South San Juan Wilderness
Ages of volcanic activity followed by the infinitely patient carving of glaciers left the rough, imposing terrain of the remote South San Juan Wilderness, an area typified by steep slopes above broad U-shaped...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 160,997 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.2462, -106.6388 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 18) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 17 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
5 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 4 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 2 horse Ridings, 1 backpacking, 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 4 miThree Forks Trailhead 712 ↗Trailhead
- 1 mi
- 9 miAlverjones Trailhead ↗Horse Riding
- 10 miAlverjones Cutoff Trailhead - No # ↗Horse Riding
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Fire nearby
- WildfireSwiss Roll
13 mi from the center point · 775 acres · 0% contained
- PrescribedWolf Creek Rx
18 mi from the center point · 1 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 12.8 miFoster Hotel ↗Chama, NM
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is South San Juan Wilderness?
160,997 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages South San Juan Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is South San Juan Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was South San Juan Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at South San Juan Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Conejos Campground, 0.3 miles out. 17 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in South San Juan Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 4 recreation sites here, including 2 horse ridings, 1 backpacking and 1 trailhead. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to South San Juan Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.246, -106.639. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near South San Juan Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Swiss Roll at 13 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at South San Juan Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 18 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near South San Juan Wilderness?
1 National Register listing within 15 miles, including Foster Hotel.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.