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Hi everyone, coming to Salida area late Sept from Illinois. arriving Thurs 24th departing Mon 28th. Was thinking about doing MT. Ouray Sat after acclimating camp Fri night. Two questions- What are my tent camp options below the West Ridge Ouray route? Can I camp at or near Marshall Pass TH so I can just wake and hike?

2nd question- where is a good place to tent camp near Salida Thursday night? I was looking at the AHRA dispersed camping page on Co parks and wildlife but it's confusing. When I click on Salida East North nothing happens. Ideally I would like to find a place near some water away from people and RV's, maybe BLM, but I don't know how to go about this other than showing up and driving around which never goes well. I'm not opposed to a traditional campground as long as it's not some lame ass RV park. Thanks

One of my favorite camping spots (pay site) is O'Haver Lake Campground. I stay there at least once a year. It's just at the base of Mt Ouray/Marshall Pass. I highly recommend it, and the fishing is amazing (stocked lake... my son and his friends had a catch and release contest one year and caught 44 trout in an hour). The campsites are HUGE, bathrooms clean, and not too many sites so it isn't crowded.

You can camp near Marshall Pass if you don’t mind the lack of facilities. There’s also aN old cabin available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Yes, there's a TH of sorts on top of Marshall Pass on FS 10810 right by the CDT.

You could camp near the TH to Mt Shavano on CR 250, but it'll be pretty dry and brushy so camel up. Water would be available at a spring just below the TH for Mt. Shavano. Popular road for car camping. Lots of pullouts.

There are a few campsites around Marshall Pass.

We tent camped right next to the old Hutchinson & Burnett cabin when we did that route (some hunters had already claimed it for the weekend, it is free and first come first serve, just pack out your trash). And there's a bathroom right there too.

I would highly recommend camping right there as you can literally climb out of your tent and head up the South ridge that connects to the West ridge. The route description tells you exactly where the cabin is.

Enjoy!

WildWanderer wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2020 11:40 am One of my favorite camping spots (pay site) is O'Haver Lake Campground. I stay there at least once a year. It's just at the base of Mt Ouray/Marshall Pass. I highly recommend it, and the fishing is amazing (stocked lake... my son and his friends had a catch and release contest one year and caught 44 trout in an hour). The campsites are HUGE, bathrooms clean, and not too many sites so it isn't crowded.

Cool , I will check it out. Thank you!

RJ_Greenhorn24 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 01, 2020 12:21 pm We tent camped right next to the old Hutchinson & Burnett cabin when we did that route (some hunters had already claimed it for the weekend, it is free and first come first serve, just pack out your trash). And there's a bathroom right there too.

I would highly recommend camping right there as you can literally climb out of your tent and head up the South ridge that connects to the West ridge. The route description tells you exactly where the cabin is.

Enjoy!

Thank you.

Thanks for all the Ouray camp suggestions. Any suggestions for the arrival night near Salida?

Watch out for feces! Lots of open ranges around Marshall Pass proper. Otherwise you can’t really ask for a better car camping area in the state.

Good camping at marshall pass and near the cabin at the trailhead is a couple spots, lots of cows as mentioned.

Just outside Salida is good dispersed camping north of town along Ute trail CR 175, past Tenderfoot Hill (the S). It turns to public land BLM and national forest after a couple miles, mountain biking trailheads a bit farther up. High and dry though the lower part is a canyon but appeared dry.

There's a few other blm areas east and west of town. But 175 is up a hill 1000ft above the valley so a bit better to acclimate, and not as busy. Plus you could hike a bit around there.

cougar wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:32 am Good camping at marshall pass and near the cabin at the trailhead is a couple spots, lots of cows as mentioned.

Just outside Salida is good dispersed camping north of town along Ute trail CR 175, past Tenderfoot Hill (the S). It turns to public land BLM and national forest after a couple miles, mountain biking trailheads a bit farther up. High and dry though the lower part is a canyon but appeared dry.

There's a few other blm areas east and west of town. But 175 is up a hill 1000ft above the valley so a bit better to acclimate, and not as busy. Plus you could hike a bit around there.

Thank you!