Rat CR (FR 505) in CO -- Free Camping & Overnight Parking in Colorado

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Rat CR (FR 505) in CO

Rio Grande NF, Divide Ranger District
11,298 ft
Maps
Overnight camping allowedRUTTED
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AT&TNONE
T-MobileWEAK
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A 13.5-mile stretch of dirt National Forest road in Mineral County, CO.

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.

All 13.5 miles in are maintained only for high-clearance vehicles. Dirt the whole way in (13.5 miles). Climbs 3,400 ft over 13.5 miles -- sustained grades near 20%, with pitches to 35%. Stretches run along a shelf with a drop of up to ~170 ft on the downhill side. Winds through 4 switchbacks. Dead-end road -- no mapped turnaround; expect to back out or unhitch.

Private here -- the nearest through road is 1.3 miles off. Table Mountain stands 1,537 ft above the site, 2.7 miles southwest. Oso Creek runs 0.9 mi off. The nearest town, Ouray, is 36 mi off.

September normals 32–59°F, 2.6″ rain. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.

Nearby Spots
Park Creek in COCampground40.2miSnowball Crk (FR 646) in CODispersed Camping41.4miFawn Gulch (FR 666) in CODispersed Camping42.7miWillow Draw (FR 722) in CODispersed Camping43.1miMonument Park-East (FR 630) in COForest Road Road44.1mi
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?