so if you’re feeling unsure about hiking over snow and/or mud, take a walking stick. An amazing experience that shouldn’t be missed if you’re in the area.
Wow! Absolutely stunning! Parking is small and it gets really busy but worth the wait. Two trails one for beginners and another much more difficult trail. It's about 1 mile round trip but highly recommend still taking water. An absolute gem and it's free. Take the hike and enjoy nature.
Easy hike! Came in mid March, so the waterfall was frozen but still stunning! Amazing Mountain views just right off the 160 highway. Great pit stop when driving in and out of Pagosa Springs.
Wolf Creek Ski Area
2. Wolf Creek Ski Area
4.7
(1857)
Temporarily Closed
Ski resort
Nature & Parks
Powder days, short lift lines, & snowboard-friendly terrain draw locals to this mountain destination
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First time skier, & this was an awesome experience! Every employee there was so welcoming, friendly, & helpful! Amazing customer service! Tyler was so knowledgeable & warm. She got us all set up for our 1st ski lesson. Rick was the friendliest personality, & even gave my kids an orange from his own lunch box when they were having a meltdown. Shannon was our instructor, & she was SO positive, friendly, kind, & a wonderful teacher. We went in with low expectations & positive attitudes, & had the best experience! All the employees really seemed like they loved what they were doing, enjoyed sharing their passion for winter sports, & really wanted pass that on to others. Thank you!!!
First skied at Wolf Creek 10+ years ago with my wife, and recently returned over Spring Break with the spawn. Really loved the independence and vitality of skiing for skiing's sake here, not the commercialization of everything you find at Vail-associated hills. Had melt-freeze spring conditions but that meant groomers in the morning and exploration in the afternoon! If you like skiing trees, this is your place - there are defined runs, but ample room to ski most any line you please as you venture into the glades.
We’ve always loved skiing Wolfe Creek. It’s beautiful, runs for all levels of ski/snow boarders & all of the employees we have encountered are friendly and helpful. These 2 medics that helped my son were amazing & very concerned/caring. WARNING…DO NOT purchase more than 1 lift ticket per day just in case you have someone in your family that gets injured. They DO NOT refund lift ticket purchases even if it required being medi-flighted! We were out about $300 due to our 14yr old son falling on a run on Day 1 and having to be medi-flighted to CO springs after purchasing 2 day lift tickets for our family of 4. They also don’t honor discounts for military veteran family members. They give a discount to the veteran only. We will probably go back to Monarch in the future. I called Monarch’s sales office and inquired about refunds of lift tickets if severe accidents occurred & they said they would absolutely refund the lift tickets purchased for the entire family if we were displaced. My son lacerated his right kidney (almost in half) on “caution corner”. Be careful in that area! Thankfully, he’s healing up & will be fine. We had a blast while we were there, but really disappointed in the unwillingness to refund our lift ticket money. We could’ve definitely used the xtra $$ after medi-flighting, xtra expenses & a 4day hospital stay in CO Springs 🥴
A hidden gem in colorado, no lines, you don't have to pay for parking, reasonable lift tickets. I recommend you take alberta chair, up to the knife ridge staircase. You gotta do a little bit of hiking to get to the staircase, take stairs,and you cross a bridge at the top You ski down the ridge and then you can get a snow Caterpillar to pick you up and tow you up to horseshoe bowl. Epic experience If you're going out on the knife, bring an avalanche beacon.
Went a couple of weeks ago. Foot of powder, excellent terrain, friendly locals, no lift lines, loved this mountain. Nice lodge at the base with food and small bar as well. If you want some local skiing with great snow, this is the spot you've been looking for.
Mmmmight be my favorite ski area. Didn’t get much fresh snow this time but it was still perfect conditions. 5 minute wait for tickets at the base area. On New Year’s Eve. $100. Which is a great deal compared to everywhere else. Parking shuttle system was efficient. Definitely a family mountain. Terrain is terrific. And it’s huge. Can’t wait to go back.
This is one of my favorite ski hills in Colorado, and it's definitely the best ski school for kids! After just three days, my little one is skiing like a pro! This is my third time here, and I can’t wait to come back again. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. A special thanks to Coach Michael for the amazing snowboard lessons—after just two days, I can snowboard down any hill! It’s incredible!
Wolf Creek Ski Resort offers an amazing mountain experience, but there are a few things to keep in mind. I would not recommend renting equipment from here. The employees were rude, and it took forever to get a pair of boots. For rentals, check out Ski and Bow Rack—they were much better. Also, don’t bother purchasing lift tickets or lessons ahead of time. Even with tickets already bought, you’ll still have to wait in long lines, which is a bit frustrating. On the plus side, the mountain is fantastic! It’s perfect for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels, with excellent coverage and most runs usually open, no matter the conditions. A big shoutout to Paige L., who did an amazing job teaching my nephew how to snowboard. He had an awesome time, and she made it a great experience! The resort is also just a quick drive from either South Fork or Pagosa Springs, so getting there is easy. Overall, while there were a few service issues, the skiing and snowboarding experience on the mountain made up for it.
Chimney Rock National Monument
3. Chimney Rock National Monument
4.6
(742)
Monument
Sights & Landmarks
Sprawling site with ruins of 200 structures from a native Pueblo settlement dating back 1,000 years.
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I joined one of the tours there where the volunteer gave great information about it. The views of the Ancestral Pueblo buildings as well as Chimney Rock were amazing. There's a somewhat steep section to get up there so that is slowly especially going down as there are loose pebbles and sand that can make it slippery. The visitor center also has lots of information and a short movie about the site that I would recommend before going on the tour.
Nice monument offering excellent up close views of pit houses and other large structures. 2 trails - 1 is very accessible , paved path, the other requires some mobility and good shoes to ascend a short but steady climb with a dirt and stone path. The largest structure is up top of the hill offering great views all around. Small visitor center and gift shop as well.
First thing first... what a Great Staff! They were very helpful, welcoming, and super nice! This is an amazing place to be able to walk around to explore and learn. Amazing views. The road up to the top from the visitor/information center is gravel and a little rough but very manageable in a sedan.
