Iron City

Federal campground in PSICC

Location: Nathrop, CO, CO

Price: From $22 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/iron-city to be notified when sites open up.

Reasonably priced off-grid camping at $22/night with beautiful views and a reliable camp host. Highly rated by repeat visitors (4.8/5 stars) who appreciate the peaceful, wooded setting.

Wildlife alert: Mountain goats, ground squirrels (multiple species), Rufous Hummingbirds, Clark's Nutcrackers, Steller's Jays, and White-crowned Sparrows present in the area.

Insider tips for Iron City: Take the left fork off Chalk Creek Road (toward St Elmo) — GPS may incorrectly direct you to the right fork which is impassable without high-clearance vehicle Book early or arrive first-thing in the morning — only 2 tent sites available, first-come, first-served basis only Download the Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival for on-site QR code payment option, especially important due to remote location with limited connectivity

Skip Iron City if: You need hookups — no water, electric, or sewer hookups available. You prefer guaranteed reservations — first-come, first-served only with just 2 sites. You're visiting outside May through October — seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Iron City: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only..

Nearby campgrounds: Cascade (Colorado) (SALIDA, CO), Chalk Lake (SALIDA, CO), Cottonwood Lake - Psicc (Co) (Buena Vista, CO), Mount Princeton (SALIDA, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Iron City

Cell signal at Iron City (Nathrop, CO): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Federal campground in PSICCLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Iron City

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Nathrop, CO, CO★ 4 (0 reviews)From $22/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups — no water, electric, or sewer hookups available✕ You prefer guaranteed reservations — first-come, first-served only with just 2 sites✕ You're visiting outside May through October — seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Take the left fork off Chalk Creek Road (toward St Elmo)

GPS may incorrectly direct you to the right fork which is impassable without high-clearance vehicle

Book early or arrive first-thing in the morning

only 2 tent sites available, first-come, first-served basis only

Download the Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival for on-site QR code payment option, especially important due to remote location with limited connectivity

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mountain goats, ground squirrels (multiple species), Rufous Hummingbirds, Clark's Nutcrackers, Steller's Jays, and White-crowned Sparrows present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· PSICC

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — PSICC fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at PSICC before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Iron City cost per night?+
Iron City costs $22 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Iron City open?+
Iron City is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Iron City have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Iron City?+
Iron City is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Iron City?+
Iron City is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Iron City?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Iron City is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Iron City open, and what are check-in times?+
Iron City is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$22 /night★ 4 (0)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Iron City cost per night?+
What season is Iron City open?+
Does Iron City have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cascade (Colorado)

SALIDA, CO

From $25/night

Chalk Lake

SALIDA, CO

From $25/night

Cottonwood Lake - Psicc (Co)

Buena Vista, CO

From $22/night

Mount Princeton

SALIDA, CO

From $25/night

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