Old Highway 90 (FR 540) in CO -- Camping Rules & Access
Old Highway 90 (FR 540) in CO
Road corridorGrand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison NFs, Norwood Ranger District
28 mi from Montrose
Maps 7,277 ft
Camping permission not confirmed
Miles 3.2–3.5 and 5.9–7.7 cross land the Forest Service doesn't manage; camping there needs the landowner's permission.
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests ↗
Motor-vehicle season 5/16–12/31Stay limit: 14 consecutive days · then move 3 road mi · No more than 28 days in any 60-day period
VerizonNONE
AT&TNONE
T-MobileNONE
StarlinkGOOD
Road Access
Difficult
- 15.6 of this road’s 21.5 miles are maintained for high-clearance vehicles, 15.6 miles of it dirt.
- Estimated climb: 1,700 ft over 21.5 miles through 9 switchbacks, with sustained grades near 12% and pitches to 17%.
- Terrain estimates show roadside drops of up to ~130 ft on the downhill side.
- Dead-end road; turnaround space is not mapped.
- Cattle guards 0.6, 3.5, 7.2, 7.9 and 12.3 miles along the road.
- A gate 7.2 miles along the road.
Known camping along this road between mile 12.8 and mile 18.5: .
Setting
Some privacy
- Moderately separated here.
- A canal runs 0.4 mi off.
- Patterson Mountain stands 659 ft above the map pin, 1.9 miles southeast.
Climate averages
October normals 34–62°F, 1.5″ precipitation. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.