Fall Colors
We rode around the north side of the peak and at Forest Road 345 we headed south for a few miles, at that point riding east of the peak. It was a spectacular ride on this section of road as the leaves were changing on the Quaking Aspens and the mountains just lit up with color.
It was time to head back to the truck, though, so we turned around and headed north, taking Forest Road 345 all the way back to the parking area.
The vistas on our second day of riding didn’t seem quite as dramatic as the views from the Creede side of the San Juan Mountains but they were still very scenic. Part of that is because we were riding in trees most of the day whereas on our first day of riding with Entz, we managed to get above the treeline where we could see forever. Again, not better or worse, just different.
That’s what we appreciated about Entz’ guiding. He gave us a sample of just a portion of what is available in the San Juans for dirt riding. And Entz would know about this part of the forest because he is the only guide who has a motorized permit (summer or winter) for the Divide District of the Rio Grande National Forest and he knows this country, as evidenced by his showing us the highlights of the mountainous terrain.
Just as we mentioned in our April story about Creede, we could have spent several more days exploring the San Juan Mountains. There are miles and miles of trails and roads that cover the San Juans and with the history of the area and amazing scenery, there is plenty to explore.
Because we only had two days to ride, we were glad we hooked up with Entz. We could have spent a lot of time riding (and still enjoying) the area but not hit some of the best areas to take in the views. Entz was invaluable in taking us to the places where we could soak it all in.
Anyone who has been to the San Juan Mountains in the past few years will notice the stands of beetle-killed pine trees. Certainly that is not as scenic as green forests but even with those dead trees, the scenery is amazing. It didn’t detract from our ride one bit. We hit the area just about right for the fall foliage and that was an added bonus to our two days of riding.
Two days of riding; both different and both amazing.
South Fork/San Juan Mountains
Elevation 8,000-11,500 feet
Full-Service Town South Fork
Nearest Airport Alamosa (47 miles)
Getting Started South Fork Visitor Center 719-873-658-5512 or www.southfork.org
Getting There South Fork is located in southwest Colorado at the junction of U.S. Highway 160 and Colorado State Highway 149.
Getting Around Mountain Skillz (719-849-3168 or www.mountainskillz.com) is owned by Matt Entz. He offers Polaris RZRs for rent and guides as well.
Bedding Down We stayed in South Fork at Wolf Creek Ski Lodge (719-873-1900 or www.thewolfcreekskilodge.com) where the rooms are large and clean. The lodge is on the highway but the rooms are quiet with the lodge offering easy access to the town of South Fork and the entire area. We’ve previously stayed at the Wolf Creek Ski Lodge on a snowmobile trip and have had a good experience both times. There is plenty of parking for the truck and trailer. We have also stayed at Ute Bluff Lodge (www.uteblufflodge.com) on a previous snowmobile trip.
Eating Out There are several options for dining in South Fork. Visit the South Fork website for a complete list. One place we can recommend is Two Rivers BBQ (www.tworiversbbq.co **note there is no m on the end of the web address). We had a great lunch there after our ride outside of South Fork. Entz can also offer his advice on where to dine.
