East Willow (FR 502) in CO -- Free Camping & Overnight Parking in Colorado

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East Willow (FR 502) in CO

Rio Grande NF, Divide Ranger District
10,196 ft
Maps
Overnight camping allowedRUTTED
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AT&TNONE
T-MobileUNMEASURED
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A 7.6-mile stretch of gravel National Forest road in Mineral County, CO. The road serves Campbell Mountain. The road is open seasonally, May 16 to March 14.

Rio Grande National Forest, Divide Ranger District allows dispersed camping here -- 14-day limit in any 30 days. Camp at least 150 ft from water.

2.3 of the 7.6 miles in are maintained only for high-clearance vehicles. Mostly gravel, with 2.3 miles of dirt. Climbs 610 ft over 7.6 miles -- sustained grades near 16%, with pitches to 24%. Stretches run along a shelf with a drop of up to ~130 ft on the downhill side. Winds through 9 switchbacks. Water crossings 4.5, 4.6, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.9 and 7.4 miles in.

Nelson Mountain stands 1,897 ft above the site, 1.6 miles north. Nelson Creek runs 0.6 mi off. The nearest town, Del Norte, is 35 mi off.

September normals 38–64°F, 2.7″ rain. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.

Nearby Spots
Fawn Gulch (FR 666) in CODispersed Camping39.8miWillow Draw (FR 722) in CODispersed Camping40.3miPagosa Riverside Campground in COCampground42.0miMonument Park-East (FR 630) in COForest Road Road43.2miWalmart Supercenter in COStore Lot Parking44.3mi
Fire restrictions

Set by Rio Grande National Forest, Divide Ranger District. Stage 1 and 2 orders change within days -- check the current order before you build a fire.

fs.usda.gov
Sources checked August 2026Something wrong here?