Cimarron Campground

I was going to call this The Middle of Nowhere, but the August 2020 review of Picket Wire Canyon in Colorado (in the not so distant Comanche National Grassland) rightfully deserves that title. This place isn't difficult to access at all - intermittent washboard from the east (County Road 16) or west (Hwy 27) but the road is fine otherwise. There was no sign on CR 16, at least heading north, but as soon as you turn left and cross the cattle guard, there is a sign (Google Maps was accurate).

The main camping area is to the left as you enter the recreation area. The ponds and group campgrounds are to the right. Self-registration at the info station just as you enter the loop. There were only a couple of other folks there when I arrived on a Thursday the first week of October but a couple of other car campers showed up on Friday. It just happened to be quite warm, as in the low 90s but like the high desert it really cooled off quickly at night.

The site was great - large, clean (each site has a lined garbage can), and quite level, with some shade trees. But yes, there are stickers (Goat Head?) and they stick to everything. My dog ended up getting a few but not much of a problem if you walk on the road. He was able to do his business and not have too much of a problem. The issue for me was wasps! I hate wasps and they were swarming. I've never seen anything like it and they were able to infiltrate my rig. I don't know if it was just this section of the campground near the trees they liked. I didn't notice other campers having an issue as best as I could tell. Just one of the joys of being in the wilderness I guess.

Heading north out of the campground on 603 was really fun - it is rocky, sandy, and rutted in spots. It winds and works its way up to a commanding view of the entire grassland where sunsets can be enjoyed. You can see grazing cows and windmills, a non-pumping oil derrick or two, and a tire at where it appears the abandoned Santa Fe Trail once ran. (There is a display at the Point of Rocks on the west side of Hwy 27 that does a nice job of describing the SF Trail routes.) The map at the campground shows all the trails but I didn't find them to in that great shape. The Turkey Trail goes west as a sandy road, apparently to the Cottonwood Day Use Area - I couldn't bike it very far. It is an overgrown path heading east. You'll need an off-road vehicle to access all these roads/trails. Ultimately, thorns and stickers flattened both my tires. Ah, I can't forget to say that the night skies were amazing - you could see the Milky Way even before your eyes adjusted to the dark. Fantastic!!!

T-Mobile wasn't very useful in the campground but I good a good signal while riding north on 603 (18 down, 2 up). AT&T hotspot was 26 down and 2 up in the campground. If you enjoy exploring places just for the sake of exploring and don't mind being away from things (not many services to be had for miles and miles) I would definitely recommend this. It's a huge perk that the campground has water but be prepared for extremes in the weather. This didn't' become the dust bowl for nothing!

This place is FULL of sticker burrs. We have 3 dogs and they all stepped in those awful burrs too many times to count. And they got in the RV and embedded in rugs and blankets. It is a pretty area, there was water and vault toilets. Good cell with Verizon. Lots of coyotes howling at night. Washboard road for about 4 miles to CG. Lots of garbage lying around.

Not a lot of places to experience Kansas in it's natural, undeveloped state. This quiet little National Forest campground is 4 miles down a dirt road off Hwy 27, along a small creek near some fishing ponds. It is a small loop and rigs wider than 8 feet may have a problem squeezing by some of the trees, although there are sites that can easily accommodate large rigs. Lots to explore around this area and tons of wildlife. Birds, bullfrogs and crickets will sing you to sleep at night. Catch your dinner and cook it on the provided charcoal grill at your site. Lots of space in each site. No electric. There is potable water from spigots and pit toilets.This is a place to come and see Kansas unpoiled by development. Respect the area and the wildlife that call it home.