Divide Ranger District

Divide Ranger District

Come explore miles of roads and trails, scenic vistas and waterfalls, and historic mining towns.

The 979,687 acre Divide Ranger District is located in Rio Grande, Mineral, San Juan, and Hinsdale Counties in south-central Colorado. The vast district includes the headwaters of the Rio Grande and over 100 miles the Continental Divide. The district serves the four communities of Monte Vista, Del Norte, South Fork, and Creede and is connected by US Highway 160 and Colorado State Highway 149. 

The main district office is located just east of the town of Del Norte. The district also has another office located in the town of Creede. The Creede office is open seasonally, check with the Del Norte office for hours. The Divide Ranger District provides forest information and permits year-round at the Del Norte office.

The landscape is dominated by the rugged eastern portion of the San Juan Mountains and varies in elevation from 7,800 feet at the foothills to over 13,800 feet along the Continental Divide.    

Highlights of the District include portions of two wilderness areas (Weminuche and La Garita), long portions of the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, the Silverthread Scenic Byway, Wolf Creek Ski Area, Wheeler Geologic Area and the historic mining district of Creede. Off road travel routes for jeeps, ATVs, and motorcycles abound outside of the wilderness areas on the forest.  

Several sites on the district were chosen to introduce moose and reintroduce Canada lynx. The district supports healthy herds of elk, deer, and pronghorn, as well as many small mammals and birds common to Colorado. Great fishing can be found in many small streams, numerous lakes, reservoirs, and of course the Rio Grande River. 

Some of the higher elevations of the district receive over 400 inches of snow annually, supplying a clean water supply year around for rafting, fishing, and irrigation farming in the San Luis Valley.