Jackson Guard Station, Montrose, CO

Jackson Guard Station is located in the Ouray Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests (2 hrs 25 min southeast of Grand Junction, CO) with an elevation of 9,044 feet. The site is open all year. There is a fee of $75.00 per night.

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Campsite Reviews (27)

4.4 out of 5

5 star		67%
4 star		22%
3 star		4%
2 star		4%
1 star		4%

@FrankM8297302 · Camped on Jun 26, 2024 at Campsite #1

We love Jackson Guard Station! We come here every year and stay in the cabin and hike nearby trails and kayak in Silver Jack Reservoir. We see elk and birds and listen to the aspen leaves blowing in the wind; such a relaxing, peaceful space.

@LisaD3889585 · Camped on Feb 9, 2024 at Campsite #1

Beautiful weekend at the Guard Station in February! Lovely ski touring and beautiful views. The cabin is comfortable and fairly well stocked. A couple of things for the next visitors: bring silverware! There is a hodgepodge of dinnerware, but mostly plastic and not many forks. Also bring mugs - there are three cups/mugs there, would benefit from more. Bring a lighter/matches - we left some, but you would not want to be without. There are a lot of lanterns, but may need some batteries. There are games stocked and the wood stove keeps the cabin warm!

@JoshB6153063 · Camped on Jan 12, 2024 at Campsite #1

This is one of the larger and nicer cabins. I especially like the full size wood stove, you an load it up for night and still be warm in the morning. This cabin had electricity at one point, as evident from the switches, outlets and lights. Because there is no electricity you need to hand light the stove, and can not use the oven (electronic controls only). It also had water, as it has a sink, and the sink has a drain that goes somewhere, but no water (which I knew). It seems weird that it has a drain to somewhere though.

@LaurenN9455006 · Camped on Aug 12, 2023 at Campsite #1

It was absolutely amazing. What a great location. And so many amenities in the cabin. We will be back for sure. Best cabin on public land Ive stayed in and I have stayed in at least two dozen across the US.

@reginadABBCF7A · Camped on Jun 11, 2023 at Campsite #1

I liked everything about it and appreciated all the flash lights left behind!

@CarolS5914427 · Camped on Oct 18, 2022 at Campsite #1

Lovely place

@JuyoungP515568 · Camped on Oct 16, 2022 at Campsite #1

It was our second staying and we love this place. It was a little dusty for my standard but acceptable and we wiped here and there ourselves. The light in the toilet ran out of batteries but that didn’t bother us too much. I especially like they have fire wood shed with an ax and a sled so that we don’t have to worry about cold night and we can have some fun.

@JonathanM29727 · Camped on Sep 11, 2022 at Campsite #1

we love jackson guard station and will always try to leave it better than we found it. this place is special and hope we are able to enjoy it for years to come. thank you for taking such good care of it and providing us with a little place to escape to.

@ThomasD6597226 · Camped on Jul 31, 2022 at Campsite #1

Great experience! Be prepared for a long gravel access road.

@Catherine13229 · Camped on Jul 14, 2022 at Campsite #1

I couldn't wait to get away to this cabin as it looked so inviting. It is inviting and so cozy and just exactly what you would expect for a cabin in the woods. It has a stove and everything else you need. Dishes, silverware, cooking utensils, a coffee pot, matches, games, a little bit of dishwashing soap; it is a wonderful place to stay. There are hummingbirds out front and chipmunks that come up to visit you and one deer that came around all the time. She was not afraid at all. The vault toilet even has LED lights in it! Make sure you close the gate behind you once you come through it. People will ride their mountain bikes or walk up to see what's going on. I left the gate open and was taking pictures of birds behind the cabin and two guys actually walked into the cabin to "take a look around". However, I came home after one day. I had booked the cabin for 3 days. It was a full moon and there were ATV's and dirt bikes out in front of the cabin morning, noon and night. It made it ridiculous to try to sit on the bench in front of the cabin and enjoy myself. It was non-stop noise and I felt like I was on I-25. Very sad that everyone else has discovered the area. The East Fork and Middle Fork trails are wonderful to hike. The area is beautiful and I'm glad I went but I will go over in the dead of winter next time and hopefully there won't be so many people.

@LaurenK5041150 · Camped on Jun 5, 2022 at Campsite #1

Jackson Guard Station is a hidden gem. My husband and I spent one week at the Jackson Guard cabin, and it was nothing short of tranquil and restful. Silver Jack Reservoir and Beaver Lake is within walking distance, and we caught several beautiful trout! Mule deer are in abundance in the area (although they may be conditioned to humans due to the campgrounds nearby), and we saw some herds of Elk nearby. There are some beautiful robins, finches, and humming birds that have made Jackson Guard their home. Each morning we awoke to their beautiful melody. We highly recommend the Middle Fork trail- it is stunning. We did bring a portable camping shower and a pop up privacy tent, and I cannot recommend that enough. It was great coming back to the cabin after hiking/exploring or fishing to a warm shower! The cabin was stocked very well with washable plates, bowls, silverware, and cookware like pots and pans. There’s 2 large pots that you can heat up water in, or melt snow in the winter. There are some lanterns, a cooler, and some water jugs to collect water with. My husband and I had plenty of drinking water we brought, but we went to the river access that’s by the bridge (in between west fork and middle fork) to bring back clean water for showers and washing dishes. Almost everything that is provided is donated, and the cabin itself is cleaned by each guest at the end of their stay. Please be mindful of this during your stay, and come with the mindset that you need to fulfill your part too by cleaning well and setting things up for the next guest. You can make or break someone’s experience there based on how well you clean after your stay, so please be diligent!

