Camping spots near Sargents, Colorado sit at elevations between 8,000-9,000 feet along the Continental Divide. The area experiences severe temperature swings even in summer months, with nighttime lows frequently dropping into the 40s°F after 80°F daytime highs. Winter access to most camping areas becomes restricted from October through May due to heavy snowfall that blocks forest roads.
What to do
Fishing alpine lakes: O'Haver Lake Campground provides accessible fishing for families. "Sweet campsites on a nice small lake up at around 9000 feet surrounded by mountains. Tons of folks fishing and playing in the lake," notes Chris M. The lake supports "a healthy fish population" according to Paden K., making it ideal for teaching beginners.
Explore old mining areas: Road 240 dispersed camping areas serve as excellent basecamps for mining history exploration. "If you continue driving up the rocky road, you'll get to billings lake which was gorgeous," shares Emma H. Holly C. adds that her group "went all the way up to the mines in 2wd" though she recommends good tires.
Creek-side relaxation: Angel of Shavano Campground offers sites directly alongside flowing water. "Live water ran behind our campsite and was easily accessible to collect for filtering," explains Glenn K., while Marasha L. appreciated "camp spot 16" which provided "complete privacy" despite being at an established campground.
Wildlife viewing: Mt. Shavano Wildlife Area provides opportunities to see native species. "We saw Bats, Nighthawks, Turkey Vultures, Coyotes, and Deer," reports Sheridan B. Another camper mentioned "heard elk bugling through the night" in October, marking the fall mating season.
What campers like
High elevation cooling: Buffalo Pass Campground delivers relief from summer heat. "At a little over 9,000 feet elevation it cooled off nicely in July," shares David R. Similarly, Monarch Park visitors appreciate the temperature differences: "We have a 36 ft Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow and stayed in site 28 for 3 days in mid June... as soon as we camp at altitude a cold front moves through, the temps drop and it gets rainy and/or snowy."
Cell service in specific spots: Despite remote locations, some areas offer connectivity. At Buffalo Pass, Jorge G. advises, "No AT&T cell service in the campground proper but the hill just beyond the cattleguard in the entrance gets full bars." At Mt. Shavano Wildlife Area, Larry B. notes "WiFi is pretty good with ATT" while another reviewer confirmed "My husband and I both had full service on t-mobile and Verizon."
River sounds: Monarch Spur RV Park features the calming sound of flowing water. Matt S. observed, "You can hear the river running almost everywhere in the park." Another camper mentioned staying "in number 4, it was great, secluded, and right on the river."
Stargazing opportunities: The lack of light pollution makes for exceptional night skies. At O'Haver Lake, Don L. appreciated that there was "No ATT cell service and no tv access" which enhanced stargazing, while Allen B. stated "the stars are amazing here" at Monarch Spur RV Park.
What you should know
Road conditions vary drastically: Road 240 dispersed camping requires careful vehicle selection. Katie M. warns, "I wouldn't go any further on that road unless you have high clearance and 4x4" while Sydney C. provides more specific guidance: "DO NOT bring your trailer past the 3rd spot up the road after the bridge... You won't be able to turn around and the road gets worse with no where to turn around."
Weekend crowding patterns: Popular campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. At O'Haver Lake, Angela L. advises "Summer weekends are packed and non-reservable. We arrived at 11AM on Friday morning and all the sites except one were already taken for the entire weekend." To secure preferred sites at Mount Shavano Dispersed Camping, Kim M. suggests, "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."
Limited hookup options: While several campgrounds offer partial hookups, full-service sites are scarce. At Monarch Park, campers note "Very basic amenities" but appreciate that "The price is nice." Some campers reported having to "pack in water and pack out waste" at dispersed sites.
Seasonal closures: Campground availability follows strict seasonal patterns. Monarch Park was "Closed for 2024 season to make renovations" according to a recent visitor, while Crystal C. advises "The peak season for this campsite is May through September, while you can visit until October weather often changes and it gets very cold at night."
Tips for camping with families
Beginner fishing spot: O'Haver Lake Campground provides ideal conditions for teaching fishing skills. Robyn O. describes it as "Small lake with fishing, hiking, easy and strenuous bike trails, and kayaking. Great for teaching the grandkids fishing."
Kid-friendly amenities: Monarch Spur RV Park offers dedicated children's facilities. Allen B. reports, "They have a nice camp store, WiFi that works, golf cart rental, a playground, kids games, a community area... The kids didn't want to go anywhere they were happy just to hang out here at the campground."
Wildlife education opportunities: Several campgrounds offer wildlife viewing as educational experiences. Kim K. recalls at Angel of Shavano, "Because of the quiet seclusion, Dahl sheep not only wonder through camp but they stuck around for about 3 hours! Also had a cow moose munch her way through."
Protection from elements: Weather changes quickly in the mountains. At Monarch Park, Susan D. suggests finding sheltered sites: "We spent one night on Site #32. It was somewhat of a challenge setting up our 6 tent because the site was small and the tent pad was surrounded by bushes, trees, and a tree stump on the tent pad."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges: At Monarch Park Campground, Ray & Terri F. report, "We couldn't get fully level, but it was a good site otherwise. The sites are fairly nice for a FS CG and very well spaced. Some sites are fairly level, but others will present some challenges."
Road washboard effects: Chad M. cautions about roads to Mt. Shavano Wildlife Area: "The road starts as tar and converts to gravel. It is a maintained road but is loaded with washboard so you may just have to take it easy if you have a motor home or trailer."
Length accommodations: Larry B. notes that at Mt. Shavano Wildlife Area, "We saw a large diesel pusher all the way down to a 1 person tent and several in-between." Another reviewer confirms, "The road is pretty wide, we have a 30' trailer and had no problems getting by oncoming vehicles if everyone gives a little."
Satellite access considerations: For those requiring connectivity, Ray & Terri F. advise, "We had a clear view of the southern and northern sky, so we were able to get DISH coverage on all three western satellites at our site and Starlink had speed up to 9 MB/s."
