Cottonwood Pass

9,000–12,000 ft · CO🚗 Directions

Chaffee County high-country. Connects Front Range to Western Slope microclimates. Strong king bolete habitat. Later season than lower elevations.

Trees:Engelmann Spruce Subalpine Fir Aspen

Permit Info →

Updated Apr 13, 6:38 PM

Foraging Potential35/100

✅Moisture

❌Soil Temp

❌No Freeze

✅No Drought

Precip 7d

0.50"

Precip 14d

4.30"

Soil Temp

33°F

SWE

Snow Water Equivalent — how much water is in the snowpack vs. normal. Declining SWE means snowmelt is adding moisture to the soil.

102%

Drought

None

Snowmelt

slowing

Limiting Factors

Soil too coldOutside season windowHard freeze in 48h

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Nearby Camping

Cottonwood Lake

developed

USFS9,600 ft~3 mi from center$22/night

28 sites

Lakeside camp on the east side of the pass. Good bolete country above.

vault toiletwaterfire ringpicnic tableboat ramp

Open May–OctReserve →

Collegiate Peaks

developed

USFS9,800 ft~4 mi from center$24/night

56 sites

Large campground along Cottonwood Creek. Popular staging area.

vault toiletwaterfire ringpicnic table

Open May–OctReserve →

Stage Stop Meadows Dispersed Camping Area

dispersed

~4.3 mi from centerFree/night

Collegiate Peaks Campground

developed

~4.8 mi from center

Collegiate Peaks Campground

developed

USFS~5.1 mi from centerFee required/night

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

COLLEGIATE PEAKS

developed

USFS~5.1 mi from center

Reserve →

Mirror Lake Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~5.2 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

Mirror Lake Campground

developed

USFS~5.2 mi from center

Reserve →

Cottonwood Lake Campground

developed

USFS~6.9 mi from centerFee required/night

Cottonwood Lake Campground

developed

USFS~6.9 mi from centerFee required/night

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

Iron City Campground

developed

USFS~8.7 mi from centerFee required/night

Iron City Campground

developed

USFS~8.7 mi from centerFee required/night

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

Rivers End Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~8.9 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

Rivers End Campground

developed

USFS~8.9 mi from center

Reserve →

Lakeview Gunnison

developed

USFS~9.2 mi from center

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

Lakeview Campground

developed

USFS~9.2 mi from centerFee required/night

Reserve →

Dinner Station Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~11.2 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

Dinner Station Campground

developed

USFS~11.2 mi from center

Reserve →

Winfield Dispersed Camping Area

dispersed

USFS~11.4 mi from center

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

Cascade Campground

developed

USFS~11.6 mi from centerFee required/night

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

Cascade Camp

developed

~11.7 mi from center

CASCADE (COLORADO)

developed

USFS~11.7 mi from center

Reserve →

CRESCENT MINING CAMP

developed

USFS~11.9 mi from center

Reserve →

Lottis Creek Campground

developed

USFS~12 mi from center

Reserve →

CHALK LAKE

developed

USFS~12 mi from center

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

Lottis Creek Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~12.1 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

LOTTIS CREEK CAMPGROUND

developed

USFS~12.1 mi from center

Reserve →

Chalk Lake Camp

developed

~12.1 mi from center

Mount Princeton Campground

developed

USFS~12.4 mi from centerFee required/night

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

Quartz Creek Campground

developed

USFS~13 mi from center

Reserve →

Quartz Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~13 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

Cold Spring Campground

developed

USFS~13.1 mi from center

Reserve →

Cold Spring Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~13.1 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

DAWSON CABIN

developed

USFS~13.1 mi from center

Reserve →

Chalk Creek Canyon

developed

USFS~13.4 mi from center

Middle Quartz Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~13.6 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

Bootleg Campground

developed

USFS~13.6 mi from center

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

Middle Quartz Creek Campground

developed

USFS~13.7 mi from center

Reserve →

Gold Creek Campground

dispersed

USFS~14.4 mi from centerFree/night

Reserve →

Gold Creek Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~14.4 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

Elephant Rock Campground

dispersed

~14.6 mi from centerFree/night

North Fork Campground

developed

USFS~15.2 mi from center

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Pitkin Campground

developed

USFS~15.3 mi from center

Reserve →

Pitkin Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~15.3 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

Clear Creek Reservoir Campground

dispersed

Colorado Parks & Wildlife~15.5 mi from centerFree/night

Dorchester Campground

developed

USFS~16.8 mi from center

Reserve →

Dorchester Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~17 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

BV Overlook Camp & Lodging

developed

BV Outdoors LLC~17.1 mi from centerFee required/night

watertoiletshowerelectric hookup

Reserve →

Chalk Creek Campground and RV Park

developed

~18.5 mi from center

Ruby Mountain Campground

developed

~18.9 mi from center

Angel of Shavano Campground

developed

USFS~19.2 mi from centerFee required/night

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

ANGEL OF SHAVANO GROUP

developed

USFS~19.3 mi from center

Reserve →

Shavano Campground

developed

USFS~19.3 mi from center

Snowblind Campground - Gunnison RD

developed

USFS~20.6 mi from centerFee required/night

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore

Reserve →

Snowblind Campground

developed

USFS~20.7 mi from center

Reserve →

Monarch Park Campground

developed

~21.4 mi from center

MONARCH PARK

developed

USFS~21.5 mi from center

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

Mushroom Gulch Site 1

developed

~22 mi from center

Hecla Junction

developed

~22.5 mi from center

Mushroom Gulch Site 2

developed

~23 mi from center

Mushroom Gulch Site 3

developed

~23 mi from center

BASSAM GUARD STATION

developed

USFS~25.6 mi from center

Reserve →

OHAVER LAKE

developed

USFS~30.7 mi from center

Reserve →

O'Haver Lake Campground

developed

USFS~30.8 mi from centerFee required/night

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Reserve →

Marshall Pass Dispersed Campground

backcountry

~31.2 mi from center

Salida East

developed

~32.4 mi from centerFee required/night

Silver Creek Dispersed Campground

developed

~32.6 mi from center

Poncha Pass Dispersed Campground

backcountry

~33.1 mi from center

BREWERY CREEK GUARD STATION

developed

USFS~39 mi from center

Reserve →

⚠ Road Access Notice

Always verify road access is public before following GPS directions to mountain areas. Many forest roads are seasonal, gated, or require 4WD. Dispersed camping follows USFS/BLM rules (typically 14-day limit). Check ranger district offices for current road and campground conditions.