Trail Report: Reservoir Hill Trail System
Located just a short walk from downtown, these trails provide nice views of the San Juan Mountains' foothills and the town below.
Reservoir Hill Trail System, Pagosa Springs, CO
- Distance: It's a choose your own adventure; you can do 1/2 mile loops, or link all the trails up for a 5 mile hike, or something in between.
- Elevation Gain: 100 to 500 feet
- Difficulty Level: Easy (great for the whole family)
- Duration: Generally 1 hour to 3 hours
- Best Seasons to Hike: This is a nice shoulder season hike; think spring and autumn
- Trail Type: Out and back or loop, depending on your route
Overview
The Reservoir Hill Trail System in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, is a popular network of trails offering mellow hikes, mountain biking and leisurely trail running terrain. Located just a short walk from downtown, these trails provide nice views of the San Juan Mountains' foothills and the town below. With various interconnected paths, hikers can choose routes of different lengths and difficulties, making it ideal for families, beginners, and who you'll encounter most: locals. The trail system can also be linked with the nearby San Juan Riverwalk, allowing you to extend your outdoor experience and explore more of Pagosa Springs.
Trail Info
The Reservoir Hill Trail System can be accessed from a large parking lot above the post office, or off of Highway 160 as you arrive in town from Wolf Creek Pass. There is clear signage marking the trailheads at both locations.
- This is a popular trail, so it's well established. There are nice signs and blazes to let you know exactly which trail you're on. There are also some nice naturalist signs so you can learn about the area.
- This is a multi-use trail system. Mountain biking and disc golfing are two of the more common user groups you'll encounter.
- The trails wind through a ponderosa forest, which means the trails are nice and soft underfoot. You will not encounter rocky terrain here, which is a very nice experience if you're looking for a mellow meander.
- It's easy to make this a longer hike if that's what you're looking to do. Combine all the trails for a 5-mile hike, and if you want a longer adventure, combine it with the San Juan River Walk loop through town. This will add about 3 more miles and the San Juan River is so pretty!
Trail Highlights
This trail system winds through a very beautiful ponderosa pine forest. From any of the trails, you have the opportunity to see chipmunks and squirrels, along with a wide array of local birds.
There are some lovely wood carvings throughout this hike that are a lot of fun to see and take photos with! These carvings also tend to have benches next to them if you want to sit and enjoy birdwatching or have a snack.
Tips
- Safety considerations: Be on alert for mountain bikers.
- Parking details: Large, free parking lots.
- Restroom: There is a restroom at the top of Reservoir Hill; about a quarter mile's hike up the trail. Sometimes this restroom closes due to severe weather.
- Permits, fees, or restrictions: Nothing to worry about for this trail!
- Camping: No camping allowed at the trailhead. Plenty of camping nearby.
Recommended Gear
- Hiking boots or trail runners
- Trekking poles if you want to give your knees a break
- Small backpack
- A bottle of water
Conclusion
The Reservoir Hill Trail System is a nice and mellow way to get a hike in when you're staying in Pagosa Springs. It's especially nice in shoulder seasons, when higher elevation trails are extremely snowy!
