Whether your vacation style is rough and tumble or a bit more refined, you’ll find plenty of things to do in Pagosa Springs.
For Art & History Enthusiasts
Grab a seat for a night of live performance with the Thingamajig Theater Company at the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts. Expect quick-witted improv, laugh-out-loud comedies and seasonal musicals. You’ll find productions that include classics like “A Christmas Carol,” as well as dance ensembles that blend ancient and modern elements.
A fine-art space and a gift shop in one, Two Old Crows Gallery invites you to browse unique, handmade jewelry that’s bound to spark a few compliments. Find wall art ranging from oil paintings to watercolor landscapes and animal portraits — each piece ready to inspire memories of your Pagosa Springs vacation once you’re back home. Just across from the gallery, make your way through Tennyson Sculpture Park & Gardens to take in displays of contemporary public art from creatives around the world.
Mid-May through September, make it a point to stop at the Pagosa Springs History Museum. Here you can learn about the area’s past via a blacksmith exhibit featuring metalwork, rotating displays of historical artifacts and handmade quilts that tell stories about local history through their designs.
For Families With Young Kids
If you’ve got little ones with you, Pagosa Escape Zone is an easy way to keep their energy and imaginations in check. Inside, three themed rooms for ages 7 and up turn quick thinking and teamwork into the goal, with one hour to solve a mystery. You might be sorting through clues to track down an inheritance or time traveling to the 1980s, working your way through puzzles to make it back to the present day. In another room, you’re set on searching for an antivirus to cure zombies and stop the infection from spreading. Can your family beat the clock?
Get up close with rescued animals at Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park. The park has the feel of a zoo, just in a more hands-on way — you can hear from caretakers about how the animals live, feed goats or go for horseback rides during the summer months. You’ll spot hulking grizzly bears, shy bobcats and stealthy mountain lions, often closer than you’d expect. Family passes and discounted children’s rates are a handy perk when you’re bringing everyone along.
Piedra River Trail is a nice option if you’re looking for a shorter, kid-friendly hike. Most families turn around at the 1.5-mile mark of the 7.6-mile trail, where the path winds past rocky formations and shifts between open sun and shady spots. The river runs alongside parts of the trail, and you may have a hard time convincing the kids to stop skipping rocks or playing in the water when it’s time to head back.
For Outdoor Adventurers
Pagosa Adventure Rentals hands you the keys to excitement with self-guided ATV and UTV rides, giving you a way to get out into the San Juan and Rio Grande national forests. From there, you can take to the trails, kicking up clouds of dirt behind you and cruising through scenic landscapes. Some routes dip through shallow river crossings, where you’ll hit a fun splash or two along the way.
Looking to work up a sweat? Pagosa Mountain Sports runs guided mountain-bike tours in the San Juan National Forest, with locals leading the way. Let the trails pull you in with tall ponderosa pine, clusters of aspen and shaded stretches where you catch a bit of breeze as you ride.
For more nature time, set up camp at Bruce Spruce Ranch. Roast marshmallows over the fire pit, grill hamburgers or play a round of cornhole with towering trees all around you. The campground also offers horseback rides and two ponds for fishing.
For Shoppers & Souvenir Seekers
If you’re the type to dig a little for treasures, Antiques on Main is filled with shelves of aged books, rows of vinyl records in wooden bins, glass apothecary jars and well-worn Western pieces like spurs and cowboy hats. A short walk away, the family-owned Goodman’s Department Store has been around since 1899. Inside, it’s packed wall to wall with boots, clothing, silver Brighton jewelry and headbands, with a kitchen section of charcuterie accessories and everyday cooking essentials.
Step inside Lantern Dancer and you’re met with glass displays filled with handmade jewelry — earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings crafted by Native American silversmiths with certificates of authenticity tied back to the artist. Veined turquoise, vintage sterling and one-of-a-kind designs catch your eye all at once, to the point where you’re not quite sure where to look first. Some jewelry pieces are bold, while others are more understated, with different shapes and sizes throughout. You’ll also find leather travel cases in which to store your purchases.
For Local Event Lovers
Attending a local event is one way to feel like part of the Pagosa Springs community. Hosted by The Springs Resort, Pints, Pools and Paddles takes place each May, with craft beer, live music, and cheese and chocolate tastings throughout the celebration. Out on the San Juan River, rafters, kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders race downstream as onlookers cheer from the shoreline. When you’re ready for a break, stepping into the hot springs gives you a chance to reset before heading back into the festivities.
The smell of freshly cooked food drifting through vendor booths is hard to miss as you make your way through the Park 2 Park Artisan & Food Market, hosted by the Pagosa Springs Area Chamber. This free annual July event has seen more than 100 vendors in the past, with makers selling wares running the gamut from pottery to wood carvings. Later in September, the smell of roasted green chilies drifts through the air during Mountain Chile Cha Cha. Live music, food tastings and contests give you plenty to enjoy, including the Patty Aragon Green Chile Classic, with cooks serving up their best recipes for you to sample.
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