South San Juan Wilderness

South San Juan Wilderness
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
A mountain the wilderness area at the confluence of the Conejos and South Fork Conejos rivers
Location	Archuleta / Conejos counties, Colorado, USA
Nearest city	Pagosa Springs, CO
Coordinates	37°40′N 106°38′W / 37.667°N 106.633°W / 37.667; -106.633[1]
Area	158,790 acres (642.6 km2)
Established	1980
Governing body	U.S. Forest Service

The South San Juan Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the San Juan National Forest, east of Pagosa Springs, in southern Colorado.^[2] The area, which spans 158,790 acres, was designated a Wilderness Area and put into the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1980 by the United States Congress.^[3]

The Conejos, San Juan, and Blanco rivers all begin in the area.^[3]

The last known grizzly bear in Colorado was killed in the wilderness in 1979. Some believe that it is still home to a few grizzlies, but there is no sufficient evidence yet to prove this.^[4]

Recreation

The wilderness area contains: 32 lakes,^{[citation needed]} many peaks above 13,000 feet (4,000 m), the highest of which is Summit Peak at 13,307 feet,^{[citation needed]} and 180 miles (290 km) of hiking trails, that includes 42 miles (68 km) of the Continental Divide Trail.^[4][2]

References

This page was last edited on 30 June 2023, at 21:34