Transfer Station and Recycling Archuleta County, CO

Small county recycling center out on Co Rd 500 just south of Pagosa Springs, used by locals dropping off household recyclables and small loads from cabins and rentals. It's the sort of place locals swing by for cardboard, paper and cans rather than hauling everything to the landfill. Many Colorado mountain counties run similar sites and sometimes offer seasonal free disposal days or special collection events.

Pull up to a clearly marked entrance with a booth and a couple of drive-up lanes; centers like this usually have a scale and charge by weight for mixed loads. Recycling containers are typically grouped together a short walk from the drive lanes, so expect to unload to the side rather than into a big indoor depot. The site is outdoors and a little utilitarian - gravel lots, metal bins, and signs showing where cardboard, paper, glass and metals go; electronics or specialty collections are often handled separately during special events.