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Salida Ranger District

Quick Facts

Monarch Park Campground

Capacity:	370 People
Elevation:	10,500 Feet (3273.1 Meters)
Length of Stay:	14 Days
Number of Sites:	37
Reservation Contact:	National Reservation System: 877-444-6777
Reservation Status:	Accepted for Selected Sites

		Satellite and Topo Map

General Description

The setting for the Monarch Park Campground is a Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir forest. The campground has 36 sites, 22 of which are reservable. Sites 2, 3, 6, 24, 25 and 28 have no shade. Sites 31-38 are mostly shaded, and sites 7, 8, 14, 19, 21 and 30 are partially shaded. Site 28 has the potential to flood during heavy rains. Trailers up to 35 feet and medium size RVs are acceptable.

Fishing opportunities for the Monarch Park Campground include South Arkansas River, Waterdog Lakes, Boss Lake, Hunt Lake and nearby beaver ponds. Hikers may enjoy the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Waterdog Lake Trail and Hunt Lake Trail. Four-wheel drive opportunities include Old Monarch Pass, Boss Lake Road, Middle Fork Road and Taylor Mountain Road. A day-use angler parking area is located on County Road 231 near the beaver ponds. The campground is east of Monarch Ski Area, Monarch Crest and Monarch Pass.

Directions from Poncha Springs: Drive west 15 miles on Highway 50. Turn south on County Road 231 and travel 1 mile to the campground. The campground is east of Monarch Pass summit.

Seasonal Information:
Normally Open: Mid-May through Mid-September (NOTE: Mosquitoes often thrive in this environment, so don't forget the insect repellent.) .

Fee Information

Type	Price	Remarks
single-unit campsite	Call for Current Fee	The services provided at the c

		Current Conditions & Trip Reports
		Add your own trip Report! Newly re-released feature. One of the most popular features on Wildernet, trip reports allow you to share your experiences with others. This is an invaluable resource for determining what to expect on your outdoor adventure, so please participate! To prevent spamming, you must be a registered user of Wildernet in order to submit a trip report Filed By: Laure (Colorado Springs, CO) Number of People Encountered: 25-50 ppl Recommend to a Friend: Highly Report: We stayed here two years ago over the 4th of July and are headed back up there in a week for the 4th this year as well. This is a beautiful campground that is easily accessible and yet has the feeling of being truly remote. Even on what is one of the busiest weekends of the year in most campgrounds, there were open spots here. Most of the sites are large and flat, perfect for tent camping and there are several small streams that run through the center of the camp, emptying into beautiful beaver ponds directly below the campground. The nighttime temps can get a little chilly, even in the middle of summer, so prepare to dress for around 35-40 degree nights. And afternoon thunderstorms happen almost everyday so be prepared for some wet weather. Conditions: No snow in July, but any earlier than that and I wouldn't be surprised if there was still some on the ground since this campground is located at 10,500 feet. Lots of rain, and many, many mosquitos. Bring the bug spray! Water Availability: We could only find one water pump in the whole campground and it was on the other loop from us, but not a real problem if you remember to stop on your way in or out to other activities. Filed By: Kate (Santa Fe, NM) Number of People Encountered: 11-25 ppl Recommend to a Friend: Highly Report: This campground is in a very convenient location. The place is beautiful! My campsite was on a beautiful meaadow and I was visited by several deer. Occasionally the noise from Monarch Pass was a bit much but the solitude and beauty more than made up for it. Number of People Encountered: 11-25 ppl Recommend to a Friend: Highly Report: Quite, senic, Beautiful, plenty of solitude. Has not been discovered yet.

Recreation Opportunities

Activity		Remarks	On Site
	Backpacking	Colorado Trail, Continental Divided Trail	No
	Family Camping	Monarch Park Campground	Yes
	RV Camping	Monarch Park Campground	Yes
	Tent Camping	Monarch Park Campground	Yes
	Trailer Camping	Monarch Park Campground	Yes
	Camping	Monarch Park Campground	Yes
	Fishing	Waterdog Lakes, Hunt Lake, Boss Lake	No
	Four-Wheel Driving	Boss Lake Road, Middle Fork Road, Taylor Mountain Road, Fooses Creek Road	No
	Hiking & Walking	Hunt Lake Trail, Hancock Lake Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail	No
	Horseback Riding	Hunt Lake Trail, Hancock Lake Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Boss Lake Road, Middle Fork Road, Taylor Mountain Road, Fooses Creek Road	No
	Animal Identification	Hunt Lake Trail, Hancock Lake Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail	No
	Bird Identification	Hunt Lake Trail, Hancock Lake Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail	Yes
	Mushroom Identification	Hunt Lake Trail, Hancock Lake Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail	No
	Pine Cone Gathering	Hunt Lake Trail, Hancock Lake Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail	No
	Plant Identification	Hunt Lake Trail, Hancock Lake Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail	No
	Wildflower Identification	Hunt Lake Trail, Hancock Lake Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail	No
	Mountain Biking	Boss Lake Road, Middle Fork Road, Taylor Mountain Road, Fooses Creek Road	No
	ATV Riding	Boss Lake Road, Taylor Mountain Road, Middle Fork Road, Fooses Creek Road	No
	Motorcycle Riding	Boss Lake Road, Middle Fork Road, Taylor Mountain Road, Fooses Creek Road	No
	Gondola Ride	Monarch Pass Tramway	No
	Scenic Driving	Monarch Pass Road	Yes
	Viewing Scenery	Hunt Lake Trail, Hancock Lake Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail	Yes

Related Activities

Fooses Creek Trailhead - Fooses Creek Trailhead is located 7.25 miles southwest of Poncha Springs. This site provides access to segment 15 of the Colorado Trail.

Garfield Campground - Garfield Family Campground is located on Monarch Pass, a scenic drive. It provides users with recreation opportunities that include hiking, four-wheel driving, fishing and mountain biking.

Waterdogs Lakes Trail - This trail leads 2 miles west from Monarch Pass to Waterdog Lakes. The lakes are surrounded by 12,000' peaks that form the Continental Divide.