South San Juan Wilderness, National Wilderness Area in San Juan National Forest, Colorado.

South San Juan Wilderness is a protected area within San Juan National Forest where high mountains and glacier-formed lakes define the terrain. The landscape features steep ridges, deep valleys, and alpine meadows that change with the seasons.

Congress designated the South San Juan Wilderness in 1980, adding 158,790 acres of San Juan National Forest east of Pagosa Springs to the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Conejos, San Juan and Blanco rivers all rise within its boundaries.

The Conejos, San Juan and Blanco rivers all rise inside the wilderness, and their headwaters are the most concrete thing a visitor crosses on foot. The area lies east of Pagosa Springs in southern Colorado, and the Continental Divide Trail runs 42 of its 180 miles of path along the crest.

Hiking here requires good fitness and mountain experience, especially at higher elevations where trails are steep and exposed. The best time to visit is from June through September when snow has melted and trails are most accessible.

The last known grizzly bear in Colorado was killed in this wilderness in 1979. Some people believe a few grizzlies still survive here, but no sufficient evidence has been found to prove it.