Seeking out the many historic features that lie scattered over the district and adjacent lands can be an exciting and enjoyable activity, lending an understanding of the area's rich cultural background. It was built around 1906 and at that time was the largest dam of its type in the U.S.The Conejos River Drainage basin and the San Luis Valley have a long and colorful history. The best access is via Highway 17 from Antonito, which is located on U.S. Highway 285, south of Alamosa.Conejos Peak Ranger Station, 15571 County Road T-5, P.O. Blanca Peak, 14,345 feet, towers 6,500 feet above the valley floor as Colorado's fourth highest peak. Consider a day trip on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (steam) which offers a 64-mile journey through abandoned mining towns.
Conejos Peak Trail Posted: Apr 16, 2014 by Sam Szarka Topographic trail map showing the trail to the top of thirteener Conejos Peak in the South San Juan wilderness of Colorado. On the left side of the trail were some benches cut out of old logs, offering a bit of respite for weary hikers.A little past 1 mile, we caught a glimpse of Cuyamaca Lake to the north. CONEJOS PEAK RD TRAILS DIVIDE RD TRAILS SAGUACHE RD TRAILS Areas & Activities. Related Links. We continue right along the Azalea Glen trail.As we crested a small rise, we found an absolutely devastated burn area laid out before us. There is public access to the Conejos River and Elk Creek. The Conejos Peak Ranger District manages 377,314 acres of the Rio Grande National Forest and is located in Conejos, Archuleta, Rio Grande and Alamosa counties in Colorado. The trail dropped steadily from this point down into Canon Rincon. We could just make out the distinctive form of El Cajon Mountain, but everything else was a bit difficult to distinguish through the day’s haze.We continued on, our destination close at hand. It is easy to get to after a hike of 4.4 miles from the trailhead. Once again, the prominent form of Stonewall Peak could be seen rising in the distance.At 6.73 miles we passed a cluster of oak trees with some large, flat boulders beneath and noticed a bunch of morteros (grinding holes) in the rock. Blanca Peak, 14,345 feet, towers 6,500 feet above the valley floor as Colorado's fourth highest peak. Perhaps someday, these hills would once again be covered in towering pine trees.At just over 7 miles passed a branch for the Paso Picacho Loop trail to the left. North Cochetopa Pass commonly receives two feet of snow in a year when Wolf Creek receives six to eight feet.Summer is short and frost may occur anytime in high elevations. We had a great view of Middle Peak, with North Peak poking out behind.The trail switchbacked down the mountain, and by 4.8 miles we were back in thick chaparral with dead burnt trees poking through.At just under 5 miles we reached the Azalea Spring Fire Road and turned right.The road immediately began to ascend, but after the trek to the peak we barely slowed for this mild climb.At 5.43 miles we found the branch for the Azalea Glen trail to our left. This hike…It was one of those awful weekends where it was forecast to be 100+ degrees in the lovely East County hamlet we call home. Favorite routes for history study are Forest Road 240 toward Platoro, the Osier Mountain Road (Forest Road 103) and the scenic railroad.Attractions - The attractions in this district include natural and man-made sites. The best fishing is in the meadows along the trail, where the meandering creek averages 6 to 10 feet wide, with some pools as deep as 8 feet. Elevations range from 7,500 feet to over 14,000 feet at the top of several mountain peaks. As we continued, we encountered increasingly lush growth, and were soon among full size cedars. Full grown pines and cedars towered above us providing the first shade along the trail since we left the campground.At 1.93 miles we reached another intersection – to our left was the Burnt Pine Connector trail, and to the right was the Conejos trail.
The road made a few more switchbacks, winding up through the trees. Conejos Peak Ranger Station, 15571 County Road T-5, P.O. The river provides more than 30 stream miles of high quality wild trout fishing.Climate - Mountainous terrain influences the climate visitors find in the Conejos Peak Ranger District. One of many ghost towns in the San Juan Mountains, Platoro was prospected in the 1870s by Summitville miners.
Refusing to submit to a weekend of lying around the house being too miserable and hot to move, I consulted the…Stonewall Peak is one of the most popular hikes in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.
From here, we made our way to the southern end of the campground, and found the path leading to our the trailhead just across from camp site #69.
With the nearby creek and cool, shady oaks around us, it was easy to see why the Kumeyaay would choose this spot for an outdoor kitchen.At 6.83 miles the trail crossed a tiny spring and just beyond was a junction with the California Riding and Hiking Trail on our left. We found more tall chaparral, burnt trees, and gorgeous red soil.By 6.2 miles we began to see small cedar trees growing again, and could hear the unfamiliar sound of running water to our left. We’d be taking the Conejos trail on our way down, but for now we continued up the paved road to the summit.Just around a bend in the road we found a wide dirt path on the right leading to a scenic overview complete with bench. The district includes terrain in the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains (east) and the San Juan Mountains (west).
This is a fall that is on the Middle Fork of Conejos River. The South San Juan Wilderness lies within this region and provides 180 miles of trails. Find An Area.