Camping around Salida, Colorado

Dispersed Camping (free, 14 days max stay)

1) (closest to SCC)Salida East: 1 mile east of SCC office on hwy 50; BLM lands;
has a vault toilet; no pay site as of 3.2017

2) (closest to SCC) CR 101: BLM land; south side of hwy 50 on the east side of
Salida; just below Methodist Mountain; It is just a bit further east of town from Salida
East- soo you will see County Road 101 heading south. Its a dirt road that leads to a
national forest boundary about 3 miles up. After you have crossed the cattle guard
there is a fair amount of nice at-large camping. The road gets quite steep, but the
first part of it is smooth. 2wd vehicles can get a fair way up the first steep stretch to
access some really nice spots.

3. Burmacks Road
There is a large swath of BLM land south of town. Its mostly a fair ways south of
Highway 50, but its accessible from right off 50 near the Big O tire shop off the east
side of Salida. It is off of Burmacks road. You can pick up the rainbow trail here at
the base where it is a decent dirt road which takes you to a trailhead parking area,
but a very mild doubletrack continues up into the pinon/juniper past the kiosk and
parking lot and then the road gets a little rough. Eventually you will reach a
powerline, but there are quite a few spots where you could set up an impromptu car
camp before you get up there.
4 CR 107
You can also access the public land up there by taking a paved road (CR107) up
from the highway. The intersection is at 50 Burger. The road will branch about
halfway up from the highway and youll stay to the right and the road will become
CR108. Youll need to pretty much go to the powerline, and then you can either take
the powerline service road left, go right and pick it up again past a few houses, or
continue on up (the road gets pretty steep and rocky4wd).
5)
Or you can take CR110 which is a left just west of a stoplight near the Salida Hot
Springs Pool. That road will turn to dirt about half a mile from the highway, and
youll need to follow it (there are some branches, stay on the main one going up) for
several miles to a trailhead parking area. You should go through the camping area
and on up to the powerline service road just above it to find a camp spot.

6. Ute Trail, or CR175 goes way up into the dry Arkansas Hills to the north of town.
You have to go pretty far before there is a chance to camp off the road where it will
be quiet, but if you take the first marked right turn, CR181, you will find some really
nice at-large camping. You may have quite a few cows for company. You can get
there from Salida by taking 291 west and just at the hospital on Spiral drive take the
right hand turn up to CR 175. Very beautiful in the trees.
And just a little bit further out of town but lovely:
7)
FSR202 (near Meyers junction- off 285 north side of Poncha Pass, on the way to
OHaver Lake)
8) Midland Hills off CR 304 and CR 376a near Johnson Village. Take 285 toward BV
and turn onto 285 at the junction of 24 and 285 heading toward Fairplay. mile out
of Johnson Village take left hand turn at Collegiate Peaks overlook and drive about
2.5 miles onto BLM lands where there are a number of impacted dispersed BLM
sites.
9) CR 250- heading toward Mount Shavano. Take 50 to Poncha Spring take 285 to
the turn off toward Monarch Pass and about 2 miles down the road take CR 250;
follow it around through private property about 4.5 miles and you will be on USFS
property, dispersed camping view great views of the Arkansas Valley and Salida.
Yum!

Campgrounds (Pay sites)

USFS and BLM
Ohaver Lake: (USFS; on FSR 202)
Ruby Mountain: BLM north on 285 in the new Browns Monument
Shavano Campground: (USFS CR 250- past all the dispersed camping and to the
dead end at the Angel of Shavano Campground)