Aspen Guard Station

Colorado Rockies

Aspen Guard Station

Colorado Rockies

About this campsite

Overview

You’re in for a treat when you rent Aspen Guard Station’s beautiful cabin. Built between 1938-1940, this cabin offers a visit to the past while being near enough to civilization to have a foot in both worlds. This old cabin housed the Forest Service Rangers who patrolled the forests, often on horseback, checking timber and livestock permits, helping neighboring cabin dwellers and the public, much like today.

Recreation

Hiking, wildlife sightings. Mountain bike riding, ATV/UTV access.

Facilities

Full Kitchen stocked with pots, pans, baking dishes, plates, glasses, cups, silverware, etc.

Two bedrooms - two full beds.

Flushing toilet.

Working shower.

Furnace and Heater.

Outdoor fire pit with cooking grill and log bench.

Picnic Table.

Natural Features

Located directly on Forest Service Road 561 in a grove of aspen trees with enclosing fence.

Nearby Attractions

Mesa Verde National Park
Durango to Silverton Train
Anazasi Visitors Center
Four Corners National Monument

Location

Aspen Guard Station•CO

Explore on our map Get Directions Open in Maps

Weather Forecast

via Open-Meteo

TODAY☁️

18° / 7°

💧 12%

TUE☁️

19° / 10°

💧 28%

WED☁️

18° / 7°

💧 39%

THU🌦️

18° / 8°

💧 16%

FRI☁️

17° / 7°

💧 9%

Nearby Campsites

within 50km

1.8 km away

Transfer Campground

Overview Transfer Campground, located approximately 11 miles north of Mancos, Colorado in the San Juan National Forest, is known for its access to many area recreation trails. Recreation Recreational opportunities abound at and near this facility for horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking and ATV riding. Many campers bring their ATVs and motorbikes to ride on the Aspen Loop Trail (just 1/2 mile north of the campground). There are a number of trailheads nearby the campground, including Big Al Interpretive Trail, Rim Trail and Box Canyon Trail. More trails are available in the surrounding area including: Chicken Creek Trail, Morrison Trail, Gold Run Trail and West Mancos Trail. Facilities The campground offers 12 first-come, first-serve family sites and one overnight group site. The reservable group site has five double picnic tables, a large group area, a serving table and cooking grills. A vault toilet restroom is located near the group area. The 12 first-come, first-serve campsites offer one vault toilet and barrier free camping. Parking spaces are small, but can accommodate some RVs. Horses are not allowed in the campground, but there are corrals with five sites adjacent to the campground on Forest Road 561. Natural Features The campground is situated at an elevation of 8,500 feet. Surrounded by whispering aspen and making for a great camping atmosphere, visitors will enjoy the sounds of birds and the occasional horse neighing in the corrals across the road. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420. Nearby Attractions Visit the Jackson Gulch Reservoir, just six miles south of the campground for a relaxing day of fishing or hike one of the many trails nearby the campground. Visit the historic town of Mancos and learn about the Ancestral Puebloans who inhabited this area from approximately AD 1 to AD 1300. Charges & Cancellations Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. Group Sites Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): A visitor who cancels a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.

2.3 km away

Jersey Jim Fire Tower

Overview The Jersey Jim Lookout Tower is named after an early cattleman who ran Jersey cattle in the area. Today, cattle are still grazed in the area under permit. Many nearby trails were established by loggers seeking timber or by miners accessing hard-rock ore deposits in the La Plata (Spanish for silver) Mountains. Hesperus Peak, a sacred mountain to the Navajo Nation, is visible, as is Sleeping Ute Mountain of the Four Corners. The Jersey Jim Lookout Tower was home to U.S. Forest Service fire lookouts from the 1940s to 1970s. The tower was renovated and saved from demolition in 1991 by the Jersey Jim Foundation, a nonprofit local volunteer organization, which operates and maintains the tower under permit with the San Juan National Forest. Rental income is earmarked for maintenance of the facility to offer this unique experience to the American public. The Tower cab includes the original furniture and propane heating and lighting. However, there is no electricity or running water. A sink, propane refrigerator, and oven/stove are in the kitchen area. Guests must bring their own supplies. The dining table seats four, and there’s a double bed, and dresser. With windows all round, views are 360 degrees. In the middle of the cab is the historic fire finder, which early lookouts used to spot fires, and which you can use to orient yourself to surrounding landmarks. In the cabinet below are materials offering information about the tower and the area. Nearby Attractions Mesa Verde National Park, Durango to Silverton Railroad, Anazasi Heritage Center, Four Corners Monument