Scenic Camping Near Mt Shavano | Shavano Wildlife Area

Whether you’re looking for a scenic area to get away or for some dispersed camping near Mt Shavano for ease of bagging this 14er, camping at Shavano Wildlife Area is a great choice. Some of the camp spots are tucked into the junipers while others are more open and spread out. And almost all of the spots have incredible vast, mountain views. This scenic dispersed camping area is no secret though so plan accordingly, especially on weekends.

Quick Info: Dispersed Camping Near Salida

Cost: Free

Ownership: BLM; 14 day limit

Directions: Click here to get directions to Shavano Wildlife Area

Solar: Good but depends on the trees in the camp spot you choose.

Miles From Town: About 20 minutes from Salida or 10 minutes from Poncha Springs

Water: None

Road Conditions: The dirt road is in decent condition with a short bumpy hill.

Cell Service: Yes

Our Experience Camping near Mt Shavano

Since summer was coming to an end and the weather was starting to get cold, we wanted to squeeze in one more epic Colorado hike. So of course, why not make it one of the many 14ers – nearby Mount Shavano at 14,229 feet. After checking out a couple skateparks in Salida and Buena Vista, we found this dispersed camping near Mt Shavano.

The road in was in decent shape for towing our travel trailer but when we reached the short, steep hill it was definitely bumpy but doable. Once at the top of the hill, we started to see the many camp spots.

And we also quickly realized that dispersed camping near Shavano Wildlife Area was no secret. This area seemed quite popular just based on the number of spots lined up next to each other in the junipers. The junipers created some privacy, to the point that we didn’t realize there was a tent/car tucked into a spot until we got pretty close. On weekends, this area was pretty busy with campers and hikers. And during the week we noticed mostly people camping/living in their cars remained.

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Once we got past the many spots within the junipers, the road continues and there are several more incredible camp spots. We chose a camp spot with a great view of the mountain and a good amount of privacy. We spent a week camping near Mt Shavano and thoroughly enjoyed the time that we spent here.

While we were camping at Shavano Wildlife Area, we checked out the dirt roads in the area. We found that past a certain point, there were a lot less dispersed camping options. In fact, some of the roads that branched off the main road had no pull outs at all. One area was fenced off creating an area to enjoy where you didn’t have to worry about running into campers.

Lately, we’ve been reading that the Bureau of Land Management is planning on creating designated camping in this area due to the effects of overuse in this area and many others in Colorado. It seems that instead of enforcing the current rules regarding the 14 day limit, human waste disposal and using preexisting spots they are interested in changing dispersed camping completely. We’ll see what changes they implement with time.

We followed the dirt roads pretty far and we saw some pretty fall colors and also found a small creek. Definitely a beautiful area.

One of the best parts about the dispersed camping near Mt Shavano is that there are great views from most of the spots, no matter which side of the road you choose. We also loved the proximity to the trailhead for hiking Mt Shavano Peak.

Thanks for Reading About Camping near Mt Shavano!

We hope you enjoyed this article and found it informative. If you would like to see more of our articles about some great dispersed camping spots, check out the links below:

• Dispersed Camping near Steamboat Springs
• Camping and Exploring the Dragoons
• Free Camping on the Mogollon Rim
• Camping in Poudre Canyon

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