South Fork is a great basecamp that offers so many different adventures from rafting, fishing, side-by-side tours, waterfalls, mountain biking, golf, and more in the surrounding National Forest. For parents, taking your family to the mountains gives you a chance to teach them about the land and how to respect it, and also lets your kids truly enjoy it. Nature is more than just hiking a trail, going out in an OHV, fly fishing or rafting - it’s the animals, the water, the sights, sounds, and smells — it’s everything all together. So, come stand in our whispering aspen groves, soak up the Colorado sunshine, and just breath.
[1] Visit South Fork during COLORFEST: A Tour of Fall Splendor. Access our glorious backcountry for an unrivaled Fall Colors Tour! Bring a car, ATV, jeep or bike. The area offers hundreds of miles of trails designated for motorized traffic. Wildlife is abundant. From bugs to bighorn sheep, you are likely to see more animals than you can count!
A trip to Colorado wouldn't be complete without a four-wheel-drive adventure. Visit the abandoned mining town of Summitville, a Gold mine town that was inhabited off and on from the 1870s til 1985. Many of the buildings still stand today!
[2] Bring your Rod and Binoculars to High-Country Lakes. The South Fork area boasts dozens of lakes and reservoirs. Big Meadows Reservoir is an accessible state wildlife area and fishing haven, where deer, bear and moose are easy to spot
[3] Follow the Silver Thread Scenic & Historic Byway as it weaves in and out of towns filled with remarkable stories pulled from a rich history, alluring outdoor adventures, and stunning scenery.
[4] Geological Wonders: Experience the power of place while exploring Wheeler Geologic Area - Discover a mysterious ghost city with spires and minarets that float like a cloud above the surrounding wilderness.
Fall is a great time of year to visit Penitente Canyon. Walk along the Wagon Wheel ruts, a part of the Old Spanish Trail that served as a pack-animal route for traders traveling west to California in the mid-1800s. Wander throughout the surrounding unusual canyons in search of the San Luis Valley’s largest collection of pictographs. Penitente Canyon is also an internationally recognized climbing area and offers 2 mountain bike loops.
"Experience something you truly get to be a part of, just sitting in a quiet space up here in the mountains - it’s a whole peacefulness that comes over you. South Fork’s unique because it’s a small location that gets you away from all the hustle-and-bustle and let’s you REALLY experience the mountains with your family. South Fork is quiet, not overwhelmed with people. You go a mile out of town in any direction and you’re pretty much by yourself. The uncluttered scenery is hard to beat, and hard to describe. We love the Fall Season because the weather is blissfully mild and the filtered sunshine paints color-bursting mountains."
