Rio Grande National Forest

Rio Grande National Forest is located in southern Colorado in the San Luis Valley and in between the San Juan Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Sitting four hours south of the capital city of Denver, the Rio Grande National Forest spans 1.83 million acres and nine separate counties in Colorado. There are four different wilderness areas pertaining to the forest—La Garita Wilderness, Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, South San Juan Wilderness, and Weminuche Wilderness—of which together make up almost a fourth of the park’s total acreage. Come in the summertime to see the alpine wildflowers bloom and paint the forest with their colors, though beware of heavy precipitation in July and August. While fall can be mild, expect snow the rest of the year, and even into the spring, when glamping near Rio Grande National Forest, though that is what makes this Colorado destination ideal for winter sports fanatics.