Williams Creek Reservoir is a gorgeous mountain lake located in the San Juan National Forest north of Pagosa Springs, in SW Colorado. The reservoir is surrounded by mountains with aspen, spruce, and ponderosa pine trees. The reservoir is a fabulous place to escape the summer heat and camp, hike, stand-up paddleboard (SUP), fish, kayak, and many other outdoor activities.
- Williams Creek Reservoir
- Recreational Activities
- Williams Creek Reservoir Amenities
- USFS Interactive Visitor Map for Williams Creek Reservoir Area
- Campgrounds near Williams Creek Reservoir
- Dispersed Camping near Williams Creek Reservoir
- Directions to Williams Creek Reservoir
- Final Thoughts on Williams Creek Reservoir
Williams Creek Reservoir
Williams Creek Reservoir is a man-made lake about 28 miles north of Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
The lake is approximately 500 acres and is situated in a forest with tall pine trees.
It is located in the San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 8,250 feet.
The reservoir is unique in that the lake itself is a Colorado State Wildlife Area, while the area surrounding it (including campgrounds) is on USFS National Forest land.
Recreational Activities
There are many recreational activities you can do at the reservoir. These include:
Fishing
Colorado Parks and Wildlife replenishes the reservoir with kokanee salmon and trout. Fishing conditions are favorable during the late spring and autumn, although they may vary during the summer months.
You can also ice fish here in the winter.
There is also a marshy area to the south of the reservoir where fishing is possible.
Hiking
Around the Reservoir
You can hike around the lake to take in the mountain scenery. The trail is easy and relatively flat all the way around.
When we hiked in October, the weather was perfect for hiking, but there was already snow on the mountain peaks.
You can get about 75% of the way around the lake easily on a trail.
The north side of the lake is on private land, so you cannot hike there. It will become obvious when the trail ends and you cannot proceed further.
The trail ends past the trees in the photo below. At that point, turn around and retrace your steps.
The first time I hiked around Williams Creek Reservoir, I was unaware that the north side was on private land and attempted to hike the full loop.
There are no signs telling you the trail ends, so I proceeded all the way around.
That was a mistake! There is no easy way to get all the way around.
I ended up going through a river and lots of mud and geese poop just to get around.
So don’t do that! Stop when you reach the north side of the lake and retrace your steps!
Other Trails
There are many hiking trails available in the area on USFS land. These include the
- Weminuche Trail: The Poison Park Trailhead will take you to the Weminuche Trail (FS 592). The entire trail is over 11 miles long (one way). For a shorter version, hike about 2 1/2 miles in (one way) to where the trail intersects with others. This is a fantastic area for seeing mountain wildflowers in the summer.
- Cimarrona Trail: The Cimarrona Trail enters the Weminuche Wilderness Area and continues on to the Continental Divide Trail. For a shorter hike, hike a little less than 4 miles in (one way) to an arch, and then hike back out.
- Williams Creek Trail: This hike also intersects with the Continental Divide Trail. It starts off relatively easy, but then becomes a more difficult hike at about 2.5 miles in.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Williams Creek Reservoir is a fabulous place for paddleboarding.
The lake is relatively still, with little current. It makes for a fun time to paddle around and explore the shore along the lake.
The scenic view of the mountains adds to the allure of this photogenic mountain lake.
Boating
Motorized boating is allowed on the reservoir; however, water skiing and sailboarding are not permitted.
The information below provides details on the boating regulations for Williams Creek Reservoir from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
The Teal Boat Ramp, located on the western shore of the lake, provides boat access.
Unlike other lakes in the Pagosa Springs area, such as Buckles Lake and Harris Lake, the water fluctuation in Williams Creek Reservoir is minimal throughout the year.
Swimming
The water is freezing, but if you’re so inclined, go for a swim.
Our dog thought it was a good idea to go swimming in Williams Creek Reservoir.
Williams Creek Reservoir Amenities
There aren’t a lot of amenities at the lake. There’s a boat ramp and vault toilets, and that’s about it.
