San Juan National Forest

Campground Status

View a list of our campgrounds.

Fires & Emergencies

For fire-related news releases view our Fire Information page.

InciWeb -- Current local and national wildland fire incident information.

Fire Restrictions & Closures

There are currently no fire restrictions in place on the San Juan Public Lands.

Other Information

Elk Creek Trail -- The Elk Creek Trail (#503) within the Weminuch Wilderness has suffered damage during the winter of 2008. Approximately 1 1/2 miles up the trail, from the Elk Park train stop, the trail is impassable by livestock. The damage is about five feet in length; above the damage is a vertical wall of rock and below is Elk Creek. livestock will not be able to go around the damage. Foot users have been able to get across the area where the trail no longer exists although it is not easy. The Forest Service is determining what actions to take and will update this information as conditions change. There is no plan at this time to close the trail. Cross at your own risk.

Needleton Bridge Reconstruction -- The Forest Service was not able to get the Needleton Bridge reconstruction project done in the fall of 2007 as planned due to issues with the contractor. Faced with the possibility of losing the construction money if the project is not completed by September 2008, the Forest Service must now schedule the project this summer in order to get it done in time. Materials are being transported to the site, but no date has yet been set for the work on the bridge. When we have a definite date we will post it here. During that period the train will drop off and pick up hikers at Cascade Wye, which is 7 miles downstream from Needleton.

Vallecito Trail - third bridge is out -- The third bridge (counting from the South) crossing Vallecito Creek is gone due to an avalanche in the winter of 2004-2005. The avalanche debris was cleared from the trail in fall 2007. There are no plans at this time to replace the bridge, so it is necessary for hikers to ford the creek. Vallecito Creek is challenging to ford, and is especially dangerous during the spring runoff (mid May through Mid June). Please use good judgment and extreme caution if you choose to ford Vallecito Creek.

San Juan National Forest Road Conditions

• Columbine Ranger District

• Dolores Ranger District

• Pagosa Ranger District

• East Fork Slide Questions & Answers [PDF, 4 pages, 22 KB]

• East Fork Slide photos [PDF, 6 pages, 208 KB]

• East Fork Closure Map [PDF, 1 page, 1.83 MB]
• East Fork photos (June 23, 2008)

• Mountain Passes and Silverton-Area Roads

• Colorado Department of Transportation

Safety

The most effective way to prevent mishaps is to adequately prepare for your trip. Knowledge of the area, weather, and limitations of your body can help ensure a safe and enjoyable trip.

Trail Status

Look here to find the status of trails on the San Juan National Forest.

Fall Colors

The Fall color report for the San Juan National Forest will be posted here weekly.

Rocky Mountain Region Fall Color Report

Fire Restrictions on the San Juan Public Lands.

Durango weather conditions are derived from National Weather Service data.

Colorado Avalanche Information Center provides avalanche education and forecasting.

InciWeb
Current local and National wildland fire incident information.