USDA Forest Service · Colorado
Alpine Ranger Station
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 9,587 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
- ALPINE (NFSR 7868) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest
- Nearest town
- Gunnison
- Address
- 216 N. Colorado Street, Gunnison, CO, 81230
- Phone
- 970-641-0471
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing
Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.
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 Alpine Ranger Station is situated on the Alpine Plateau at 9,600 feet, in a beautiful alpine valley surrounded by aspen, spruce and fir forest. With inspiring views and multiple nearby recreation opportunities, the Ranger Station is just the place for a quiet and historic retreat, with a few modern amenities.
Recreation
Surrounded by miles of National Forest, visitors to the Alpine Ranger Station can enjoy a multitude of outdoor activities. There are several hiking and mountain biking trails nearby, as well as opportunities for OHV use, including ATV and motorcycle routes. Also, the ranger station has a horse barn and small corral, offering the opportunity for horseback riding. The Uncompahgre Wilderness is adjacent to the Ranger Station and a trailhead to Uncompahgre Peak (a popular 14'er) is only a mile away.
Facilities
Visitors can expect to experience two semi-rustic cabins with some modern amenities. The main cabin has a semi-modernized kitchen with a propane cooking stove, refrigerator, and sink. There is a separate bathhouse located a few feet away from the main cabin with a vault toilet. Other amenities include: solar electric lighting and a pot belly wood stove. The main cabin can accommodate up to four people, featuring two bunk beds with four twin-size mattresses. The other cabin has a queen bed on the ground level and a loft.
Basic kitchen supplies - pots/pans/silverware - are provided. Cleaning supplies are provided, and guests are required to clean before they leave. Guests should bring their own bedding and towels.
Plan to pack it in, pack it out. Please take your trash with you when you leave.
Natural Features
The Ranger Station is located near the end of Forest Service Road 868, adjacent to Blue Creek and Soldier Creek. This beautiful area offers many scenic viewing opportunities, including the Cannibal Plateau and the Uncompahgre Wilderness, and is close to many hiking and fishing opportunities.
Nearby Attractions
The small town of Lake City is located about an hour drive from the cabins, it has two small grocery stores, a gas station, and a few restaurants.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 6° | -16° | 43° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 31° | 8° | -10° | 45° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 37° | 14° | 0° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 45° | 21° | 1° | 55° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 53° | 28° | 11° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| June | 68° | 38° | 28° | 79° | 5 of 11 |
| July | 74° | 46° | 37° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 70° | 45° | 38° | 77° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 65° | 40° | 22° | 75° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 53° | 30° | 5° | 64° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 44° | 22° | -14° | 56° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 33° | 4° | -16° | 48° | 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
- Alpine/Little Cimarron Trailhead · 4.4 mi as the crow flies
Alpine 12 mi Hike, Firebox 2.5 mi Hike · Drive there - Big Bend Fishing Access · 6.2 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Big Bend Fishing Access · 6.2 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Fishing Access · 6.7 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Fishing Access · 6.9 mi as the crow flies · 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
- Big Blue Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- The Gate Campground · Bureau of Land Management · 7 mi
- Jackson Guard Station · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 1 sites
- Silver Jack Campground (CO) · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 45 sites
- Beaver Lake (CO) · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 4 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.