Cabin rental · U.S. Forest Service · San Juan National Forest · Mancos, CO

Aspen Guard Station

You’re in for a treat when you rent Aspen Guard Station’s beautiful cabin. Built between 1938-1940, this cabin offers a visit to the past while being near enough to civilization to have a foot in both worlds. This old cabin housed the Forest Service Rangers who patrolled the forests, often on horseback, checking timber and livestock permits, helping neighboring cabin dwellers and the public, much like today.

Cabin rentalReservable · Recreation.gov1 siteFrom $100 per nightNo hookupsFires ok
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Front View
Photo courtesy of Jersey Jim Foundation · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Gold Mountain · 49 mi away · 39,747 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Cabins1
This cabin is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Fees$100/night (not including the fee charged per reservation by Recreation.gov). Two (2) night minimum stay, four (4) night maximum stay.

Full Kitchen stocked with pots, pans, baking dishes, plates, glasses, cups, silverware, etc. Two bedrooms - two full beds. Flushing toilet. Working shower. Furnace and Heater. Outdoor fire pit with cooking grill and log bench. Picnic Table.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Aspen Guard Station20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.38 inches of precipitation, 14.7 inches of snowFebruary: 1.27 inches of precipitation, 12.8 inches of snowMarch: 1.14 inches of precipitation, 6.6 inches of snowApril: 1.04 inches of precipitation, 3.5 inches of snowMay: 1.04 inches of precipitation, 0.9 inches of snowJune: 0.58 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.64 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.79 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.90 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.42 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowNovember: 1.22 inches of precipitation, 5.2 inches of snowDecember: 1.25 inches of precipitation, 12.8 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 26.2°F averageFebruary: 30.3°F averageMarch: 37.8°F averageApril: 44.3°F averageMay: 52.4°F averageJune: 61.8°F averageJuly: 67.8°F averageAugust: 65.9°F averageSeptember: 58.3°F averageOctober: 47.4°F averageNovember: 36.3°F averageDecember: 27.3°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Mancos 1Sw, 12 miles from the campground at 6,897 feet, station USC00055327 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 16 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 57 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Mancos, Colorado. 11.5 miles north of Mancos on Forest Road #561, a chip-seal paved road for 10 miles and then a well-graveled forest road accessible by two-wheel-drive vehicles. Remain on FS Road 561 past Transfer Campground. Stay right at fork another mile. Cabin on right, fenced with gate entry

Nearest townMancos, Colorado
Coordinates37.4815° N, 108.2002° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Gold Mountain

    49 mi from the campground · 39,747 acres · 92% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearBackcountry Experience ↗22.5 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.8 mi
    Aspen Loop ↗
    34.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 1 mi
    Big Al
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1 mi
    Transfer
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1 mi
    Chicken Creek ↗
    6.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 1.1 mi
    Morrison ↗
    11.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 1.1 mi
    Rim
    3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside San Juan National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Located directly on Forest Service Road 561 in a grove of aspen trees with enclosing fence.

Recreation

Hiking, wildlife sightings. Mountain bike riding, ATV/UTV access.

Nearby

  • Mesa Verde National Park
  • Durango to Silverton Train
  • Anazasi Visitors Center
  • Four Corners National Monument

Guidebooks for Colorado

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Aspen Guard Station?

Sites at Aspen Guard Station are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Aspen Guard Station?

$100/night (not including the fee charged per reservation by Recreation.gov). Two (2) night minimum stay, four (4) night maximum stay.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Aspen Guard Station?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Aspen Guard Station have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Aspen Guard Station?

Aspen Guard Station is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Aspen Guard Station?

Working shower.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Aspen Guard Station?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Aspen Guard Station?

Hiking, wildlife sightings. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Aspen Guard Station?

Mancos, Colorado. Mesa Verde National Park

Source: Getting there

What if Aspen Guard Station is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Transfer Campground (1.1 mi, partly first-come), Target Tree Campground (9.7 mi), and Kroeger (9.9 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby