Forget Rocky Mountain National Park, Visit This Underrated Forest For Remote Outdoor Fun

They say national parks are America's best idea, and this is hard to argue when you witness the awe-inspiring vistas of Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). Colorado's most famous national park is definitely worth your time; but it was also one of the national parks with the most visitors in 2025. Luckily, Colorado is full of other ways to get that Rocky Mountain high. One of these is the San Juan National Forest, with all the views and vibes but half the crowds. 

Half the crowds, but also six times the land: San Juan Forest is approximately 1.8 million acres, while RMNP encompasses about 265,000. Located in a remote part of southwestern Colorado and spanning 10 counties, San Juan Forest holds many of Colorado's treasures. Here you'll find the dramatic San Juan Mountains, a rugged range within the Rockies, along with rivers, meadows, hot springs, and gorges. In addition, several of Colorado's most charming small towns lie in the San Juan Forest, including Ouray, dubbed the "Switzerland of America" thanks to its jaw-dropping views. Add all of this to a historic railway, miles of incredible hiking trails, and one of the country's most scenic roads ... well, you've got an outsize adventure appropriate for the epic Rockies.

The San Juan National Forest, first protected in 1905, is a wild wonderland approximately five hours from Denver, Colorado's capital city. Other nearby cities include Colorado Springs and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The biggest towns adjacent to the forest include Durango and Silverton, which happen to be connected by one of America's best and oldest scenic train routes. Originally built in 1882, the historic Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is an ideal way to see the forest as it winds past rivers, between peaks, and around deep gorges. Train passengers can spend a few hours in the former mining town of Silverton before heading back to Durango (one of Colorado's most underrated mountain towns for a scenic getaway) or spend longer exploring Silverton. 

Silverton is a solid base for exploring the rest of San Juan National Forest. It's also one of the stops on the celebrated San Juan Skyway, which winds through the San Juan Forest for over 200 miles, taking approximately five hours, although extra time is always a good idea to soak up the epic views. Not only does a drive along the San Juan Skyway provide unparalleled glimpses of the forest and its resident flora and fauna (think changeable aspens, towering ponderosa pines, bighorn sheep, eagles, and bears), but it also passes some beautifully remote Colorado mountain towns, many that still have a distinct Old West flavor. Silverton, for example, has a well-preserved downtown (circa 1871) that takes you right back to its heyday as a mining outpost.

Ouray is one of those hidden American gems you need to visit, not the least because of its access to the San Juan Forest. Just 15 minutes away from Ouray is Ridgway, considered Colorado's "Gateway to the San Juan Mountains," and only about an hour from the famous resort town of Telluride. Telluride and the surrounding San Juan Forest are a boon for adventurers year-round. Skiers hit the slopes of resorts like Telluride itself or Wolf Creek Ski Area. Leaf-peepers come for the yellow aspens that light up the mountains in the autumn, while hikers revel in the cooler temperatures but still accessible (read: snowless) trails that wind their way up Colorado's famous "fourteeners" (14,000-foot-high mountains).

There's more than just hiking and skiing. Mountain bike trails litter the mountains of the forest, as do nearly 40 campgrounds. The rivers that wind their way through the forest draw kayakers and rafters, along with anglers in search of native trout like rainbow or cutthroat. The Lower Animas River, or the "River of Lost Souls," is a favorite for those in search of some serious whitewater — consider a guided trip if you're not paddle-wise! 

Taking advantage of everything outdoors is the best way to appreciate this forest; however, the San Juan isn't short on man-made attractions. In addition to the charming, old-timey Western towns, there are multiple scenic ghost towns hidden in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, like Animas Forks (an hour north of Silverton). If you want to go even further back in history, visit the Chimney Rock National Monument, about an hour east of Durango. Built by ancestral Puebloans, who've called the forest home for time immemorial, this intriguing archaeological site dates back over 1,000 years and features traditional homes.