Mount Shavano Dispersed Camping

I stayed here for 1 night of car camping and will definitely go back. I only went about 4 miles in on the rocky/rutted road (vs the 5 miles that the directions say) and thought the sites were great. I stayed at a big site on the right with beautiful views and a fire ring. Aside from hearing some (maybe - not sure) coyotes at night, I wasn't aware of any other wildlife. I was in a 4Runner and my friend that I was with was driving a Highlander. As another poster commented, I saw a small sedan in one of the sites but wouldn't drive way out in anything but an SUV or truck. I have AT&T and had 2 bars of service.

Cool chaparral area. Road kinda rocky, but manageable. Nice views of mountains all around. Heard elk bugling through the night.

Had a great night here. Stayed close to the mountain so I had great shade but if you're after views I think you should stay close to the highway. There are tons of spots and privacy. I saw several sedans but I'd be hesitant if it were me.

BLM 

FREE

 Limit: 14 days 

The Wildlife Management Area is named after Mt Shavano. A mountain that is considered a must do for mountain climbers. The WMA lies at the base of the mountain. If you travel very slow and steady you can camp in the WMA by following the road in. The road is very rocky, bumpy, and just a little steep in a couple of places if you are pulling a trailer. If you take the plunge there are so many sites to be had to include a fire ring. The backdrop of the mountains is just amazing. There are several sites right at the entrance but the best a a little further back. There is room for 30- 40 or more. Just depends on how close you want to be to others. Salida is a nice town to head to if you need supplies. The road is so rocky and bumpy we tried to get out as little as possible. We have good service with Verizon but not much with ATT. Nearest dump station is about 2 miles way at the Crossroads Visitor Center in Poncha Springs. 

LNT 

BTWYFI

All the reviews so far seem to be quite correct. Except I did not see any creek. I did not see any lower levels. The area is very dry and rocky. The only way in is up the hill on 250. The pavement turns to gravel and becomes very steep and Rocky and rugged with some areas washed out. There were some big rigs up here but I don't think they'll make this trip very often before they break down. Once you get on top of the plateau there is plenty of room to spread out and the gravel roads are less challenging. Poncha Springs is only 10 minutes away in Salida another 10 minutes. There's a Walmart in Salida which has a very good beverage selection. A BLM ranger did show up to talk to us about the 14 day limit. My friends were over the limit and left a couple days later. The gentleman was very nice and accommodating, he did not want to give any appearance of harassment. But they do check. Even in mid-September it was Sherry warm, up to 90°. There was some smoke on some days from the Forrest tire's. I only got two mosquito bites in two weeks but I must've killed three dozen house flies.

Wide variety of campsites here close to the Colorado trail and two 14ers. Where we camped was a cow field and they came and went so would be careful with dogs.

I’ve camped here a few times and have never been disappointed. I’ve camped next to the creek and further out away from the water. Honestly, it’s hard to find a bad campsite here!

If you want a site close to the creek, you have to get there early. I went on a Thursday in October and the sites were filled before noon.

No complaints though as this drove me to explore some sites I may never have seen otherwise. Further out, there’s less people. I had neighbors but everyone was friendly, quiet and kept to themselves aside from a friendly wave as they drove by.

Plenty of sites and great hiking. And you can’t beat the Mountain View’s after a snow storm!

There are several levels to this area. The lower ridge is easier to travel through, and you don’t have to go up a big hill to get there. The dirt and rock road winds it’s way up to the plateau. There are large dispersed areas for camping, and tons of land where you can see over the edge and into the valley. There is cactus here so be careful where you step. The area is dry. There is fresh water and a dump station at the visitors center in Salida.

BLM patrols the area daily and checks in on campers. While we were There, Weston Pass Fire was growing so we checked in with BLM offices and gave them our number just in case things started turning for the worst. It was very dry.

Mt Shavano area is located near Salida, the town has several restaurants and fun touristy activities. Also near the Arkansas Headwaters.

Cellular - AT&T was decent, we were able to stream with a jetpack. T-Mobile is ok in some areas. It was not as reliable.

what a great camping spot to spend a day getting acclimated. Took my 8 year old and had a great time.