East Animas/Turtle Lake RMZ

About East Animas/Turtle Lake RMZ

East Animas/ Turtle Lake provides great rock climbing opportunities close to town. It is located north of Durango and right off of the road. Mostly known for bouldering with a scattered variety of difficulties. From there you can also access the Turtle Lake cliffs, located right above the bouldering area and is less frequently visited. The turtle lake cliffs have a variety of routes to choose from. For more information, please contact the Tres Rios Field Office.

How to Get There

To reach Turtle Lake, travel north through Durango on Main Street/Highway 550. Turn West on Road 25 (to Junction Creek). Drive 3 miles to County Road 205. Turn north (right) on CR 205 and drive approximately 1 mile to the climbing area. The area is not marked/signed. Look for the boulders and access trail on the NW (left) side of CR 205. After passing the lake you will see the bouldering area of Turtle Lake on your left, and you'll know you're there. Follow the trail to the cliff band that is west above the bouldering. To reach the East Animas Climbing area, travel north through Durango on Main Street/Highway 550. Turn East on 15th Street which will become the Florida Road after 2 blocks. Follow the Florida Road Northeast 2 miles to County Road 250.Turn north (left) on CR250 and drive approximately 1.75 miles. A parking area/trailhead will be on the north (right) side of the road. Follow the trail to the cliff band that is west above the bouldering.

Plan Your Visit to East Animas/Turtle Lake RMZ

Heading to East Animas/Turtle Lake RMZ? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)