South San Juan Wilderness
Protected area in southern Colorado, US
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
| South San Juan Wilderness | |
|---|---|
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[1] |
| Area | 158,790 acres (642.6 km2) |
| Established | 1980 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
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]