@MariaP8100980 · Camped on May 13, 2022 at Campsite #1

Amazing.

@KariP5960102 · Camped on Mar 19, 2022 at Campsite #1

Great cabin, beautiful scenery!

@GaryA7190292 · Camped on Feb 19, 2022 at Campsite #1

This is a nice hut. Mostly supplied. The big lacking item is paper towels and fire starting material such as newspaper. Bring those two items and you are pretty much set. It is small, but well laid out, perfect for four.

@DerekM9397092 · Camped on Feb 5, 2022 at Campsite #1

fun place to go for quiet time in the winter.

@MicheleL792 · Camped on Oct 24, 2021 at Campsite #1

We loved our overnight here. Perfect fall weather and stunning views. The cabin is kept in great shape and the wood stove heats the place up quickly.

@MichalK455 · Camped on Aug 6, 2021 at Campsite #1

Great little cabin in an awesome location. There is considerable traffic on the road, so it's not really secluded, but otherwise it is a peaceful, private spot. Amazing lush forest and great scenery. Kids had fun in the yard and we enjoyed a fire in the fire ring every night. If you're looking to pay it forward, the cabin could use a few plates, cups, silverware (with something to put the silverware in, there are no drawers), a 9v battery for the smoke alarm, a few candles for the wall-mounted candle lanterns, and books, games, etc. Soap and toilet paper was provided, but I'd bring your own unless you're feeling lucky.

@PetersonH588 · Camped on Jul 28, 2021 at Campsite #1

The Jackson Guard Station is 0:50-1:10 from Ridgeway making it a reasonable base for exploring all of the forest but still having access to amenities in town when needed. The cabin itself is spacious and comfortable with a great hillside location. While sitting by campfire, a group of 20 deer walked within feet of us clearly unconcerned with our presence. The access is great for day fishing the Forks and the Reservoir is short walking distance. Make sure to bring plenty of lanterns, there are 3 rooms in the cabin and one is fairly large so one light won’t cut it for a night inside. Wood was plentiful in the woodshed and there is a splitting axe there to make kindling or add to the pile while taking out some frustration. Elevation is high enough for cool weather in July and no mosquitos. Heaven for a southerner escaping Summer’s oppression. A romantic place too, the views and isolation remind you of the magic you can find in the world if you know where to look and are searching with the right people.

@MicahG423 · Camped on Jun 16, 2021 at Campsite #1

My family of 4 stayed 1 night as we were traveling from Texas to South Dakota, we found this place to be a naturalists dream despite the busy forest service road. When we arrived, the basic necessities were met; peace and tranquillity, shelter, restroom, fire pit w/ picnic table and cozy beds. My oldest daughter and I hiked down to Silver Jack Reservoir and found it to be a great place for kayaking and fishing. The valley down below has meadows covered with flowers and great views of the mountains. Also splitting wood for the fire pit was fun since we don’t get to do that much at home in the inner city. Later that night 2 very large dow payed us a visit. Both of my kids ages 8 & 10 give this place 2 thumbs up and we hope to be back again soon.

@ChristopherJ78 · Camped on May 21, 2021 at Campsite #1

Best place to go for a little get away. I will keep going back every year. Love the quiet, cozy cabin

@LaurenP116 · Camped on May 1, 2021 at Campsite #1

Couldn't get in. Supposed to staying here tonight, yet the number provided to get the entry code just goes to voicemail. Bad experience.

@SaraV918 · Camped on Mar 5, 2021 at Campsite #1

Could not have had a better time at JGS, what a hidden gem! We drove into the parking lot and snowmobiled the rest of the way into the cabin. It could easily be accessed via snowshoe or cross county as well. The views of the surrounding area from the cabin and road are breathtaking! The cabin itself is cozy but well stocked; there were just 2 of us but 4 would fit comfortably with the separate bedrooms. We already have plans to return in the fall, highly recommend!

@HunterF159 · Camped on Dec 26, 2020 at Campsite #1

Beautiful place! We skied / snowshoed in the mostly flat 4.25 miles. Lots of pots and pans available and useful things (plates, lighters, propane for the lantern) left by previous users. Very quiet except for a handful of snowmobilers per day, and plenty of roads and trails to explore.

@SteveA475 · Camped on Oct 1, 2020 at Campsite #1

My fourth year in a row getting the cabin during fall colors. A rewarding experience for me as a photographer to be so close to the action. Some of the lakes in the area are so photogenic that I recommend them to all I know. Silver Jack Reservoir, Beaver Lake, Clear Lake and Rowdy Lake are must sees during the color change. You will not be disappointed.

@WendyC280 · Camped on Sep 6, 2019 at Campsite #1

This was an exceptional experience. Everything we needed was there. A beautiful place to spend the weekend!

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