San Isabel National Forest Tours

Went out for another weekend of leaf peeping and came across this on our way up to St. Elmo and Tincup.
The Alpine Tunnel is an 1800ft long railroad tunnel at an elevation of 11,523 Ft. It was the first railroad tunnel through the Continental Divide and the U.S. Forest Service says “ it remains the highest railroad tunnel and the longest narrow gauge tunnel in North America”. The rail bed up to the tunnel is now a hiking trail. The people that built this were “badass”
Scenic Log Cabin along a lake and wiith mountains in the background, caught my eye on the back way into Aspen, Colorado
Snow in the high country
Beautiful lake. Hard to get to but glad we went. There was a man fishing on the lake. Had flippers on and wading boots in a raft. You may be able to see him on the lake to the right.

Reviews of San Isabel National Forest

4.7
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
235
5 - Excellent 71%
4 - Good
88
4 - Good 27%
3 - Okay
6
3 - Okay 2%
2 - Disappointing
2
2 - Disappointing 1%
1 - Terrible
1
1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Take a raft trip down Browns' Canyon with American Adventure Expeditions. Ask for Rye their BEST guide

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

I hiked the Lake Kroenke Trail west of Buena Vista. Just beautiful!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Take the road back to St. Elmo to access great cross country skiing and snowmobiling.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Monarch Crest rides deserves its "Epic" status. Awesome, but don't underestimate it - the altitude makes the climbs harder than they look!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

TRY THE LOCAL RESTAURANT THE BOAT HOUSE WHICH HANGS OUT OVER THE RIVER.  MAKE SURE YOU GET SEATING ABOVE THE RIVER.  AFFORDABLE AND SCRUMPTOUS

Popular places to visit

This mountain panorama features Tigger Peak under a deep blue sky, located in the Sawatch Range next to 14er Mt. Princeton.

Mt. Princeton

4.5/5(142 reviews)

Explore the great outdoors at Mt. Princeton and enjoy the mountain views during your trip to Nathrop. Wander the riverfront in this relaxing area.

Mt. Princeton
Dry Docked in Autumn

Cottonwood Lake

4.5/5(28 reviews)

Explore the great outdoors at Cottonwood Lake and enjoy the mountain views during your trip to Buena Vista. Wander the riverfront in this relaxing area.

Cottonwood Lake
Fountain at Ojo Caliente Hot Springs

Cottonwood Hot Springs

4.5/5(57 reviews)

Explore the great outdoors at Cottonwood Hot Springs and enjoy the mountain views during your trip to Buena Vista. Wander the riverfront in this relaxing area.

Cottonwood Hot Springs
Monarch Ski Area outside Salida in the Colorado Rocky Mountains

Monarch Ski Area

4.5/5(147 reviews)

Hit the slopes in Salida with a visit to Monarch Ski Area. Stroll along the riverfront or discover the area's mountain views.

Monarch Ski Area

St. Elmo

4.5/5(72 reviews)

You can learn about the history of Nathrop with a trip to St. Elmo. Stroll along the riverfront or discover the mountain views in this relaxing area.

St. Elmo

Agnes Vaille Falls

5/5(2 reviews)

Explore the great outdoors at Agnes Vaille Falls and enjoy the mountain views during your trip to Nathrop. Wander the riverfront in this relaxing area.

Agnes Vaille Falls

Best Lodging Options Near San Isabel National Forest

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort

3.5 out of 5
15870 County Road 162 Nathrop CO
Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort
Monarch Mountain Lodge

Monarch Mountain Lodge

3 out of 5
22720 W US Hwy 50 Monarch CO
Monarch Mountain Lodge
A-Lodge Salida - Cabins RV Tents Camping

A-Lodge Salida - Cabins RV Tents Camping

2.5 out of 5
16105 U.S. 50 Salida CO
A-Lodge Salida - Cabins RV Tents Camping
See all 1,114 properties in San Isabel National Forest
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