Upper Crossing Guard Station

Rio Grande National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Saguache, CO, CO

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (32 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Upper Crossing Guard Station is located at an elevation of 8,400 feet, along a scenic byway near the Continental Divide, offering visitors a comfortable lodging experience in a remote setting in Rio Grande National Forest. This guard station is the original headquarters of the old Cochetopa National Forest that existed for only a few years during the early part of the last century. Today, guests to the guard station will find plenty of opportunities for relaxation and recreation in south central

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Electric Hookups, Fishing

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

Upper Crossing Guard Station is a rustic cabin at 8,400 feet elevation along a scenic byway near the Continental Divide in Rio Grande National Forest, offering a secluded setting with opportunities for fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. Campers praise the beautiful location close to Saguache and the accessibility features.

Wildlife alert: American Elk, American Lynx, Pronghorn, American Beaver, Clark's Nutcracker, Mountain Bluebird, and Sandhill Crane are present in the area.

Insider tips for Upper Crossing Guard Station: Book early—this is a federal campground with limited availability (1 site) Verify access route before arrival; road south of gate crosses private property and is not open to public Inspect cabin cleanliness upon arrival; previous guests may not have cleaned

Skip Upper Crossing Guard Station if: Expecting hookups—no hookups available at this site. Need modern hotel-style accommodations—this is a rustic cabin. Concerned about maintenance—reviews note cabin upkeep issues.

Best time to visit Upper Crossing Guard Station: Year-round — Campground operates year-round, though seasonal operations noted; winter sports available.

Nearby campgrounds: Carnero Guard Station (SAGUACHE, CO), Stone Cellar Guard Station (Saguache, CO), Brewery Creek Guard Station (SAGUACHE, CO), Penitente Canyon Campground (Monte Vista, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Upper Crossing Guard Station

Cell signal at Upper Crossing Guard Station (Saguache, 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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Rio Grande National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Upper Crossing Guard Station

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Saguache, CO, CO★ 4.6 (32 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Upper Crossing Guard Station is located at an elevation of 8,400 feet, along a scenic byway near the Continental Divide, offering visitors a comfortable lodging experience in a remote setting in Rio Grande National Forest. This guard station is the original headquarters of the old Cochetopa National Forest that existed for only a few years during the early part of the last century. Today, guests to the guard station will find plenty of opportunities for relaxation and recreation in south central Colorado.Upper Crossing Guard Station has all the amenities of a standard home, including electricity, heat and inside running water.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites1 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Electric Hookups

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:✕ Expecting hookups—no hookups available at this site✕ Need modern hotel-style accommodations—this is a rustic cabin✕ Concerned about maintenance—reviews note cabin upkeep issues

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with limited availability (1 site)

Verify access route before arrival; road south of gate crosses private property and is not open to public

Inspect cabin cleanliness upon arrival; previous guests may not have cleaned

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round, though seasonal operations noted; winter sports available

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, American Lynx, Pronghorn, American Beaver, Clark's Nutcracker, Mountain Bluebird, and Sandhill Crane are present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
719-655-2547· Rio Grande National Forest
Getting there →

Access to the cabin is only allowed via the route described in this section. The road that leads to the south of the Guard Station gate crosses private property and is not open for public access to Highway 114. From Saguache, take Highway 114 west for approximately 22 miles. The turnoff for the Guard Station is 1 mile past County Road NN14. From Gunnison, remain on Highway 114 until approximately 4 miles past the Buffalo Pass Campground entrance. The exit to the station is between mile marker 39

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 — Rio Grande National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Rio Grande National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

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

$75 /night★ 4.6 (32)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Upper Crossing Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Upper Crossing Guard Station open?+
Does Upper Crossing Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Carnero Guard Station

SAGUACHE, CO

From $50/night

Stone Cellar Guard Station

Saguache, CO

From $50/night

Brewery Creek Guard Station

SAGUACHE, CO

From $50/night

Penitente Canyon Campground

Monte Vista, CO

From $11/night

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