Jackson Guard Station

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Montrose, CO, CO

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (42 reviews)

Season: May through October

Jackson Guard Station is a great destination for anything from a weekend getaway to a week-long hunting trip. The cabin was originally used as a guard station that housed Forest Service work crews. The cabin’s access road is remarkably scenic, making for an impressive arrival.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

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

Jackson Guard Station offers a scenic cabin experience with diverse recreation from fishing and hiking to off-road vehicle riding and wildlife viewing. The remarkably scenic access road and location in the Big Cimarron Drainage make for an impressive arrival.

Wildlife alert: American Elk, Mule Deer, American Pika, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Red-naped Sapsucker, and Hairy Woodpecker present in the area.

Insider tips for Jackson Guard Station: Book early — this is a federal campground with limited availability Bring your own water even in summer months Cabin includes matches and an ax for wood splitting

Skip Jackson Guard Station if: You need hookups — no hookups available at most sites. You visit outside May-October — seasonal operations only. You prefer established campgrounds — only 1 tent site available.

Best time to visit Jackson Guard Station: May-October — Official operating season for the campground; May offers accessible conditions with no snow..

Nearby campgrounds: Silver Jack Campground (Co) (Lakeside, CO), Beaver Lake (Co) (Cimarron, CO), Big Cimarron (Cimarron, CO), Amphitheater (Co) (OURAY, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Jackson Guard Station

Cell signal at Jackson Guard Station (Montrose, 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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Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Jackson Guard Station

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Montrose, CO, CO★ 4.6 (42 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Jackson Guard Station is a great destination for anything from a weekend getaway to a week-long hunting trip. The cabin was originally used as a guard station that housed Forest Service work crews. The cabin’s access road is remarkably scenic, making for an impressive arrival.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersSites: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.
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFirewood for Sale
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

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 hookups available at most sites✕ You visit outside May-October — seasonal operations only✕ You prefer established campgrounds — only 1 tent site available

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with limited availability

Bring your own water even in summer months

Cabin includes matches and an ax for wood splitting

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the campground; May offers accessible conditions with no snow.

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: American Elk, Mule Deer, American Pika, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Red-naped Sapsucker, and Hairy Woodpecker present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(970) 240-5300· Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest
Getting there →

From Montrose, take Highway 50 east for about 20 miles. Turn right (south) onto County Road 858, which leads up the Big Cimarron Drainage for about 20 miles. Shortly after passing Silver Jack Reservoir on the right, Jackson Guard Station will be on the left. From Gunnison, take Highway 50 west for roughly 43 miles. Turn left on County Road 858, which leads up the Big Cimarron Drainage for about 20 miles. Shortly after passing Silver Jack Reservoir on the right, Jackson Guard Station will be on t

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 — Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Jackson Guard Station cost per night?+
Jackson Guard Station costs $75 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Jackson Guard Station open?+
Jackson Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Jackson Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Jackson Guard Station?+
Jackson Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Jackson Guard Station?+
Jackson Guard Station 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 Jackson Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Jackson Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Jackson Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Jackson Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●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.

$75 /night★ 4.6 (42)
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 Jackson Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Jackson Guard Station open?+
Does Jackson Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Forest campground camping

Silver Jack Campground (Co)

Lakeside, CO

From $20/night

Beaver Lake (Co)

Cimarron, CO

From $20/night

Big Cimarron

Cimarron, CO

From $20/night

Amphitheater (Co)

OURAY, CO

From $28/night

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