Poncha Springs Visitor's Center RV Dump Station

The price to dump here is $7 by credit card only. The price to drink is $5. So if you need the full treatment it's a whopping $12! And this is Poncha Springs "Welcome" Center! I only had about 10 gallons to dump before I went over the pass so I paid the price. It's really a major safety issue in a mountainous state with no dump stations. Have your hose ready because they give you only one minute to open the drain before they lock it again. This is clearly a means of generating additional revenue as you can''t do anything nefarious in one minute. (except cheat dumpers)
The dump hole is higher than the road so things don't drain as well as they should. There is rinse water but you'll need your own hose.
Drinking water is a spigot on the building next to the dump, so you'll block the station filling your tank.
Access is from HWY 285 North of HWY 50 only though the center sits on a corner. Turn around can be tight if there are cars in the gravel lot.
I really miss Idaho and their multitude of RV friendly free dump stations.

I used Poncha Springs for dumping and water from July-October over the Forest Service dump site, even though it was further to drive to in some cases. It was easier to use in the early summer because they had a major forest fire in the area. The Forest Service site was a Base Camp for all the fire workers. I would have been trying to negotiate around all that activity to get to the site. When that mess calmed down, I drove in with the car to scout-more expensive than Poncha and the electronic device to open the dump station required a bunch of key punches....heard more than a few stories from other campers they had been ripped off the device, i.e. paid but dump station wouldn't open.
How hard is it to be ready to throw your hose in the hole when the station unlocks from swiping your credit card?! If you've ever dumped at a Flying J, it's the same concept. Once the CC is swiped you have limited time to get the cover open, but you can prop it open indefinitely...which some did after they left (not cool). The water fill station is per the sign "$5 donation". There is no lock on the spigot. I pumped 100 gallons each load, great value for donation. The previous whiner doesn't realize dump fees in other places are $10+, including the rip off Forest Svc. one.

Since dump valve and water connection on RV are on the same side, it required me to circle around and be pointed back out to load water. This was problematic if someone drove in the lane while I was turning around. Dump station is accessible from both sides of island, but water comes from the spigot on the side of the building.

This review is for a DUMP STATION only. There is no camping at this place. LE or the camp host on the other side of the building will be knocking on your door if you stay overnight.

Get your hose ready. Do the credit card thing. Cap will unlock for a limited amount of time. Get your hose in the hole without letting the cap go back down.

Tried to use the non-potable water for a rinse but it was shut off.

Potable water accessible on building near dump station.

As of 13 May 2019 there is some parking lot reconstruction at the visitor center including the dump station.

Stopped by the nearby KOA, dump and water $5 at any empty site. Sunday nobody is in the office, just drop the $ in the mail slot.

We called ahead and asked. They told us the visitor's center would be open on the 21st. We drove by on the 20th and it looked finished but orange cones blocked the entrance. Today, the 21st, the cones were gone. As indicted below, there's a single dump station with an automated pay system and non-potable water for rinsing. On the opposite side of the adjacent building there is a fresh water spigot. Lot's of RV parking and no more gravel and mud.

Convenient automated pump station. The pump station is $10 and once you swipe you card it will unlock the cap. This is great if you have a hose...however if you have a cassette toilet you will want to use a rock to hold it open in order to properly clean your cassettes before it locks the cap again. In addition, they have free potable water and clean restroom facilities.

$10 for dump and free potable water. One small trash bin on site. Nice big parking lot to park and clean out vehicle or get organized for a bit.

Not sure why but the potable water is turned off today. Uggg!

24 hours a day, automated, $10 to dump and free water. Easy access, beautiful grassy area and local information.