The map below from Colorado Parks and Wildlife shows the locations of the amenities.
Boat Ramp
There is a boat ramp on the western side of the lake. It’s a good place for putting in SUPs.
You can also easily enter the lake for SUP’ing anywhere along the shore on the western and southern ends of the reservoir.
Vault Toilets
There are several areas with vault toilets. There are vault toilets by the boat ramp, on the western side near the Teal campground, and on the southern end of Williams Creek Reservoir.
USFS Interactive Visitor Map for Williams Creek Reservoir Area
The USFS Interactive Visitor Map provides a snapshot of the USFS campgrounds, trails, roads, etc in the area.
See here for an interactive version of the map below. You can zoom in and out on the live version of the Williams Creek Reservoir map on the USFS website.
Campgrounds near Williams Creek Reservoir
There are five campgrounds within the the vicinity of the lake. Some accept reservations, while others are first-come, first-served.
Only a few provide campsites with RV hookups. Most are dry camping.
1. Teal Campground
Teal Campground is the nearest campground to Williams Creek Reservoir, offering 16 campsites on a first-come, first-served basis with views of the mountain peaks surrounding the lake. The USFS operates the Teal Campground.
It is located right on the banks of the lake. As you can imagine, it is popular. It fills up quickly in the summer, so get there early to get a spot.
Amenities include potable water, trash pickup, vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire grates.
2. Williams Creek Campground
Williams Creek Campground is located one mile south of Williams Creek Reservoir. It is operated by the USFS.
There are 61 sites, of which 32 are reservable via recreation.gov. The others are first-come, first-served. Some group campsites are also available. Some of the campsites have water and sewer hookups.
Some of the campsites here are located on the banks of Williams Creek, which runs along the eastern edge of the campground.
Amenities include potable water, trash pickup, vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire grates.
3. Cimarrona Campground
Cimarrona Campground is entirely first-come, first served for its 21 campsites. It is adjacent to the Cimarrona Trailhead which is about 3 miles north of Williams Creek Reservoir.
This campground is also operated by the USFS.
Services include potable water, trash pickup, vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire grates.
4. Bridge Campground
The USFS Bridge Campground is located about 5 miles south of Williams Creek Reservoir. It has 19 campsites which are all available first-come, first-served. Reservations are not accepted.
Services include potable water, trash pickup, vault toilets, and fire grates.
5. Sportsman’s Campground & Mountain Cabins
There is also a privately run campground and cabins located about 6 miles south of Williams Creek Reservoir. See the Sportsman’s Campground & Mountain Cabins website for more details.
This campground also happens to be the location where much of the John Wayne 1972 movie “The Cowboys” was filmed.
Dispersed Camping near Williams Creek Reservoir
Dispersed camping is permitted after the Piedra River Road becomes Forest Service Road 631, which is right after you cross over the first cattle grate heading north on Piedra Road.
There is a ton of dispersed camping options in the area. Basically any USFS road with dots on the sides of the road on the USFS map below allows dispersed camping.
Download the USFS Motor Vehicle Use Map from the Pagosa Ranger District. You can access it here as a PDF.
To see where dispersed camping is available in the area, see our step-by-step guide for finding dispersed camping locations on USFS land.
Directions to Williams Creek Reservoir
Williams Creek Reservoir is located about 28 miles north of Pagosa Springs. It can take about an hour to drive there from Pagosa as you’ll be traveling on gravel roads for much of the way.
Google Map
The Google Map below provides the location of the Williams Creek Reservoir. You can zoom in and out, and add your address for exact directions.
To reach the reservoir, go north from Pagosa Springs on Forest Road 631 (also known as Piedra Road) for 22 miles.
The drive to the Williams Creek Reservoir from Pagosa Springs provides breathtaking scenery. Enjoy the drive!
Final Thoughts on Williams Creek Reservoir
Williams Creek Reservoir is a perfect place for camping and recreational activities. There is so much to do in the area that everyone should have a good time!
