East Fork Campground

The town of Pagosa Springs is a small and vibrant town on the edge of the majestic San Juan Mountains that is practically surrounded by San Juan National Forest. One of the Forest Service campgrounds closest to town (but still wonderfully remote and scenic) is East Fork.

True to its name, this campground sits above the East Fork of the San Juan River, not far from the confluence with the West Fork. The campsites are situated along a one-way main loop road with a small side loop. Sites range from tiny tent sites with parking along the side of the road to long and wide sites that are good for large families or a big RV. The only water is from a hand pump that is slow and exhausting, so it is better to bring some. The forest is thick here with sporadic clearings, and the road can get dusty in dry months. But this campground is a gem: It is private, quiet and very beautiful, even though there aren’t really mountain views to speak of.

There is much to do in the area, from the hot springs of Pagosa Springs to tubing the San Juan to dozens of hikes. Some of the best hiking is up on the Continental Divide at Wolf Creek Pass a dozen miles up the highway.