USDA Forest Service · Colorado
Silesca Cabin
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 electric
- Season
- June 8 to October 28
- Drinking water
- No
- Elevation
- 9,114 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- SILESCA RS (NFSR 522) · native material · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest
- Nearest town
- Montrose
- Address
- 2505 South Townsend Avenue, Montrose, CO, 81401
- Phone
- (970) 240-5300
- Activities
- Camping, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Hunting, Mountain Biking, Off Highway Vehicle Trails, Off Road Vehicle Trails, Star Gazing, Wildlife Viewing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - the site map below shows each with its facts and pictures.
Site map
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one on the imagery, with the operator's own facts and pictures for each site where it publishes them. Tap a site to rate it, keep a note and add your own photos; press and hold the map for a pin of your own. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Overview
The historic Silesca Cabin, once used as a Ranger Station, is a semi-rustic dwelling with comfortable modern conveniences like electricity and refrigerator. Located 40 minutes west of the city of Montrose, the cabin is set back 100 feet from the main road, providing easy access with some privacy.
The cabin is accessible in the summer and fall by passenger vehicle, when the road is dry. Four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended when the road is wet.
Recreation
Hiking, mountain biking, single track dirtbiking, UTV & ATV riding, horseback riding, hunting and wildlife viewing are all available in the vicinity. Silesca Pond is a short walk north of the cabin. Silesca Cabin is located near a limited hunting area for Rocky Mountain Elk, Unit 61.
Facilities
The rustic cabin accommodates up to six guests.
Amenities include three bedrooms with six twin beds, electricity, refrigerator and a wood stove. Limited cooking utensils, dishes and cleaning supplies are provided. The kitchen and bathroom are located in the basement of this cabin. A campfire ring and picnic table are located outside.
No drinking water is available. Items to bring include food, bedding, warm clothing, toilet paper, flashlights, towels, dish soap and toiletries. Click here for more cabin details.
Natural Features
The cabin is perched in a meadow surrounded by spruce and aspen trees at an elevation of 9,200 feet.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 5° | -24° | 43° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 32° | 8° | -10° | 45° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 37° | 16° | -4° | 61° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 47° | 22° | 6° | 63° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 59° | 32° | 15° | 70° | 11 of 11 |
| June | 73° | 44° | 30° | 85° | 1 of 11 |
| July | 79° | 50° | 43° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 74° | 48° | 41° | 82° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 68° | 42° | 28° | 77° | 3 of 11 |
| October | 55° | 29° | 17° | 67° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 44° | 23° | -3° | 59° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 33° | 5° | -20° | 47° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Simms Mesa #115 · 9.0 mi as the crow flies
Sims Mesa Interpretive Trail 0.7 mi Hike · Drive there - Electric Hills Trailhead · 10 mi as the crow flies
Flux Capacitor 4.3 mi Hike, Electric Avenue 1.5 mi Hike · Drive there
All 762 trails in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · All 2,359 trails in BLM lands in Colorado
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Iron Springs Campground · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi
- Rockhouse Ledges Campground · Bureau of Land Management · 15 mi
- Cottonwood Ledges Campground · Bureau of Land Management · 15 mi · 14 sites
- Columbine Campground · USDA Forest Service · 15 mi
- Lower Beaver Campground · Bureau of Land Management · 16 mi · 3 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.