Poncha Loop Dispersed Camping

The photos accurately depict what you will encounter. The turn off the highway is well marked. The roads are sandy but easy to navigate if taken slowly. Elevation is about 9,000. During our stay we saw every type of RV, from Class A and Fifth Wheels to vans. Sites are spaced far apart. Some are level, some will take some work. You can choose to be in the pines and aspens or out in the open. The scenery is breathtaking. I explored the area but did not see any running creeks. The area is also used as a staging area for horseback riding, ATV, and motorcycles but since the area is so big it was very quiet. I talked to a local on an ATV and he said you can ride the trails all the way to Lake City. Oh my, that means it links to the Alpine Loop. We stayed on a weekend in late August and about half of the spots were taken.

This campsite at 9100 feet has it all… Great private open spaces, some in the trees and some out in the open which I prefer. Fire rings, beautiful views and, strong cell service. What more could you ask for? Only thing I don’t understand is why anybody would pull right up next to you when the dispersed camping is open and you can park anywhere. I figure if people don’t want to be alone in the wilderness they should stay home. I come out here because I want to be alone and not listen to people talk... So people… Please don’t pull up next to me or any other person who wants to be alone in the wilderness go find your own spot. Not ll of us are scared to be alone. Oh and it could be a bit breezy up here and chilly this time of year. But it’s worth it. Access is easy and the road in is good.

Came here in Oct. Beautiful scenery. Pretty empty at this time. One 1 camper besides us. Definitely recommend. We have T-Mobile and had no service.

We stopped here on our drive from Taos, NM, to Steamboat Springs, CO. The road was well maintained dirt road, but the first hundred feet were a little bit muddy from the previous night’s rain. The road was dried out by the morning.
There were great views, a forest on the right hand side of the road going up, and sun for solar panels. There were no amenities, but it was also free.
If you decided to take the spot underneath the high voltage power lines, where we were, be aware that if the wind is at the right speed, the power lines will be very loud.

Enjoyed our time here in early May 2020. Great views, close to town and trails. Stayed over night in a tent with our Border Collie. Open spaces and wooded ares as well, easy to find, and we appreciate previous reviews- helped us make the decision head to this desitation. Easy to get to as well.

What a beautiful 360 degree view! Planted myself just prior to the high tension wires and I had a backyard like you read about. As stated previously, the first 100 yards on XX50 were rough but very doable. It is also very hard to find a level spot, I had to use 5 blocks. There are places beyond the wires, on the right that is much more level but you sacrifice the view somewhat ( and was already occupied). A would certainly spend a few nights there again.

This place was easy to find off the highway but a little difficult to get to. It was raining when we got there and the dirt road was extremely muddy. Our site was very unlevel but it had beautiful views. There were other people but we couldn’t see anyone and made us feel all alone. We loved it!

Access is easy with tolerable drive. This site has great view. I camped just where the tree line starts.

About 40 miles north of Saguache, CO. I pulled into the parking lot a few hundred feet off US285. It was higher than highway and back far enough to muffle most of the road noise. After 9:00 pm, it's mostly quiet. Large dirt area, mostly level. No facilities. Many vehicles pass through heading back to hilly area for off-road use. T-Mobile had no service here, but 4 bars on either side of Poncha Pass.

I won't stay here again. Yes, easy to get to. Yes, reliable cell service through Verizon. But there's absolutely nothing to do at this site. It's either gravel, cow dung, or terrain that you can't do anything with. I was beyond bored. There were a few bad storms that came through and the wind was horrible. Sunsets...meh. It was cloudy most of the time and we had forest fires too. It's very dusty. You'll come home with a layer of it covering everything.