Sheltered in the Pine River Valley of southwestern Colorado at an elevation of 6,900 feet, Bayfield greets visitors with a true four-seasons climate. Bayfield has traditionally been a small town supporting local ranchers, but in recent years, the community has seen more and more commuters moving over from the La Plata County seat of Durango, about 20 miles to the west.
Planning a visit? Stay at Blue Spruce RV Park & Cabins.
That historic steam town is where tourists board the world-famous Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad that is a national railroading treasure.
More than 1.8 million acres of public recreational paradise spread out to the north and east of Bayfield (named for a family named Bay) in the the San Juan National Forest. The damming of the Pine River created the sparkling waters of Vallecito Lake fifteen miles to the north, one of Colorado’s largest alpine lakes.
A Tour of Carvings has helped transform the area since a 70,000-acre forest fire in 2002. The nationally celebrated San Juan Skyway penetrates the multi-hued San Juan Mountains for 233 miles; it was dubbed “The Million Dollar Highway” because of its construction costs—or maybe for all the gold ore used in the roadbed fill.
