Cabin rental · U.S. Forest Service · Rio Grande National Forest · Saguache, CO

Stone Cellar Guard Station

Stone Cellar Guard Station is a remote cabin located at an elevation of 9,500 feet, just outside the boundary of La Garita Wilderness in Saguache Park in the Rio Grande National Forest. The cabin is a secluded getaway for guests seeking relaxation and recreation in south-central Colorado.

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Front view of Stone Cellar Guard Station, a classic log cabin with ADA access ramp and awning over the front doorLiving quarters, with leather loveseat, fabric chair with ottoman, 4 sets of bunkbeds (bottom is full size, top is single)Kitchen with classic wood stove oven, modern oven and refrigeratorFront door view of Stone Cellar Guard Station
Photos courtesy of Rio Grande National Forest, Saguache Ranger District · Recreation.gov

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

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteShadeWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
CABINNoneNo / –12 / 6YesYes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySite CABIN is listed accessible

Stone Cellar Guard Station is a log structure furnished with four bunk beds, with twin beds on the top and fold-out full beds on the bottom, accommodating up to 12 people. The cabin has stove, refrigerator and heater, all powered with propane. The living area has a table and chairs, couch and other furniture. The kitchen is equipped with some cooking utensils and some pots and pans. A picnic table, a fire pit and a outdoor vault toilet are also on-site. There is no electricity at the guard station, however water is available by an outside hand pump. Water is also available at the Saguache Ranger District Office during business hours from May through November. Although the cabin has some amenities, guests do need to provide their own food, sleeping bags, linens, towels, dish soap, matches, cooking gear, first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags.It is recommended that guests bring an additional light source in case of emergencies. Stone Cellar Campground is located approximately about a half-mile from the guard station.

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

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonMid May to Mid November
ForestRio Grande National Forest
BookingFirst come, first serve.
FeesSingle site - $10/night. Day use - $10/day (picnicking). Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance.
RulesFires in designated fire rings only.

Rio Grande National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Stone Cellar Guard Station20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.99 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.78 inches of precipitationMarch: 0.88 inches of precipitationApril: 1.02 inches of precipitationMay: 1.71 inches of precipitationJune: 0.81 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.95 inches of precipitationAugust: 2.64 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.94 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.43 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.90 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.60 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 21.2°F averageFebruary: 25.5°F averageMarch: 33.0°F averageApril: 40.0°F averageMay: 47.6°F averageJune: 55.6°F averageJuly: 60.6°F averageAugust: 58.9°F averageSeptember: 52.1°F averageOctober: 43.6°F averageNovember: 31.5°F averageDecember: 21.5°F average0 in1 in2 in3 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Creede, 18 miles from the campground at 8,852 feet, station USC00051939 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 16 inches a year.

Getting there

From Saguache, take Colorado Hwy 114, 34 miles northwest from Saguache, over North Pass. Take FR#804 south 4 miles to junction, east 1 mile to FR #787, then 21 miles south to the cabin, located past the Stone Cellar Campground. Note, there is a stream crossing before arriving to the cabin gate.

Nearest townSaguache, Colorado
Coordinates38.0192° N, 106.6814° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    High Mesa Piles Rx

    47 mi from the campground · 324 acres

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

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗24.5 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗34.6 mi

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

Explore

Worth a stop

Visitors may want to take a day to visit Bonanza, a historical silver mining town that was booming in the 1880s. Today visitors to Bonanza can see old mines, historical buildings and old time mining equipment as they follow the Bonanza Mines Off-Highway Vehicle Tour. Maps for the tour are available at the Saguache Ranger Station.

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 Rio Grande 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.

Natural features

Situated in an expansive inter-mountain grassland and located close to the Continental Divide, this cabin offers guests seeking solitude and seclusion an opportunity to experience wilderness at its best. About 35 miles of the Continental Divide lie well above timberline in the La Garita Wilderness, adjacent to the guard station. This area provides ideal habitats for large herds of elk and mule deer, and on the southern slopes lies an ancient forest of towering spruce and fir. It is a landscape of rushing streams, broad and gentle alpine meadows, beaver ponds, long talus slopes and mountain beauty.

Recreation

The area offers many opportunities for hiking in summer, hunting in the fall and cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter. The cabin is located in a meadow with Saguache Creek flowing through it, affording visitors excellent fishing for rainbow, cutthroat, brown and brook trout right out the back door. The cabin is adjacent to a working cow camp, where guests can witness real cowboys at work during the summer months. In the fall, this cabin makes an excellent big game hunting camp.

Guidebooks for Colorado

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

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Stone Cellar Guard Station?

Sites at Stone Cellar Guard Station are reservable on Recreation.gov. First come, first serve. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Stone Cellar Guard Station?

Single site - $10/night. Day use - $10/day (picnicking). Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Stone Cellar Guard Station?

Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Stone Cellar Guard Station open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Mid May to Mid November.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Stone Cellar Guard Station have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Stone Cellar Guard Station?

Yes, pets are allowed at Stone Cellar Guard Station. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Stone Cellar 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. Fires in designated fire rings only.

Source: Fire nearby

Are there accessible sites at Stone Cellar Guard Station?

Site CABIN is listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Stone Cellar Guard Station?

The area offers many opportunities for hiking in summer, hunting in the fall and cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Stone Cellar Guard Station?

Saguache, Colorado. Visitors may want to take a day to visit Bonanza, a historical silver mining town that was booming in the 1880s.

Source: Getting there

What if Stone Cellar Guard Station is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Luders Creek Campground (12.3 mi, first-come), Storm King Campground (14.2 mi, first-come), and Cathedral (14.2 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby