Middle CR (FR 523) in CO -- Free Camping & Overnight Parking in Colorado

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Middle CR (FR 523) in CO

Rio Grande NF, Divide Ranger District
10,723 ft
Maps
Overnight camping allowedRUTTED
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A 17.7-mile stretch of dirt National Forest road in Mineral County, CO. 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.

0.9 of the 17.7 miles in are maintained only for high-clearance vehicles. 10.1 of the 17.7 miles in are dirt. Stretches run along a shelf with a drop of up to ~130 ft on the downhill side. Winds through 8 switchbacks. Dead-end road -- no mapped turnaround; expect to back out or unhitch.

A well-travelled stretch -- travellers have camped along here. Private here -- the nearest through road is 1.5 miles off. A lake lies 1.2 mi off. South River Peak stands 2,410 ft above the site, 6.1 miles southeast. The nearest town, Pagosa Springs, is 26 mi off.

September normals 28–59°F, 2.8″ rain. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.

Nearby Spots
Ute Campground in COCampground32.0miBlue Crk (FR 012) in CODispersed Camping32.6miOld Highway 160 (FR 120) in CODispersed Camping32.8miDevil Crk (FR 627) in CODispersed Camping32.9miCastle Crk (FR 660) in COForest Road Road32.9mi
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?