★ Field-verified · Dave's ownPublic land · dispersedFree
Chaffee County
Drive-up · public land · Chaffee County, CO · 38.59139, -106.17973
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Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on public land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
A free campsite at the end of a spur off of a forest road at the base of the mountains. Surrounded by aspen trees and dandelions. Very grassy. Popular spot for other campers are RVers. Small stream runs through it. Lovely setting for hiking, walking, or mountain biking. No cell service and enough room for two or three vehicles. Not very private due to other campers. Recommended.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 9,403 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- WWater4 mi
- GGrocery4 mi
- LLaundry4 mi
- FFuel7 mi
- HHardware8 mi
- MMechanic10 mi
- OOutfitter10 mi
- RxPharmacy11 mi
- @Mail11 mi
- AAir-up11 mi
- DDump16 mi
- +Urgent care17 mi
- ShShower19 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
The read: water is basically at camp, fuel & food sit about 4 mi out.
Not within 60 mi: Propane. Plan those before you head up.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Access
Drive-up
Land
public land · dispersed
Elevation
9,403 ft
County
Chaffee County, CO
Coordinates
38.59139, -106.17973
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Resupply lookup unavailable — try the map links below.
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
No signal
Getting there
Any vehicle managed it
Fire ring
No
Toilet on site
No
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- RestroomShavano/Tabeguache · ~1.0 mi W · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletAngel Of Shavano · ~2.2 mi W · USFS
- RestroomAngel Of Shavano · ~2.2 mi W · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletAngel Of Shavano · ~2.3 mi W · USFS
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Angel of Shavano Campground~2.3 mi
- Browns Canyon National Monument~6.6 mi
- Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area~10.8 mi
- Marshall Pass Dispersed Campground~11.9 mi
Snow, and when this opens
The nearest automatic snow station is Porphyry Creek at 10,790 ft, about 11 miles away. It sits about 1,387 ft higher than this camp, so treat it as a guide rather than a reading for this spot. We do not repeat a depth here, because any number we stored would be stale by the time you read it — the station publishes today's.
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (Chaffee County, CO). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Camping at altitude →When the high country opens →Winter vs summer roads →Gear & rig loadout →All field notes →
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →