Five Things To Do In Pagosa Springs This Summer

Last week I was a speaker at a tourism conference in Pagosa Springs, and it was a good reminder of the total awesomeness of this Southwest Colorado town.

Pagosa Springs should be on your must-visit list this summer and here are five things you need to do once you get there.

1. Float the river in Pagosa Springs

The best way to take advantage of a river that runs directly through a town is to float it. The San Juan River is the source of all good stuff in Pagosa Springs and is a big summertime attraction.

The best time to float the river is in July and August when the water levels are lower. Bring your own tube or check out this Pagosa Springs’ website for how to go about floating the San Juan River.

2. Eat & Drink Outdoors in Pagosa Springs

Pagosa Springs is a town of less than 2000, but they have three microbreweries and each has an awesome patio. This is a very sunny area of Colorado and if you enjoy dining al fresco like I do, it’s a great place to visit.

Pagosa Brewing & Grill is the town’s oldest brewery. Located west of downtown, their Peachy Peach American wheat is the perfect beer to sip while sitting in their large outdoor “yard.”

Riff Raff Brewing Company is very popular with locals and their large patio overlooks charming downtown Pagosa Springs. The beer here is top-notch and I enjoy pairing it with a delicious yak burger (not on the menu, you’ll have to request the yak).

Wolfe Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs’ newest brewpub, serves up great pizza and offers lots of outdoor family-style seating. There’s even an outdoor fireplace for those cool spring and autumn evenings.

A new restaurant is opening in Pagosa Springs and while not a brewery, they have a killer, riverfront patio and hand-made cocktails. San Juan Marketplace & Border Rio is located on the east side of downtown and held a soft opening for conference-goers last week.

3. Visit a grizzly bear in Pagosa Springs

The Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park is worth a stop while you’re in Pagosa Springs. It’s best to come during feeding time (daily at 4 p.m. during the summer). The wildlife park is located in a spectacular setting. In addition to the wild animals in residence, such as Princess, the grizzly, there are goats and bunnies.

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4. Lobo Overlook near Pagosa Springs

Everyone stops at Treasure Falls when coming into Pagosa Springs and you should do that too, but Lobo Overlook is more of a secret.

Located at the top of Wolf Creek Pass, the Forest Service website has good info on how to get there and HikingMike.com has an excellent blog post about it.

The overlook is at the top of the Continental Divide and has a spectacular view of the San Juan Mountains. Best of all? You can drive right to the overlook.

5. Hot Springs in Pagosa Springs

Last, but certainly not least, a visit to Pagosa Springs is not complete without a soak at one of the town’s fabulous hot springs. I wrote extensively about the town’s three hot springs destinations in this 2013 post.

This past week I stayed at The Springs Resort again, and again it impressed me. This time I visited the spa where I got the San Juan Essential massage. I can’t say enough good things about this experience.

To plan your summer visit to Pagosa Springs, Colorado go to VisitPagosaSprings.com.

Thank you to Pagosa Springs for hosting me on my recent visit.

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