What a perfect stop! I had no clue, there were Pueblo Ruins at the top. They will shuttle you up if you don’t want to or can’t, drive up. Plan for an hour and a half here. The hike up top is NOT for the faint of heart. Major steep drop offs. Use your National Parks pass here. Con, you may want to fact check your volunteers, I had a gal tell me the ancient people were overweight! Ugh! Not!
There are two hikes on this. To get to the hikes you stop at the visitor center where they have water and some ice cream and snacks (small selection). Once you pay you drive to the top which is about a 15 minute drive. One hike is completely paved and wheelchair accessible. The other hike up to the top is rocky and has you close to the sides of the cliff. Amazing views as the top.
Loved this place! One of my favorite historic pueblo locations to visit now.. Very friendl staff and volunteers, great little visitor center, fun dirt road to the top lot, adventurous little hike to the clifftop ruins, phenomenal views, and plenty of mysterious guesstimations about these people were doing here!
It was really awesome, the staff were nice and knowledgeable. I didn't realize the history of the area or know about the Lunar standstill. The visitor center has a lot of information packed in a small space. Wear good hiking shoes and bring water if you plan to go to the top. Which I recommend. make sure to get the laminated maps with the guide. They have four or five enclosures/kennels in the shade with water for dogs so you don't leave fido in the car. No dogs on trails.
Very informative, and a beautiful place to see. We took the upper mesa hike without any trouble. I have two artificial hips and an artificial knee and had little difficulty
Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park
4. Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park
4.6
(614)
Wildlife park
Nature & Parks
Venerable, privately owned wildlife rescue center with animal feeding tours & horseback trail rides.
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This place is very fun. We came at opening and walked around. Denise at the front desk was so nice and invited us back for the 2pm feeding/tour. She also ended up being our feeding/tour guide. I highly recommend. It is very affordable. It’s fun to see animals you might see in Colorado. Most of the animals have a cool story about where they came from!
Absolutely amazing! The secret is to visit at two o’clock and hang out until Denice conducts the 3pm feeding of the animals. Her absolute love and rapport with each of her charges is truly heart-warming. We visited during a torrential rain/lightning storm, which added a unique twist, but I suspect that you will enjoy it immensely no matter the weather.
Loved our visit! Definitely do the feeding tour (check the times). When we went it needed up POURING rain and we had to stop the feeding tour and wait it out and then go back out once it calmed down a bit. They do have umbrellas you can use which was a huge bonus. I would wear shoes you don’t mind getting muddy. The animals are well taken care of and you can tell they’re loved. Def a great organization!
This place is very cool! We aligned our visit with the 2pm feeding and it was very neat to see the animals eat and learn about the animals from the keeper as she fed them. It cost something money, but in my opinion, it was well worth the cost to see these amazing animals up close and personal (but in an enclosure).
We had an absolute blast BOTH days we came here. The first day was right after feeding, so we didn’t really see all the animals but they wrote us a pass to come on Saturday to do the feeding with the animals, we signed up to do horseback riding on Saturday and our youngest did a pony ride after. They had games and coloring books while we waited for my husband and our oldest to get done with their horseback ride. My oldest ended up being too scared to go and they gave a full refund. The person we spoke to ended up saving a magnet from her personal collection to give to me when we came back Saturday because she saw how bummed I was they didn’t have any of just the Rocky Mountain wildlife name on it. We didn’t end up staying for the feeding since we were all exhausted by that point, but it was an incredible experience either way. The staff are incredible, the animals are awesome and the customer service is top tier. Loved our experiences there.
Low key spot that isn’t too large to explore. Has the essentials and depending on the day you might see animals since they obviously want to hide away from most watchers. The bears are the reason to come, today we lucked out and it was “popsicle” time and we were able to watch two bears chow down on frozen fruit to cool down. Got neat art inside that’s a bit high for my taste but some cool pieces to at least look at. Overall great experience for the low entry cost.
Definitely a stop when you’re in town. A way to see some of the animals really up close, get a popsicle, and go for a horse back ride all while funding this animal sanctuary. It’s a win win. The staff was very friendly. Albeit it is small but we were there for 2 hours, including our 30 min horse back ride.
Great place to see wild animals up close. They all also looked happy and content. The staff is friendly and answered all our questions. Highly recommend!
Piedra Falls
5. Piedra Falls
4.8
(77)
Waterfall
Nature & Parks
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Beautiful low intensity hike with minimal elevations. Only one small section where one has to pay particular attention to footing. The balls are beautiful!
We should have worn our swimsuit! Great forest hike after a long slow drive. The hike is beautiful and, once at the falls, it's easier to explore by being in the water.
Beautiful drive to the trailhead and beautiful falls. Make sure you download your map before you go-- cell service is scarce--dirt road all the way. The hike is short, but there are other trails on the way to this one that you can stop at. Watch out for cows 🐄
Amazing little gem. Short hike on a very nice, well maintained trail. Gorgeous views! The drive there was awesome, with places to pull off and enjoy the nature around you!
Super neat waterfall. Quick and easy trail & beautiful all around
Once you reach the dirt on Piedra Rd it is about an hour long, rough drive through the mountains but well worth it! Watch out for the cows and flocks of wild turkeys. It had rained the night before so the trail was a little slick in places. Walking stick recommended. After a beautiful 20-30 minute hike you can reach the bottom of the falls. Due to the rain the falls were really flowing! It was to cold to jump in the water but we should have. We loved it. Highly recommend this visit. Don't forget your camera!
Really pretty but signage to find the trails is minimal. Print out map directions if you are unfamiliar with the area, you will loose signal not even half way there. Otherwise, great, well-kept trail and gorgeous waterfall views.
Short walk to an absolutely incredible view. 0.5 mile each way, some of the trail is tough due to large boulders and there is one section that is very narrow. When you get to the falls you can get some amazing views and cool off by doing your feet in the water!
San Juan Riv Walk
6. San Juan Riv Walk
Nature & Parks
Hiking Trails
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Other notable attractions

Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts
Performing arts theater
Shopping
Performance venue with a resident theater company offering Broadway revivals, plays & live music.
All around trail horses
Horse rental service
Nature & Parks
Piedra Falls
Waterfall
Nature & Parks
Fred Harman Art Museum
Permanently Closed
Art gallery
Shopping
San Juan Historical Museum
History museum
Museums
Elwood Pass
Mountain pass
Nature & Parks
Handcrafted Interiors
Permanently Closed
Furniture store
Shopping
Piedra River Hot Springs
Spring
Nature & Parks
Antiques on Main LLC- Largest vintage vinyl collection in Pagosa!!
Antique store
Shopping
Rainbow Hot Springs
Nature preserve
Nature & Parks

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Q&A about Pagosa Springs

Honestly, it could be anything. It snowed 8 inches there last week, but it could be lovely weather as well. Unless you bring snowshoes, there won’t be a lot of hiking available if that’s what you’re interested in. That being said, ouray is one of my favorite mountain towns!
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Elenora Schneider
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If you venture to Durango, Sale Barn trailhead was always really fun when I was growing up. And it’s pretty much right in town!!
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Freddy Pfannerstill
View 3 responses

Weather in Pagosa Springs

Here's the historical average temperature in Pagosa Springs over a full year based on data compiled by NASA: for more details by month, see the weather in Pagosa Springs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, or December
Monthly temperature highs and lows in Pagosa Springs
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