Shavano Wildlife Management Area

First, I would definitely stay here again; however the road in was a mix of deep washboard and chunky rocks in the road with potholes and deep ruts. I have a Hymer Aktiv van which has about 5-6 inches of clearance underneath (yes I know it's awful and need to get it lifted) and was able to make it up fine but I took it slow.

Once you get to the top and round the curve to the right there is a dirt road that has a ton of options for camping so you might look at that one first. If you go further up the main road there is a very very steep incline which I didn't attempt considering my low clearance.

AT&T worked really well especially boosted, but it was pretty strong without the booster. Verizon was slower, but still worked.

It's also close to Salida for groceries and entertainment.

This is a beautiful and very windy stretch of BLM land. It's on an open plateau, with views of the Arkansas River valley on one side and Mt Shavano on the other side. Be prepared for absolutely howling winds (in August).

The road is paved at first and goes through some pastures and residential areas. It then becomes unpaved and very wash-boardy, but pretty wide, easy enough for two trucks to pass each other. After about 0.4 mile of gravel, you then go through the BLM gate. The road becomes more steep and rocky at this point. Shortly after you crest a small hill, a side road goes to the right. There are lots of sites for big rigs in this area. We proceeded about a quarter mile further down the main road to a large site on the left. Just past our site was another short, steep hill. We explored up there in the truck but didn't take the trailer. It would be perfect for tents, truck campers, and some vans. (The road goes on for about 4 miles to the Mt Shavano trailhead. Lots of spots and side roads along the way, and the further you go, the higher you get.)

Verizon cell signal was pretty good, especially with our booster, except on the weekend when more people were here.

Mostly small pinon trees and no large trees, so plenty of solar.

You'll need your levelers. The whole plateau is gently sloping.

Folks drive up and down the road, but not too many. It wasn't at all crowded. Plenty of room for all RV types/sizes.

Update: We returned after Labor Day and the squatters and homeless were back. Still a pretty place but loaded with folks living in their cars, in tents and under sunshades in one case. Lot's of junk piled around and people I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley at night. Maybe the BLM will clean it up again before next summer. We didn't stay and camped up near Buena Vista.

Original Review: It's not the most beautiful camp we've ever stayed in. Pinion Pines, sparse grass and cacti but the views of the mountains are nice. The whole area is gently sloping but fairly flat otherwise. Don't expect much shade but plenty of solar potential. The road in is rough but doable for most big rigs. The best part is Salida is about 15 minutes away with shopping and dining. The Poncha Springs Visitor's Center has a great dump station ($10) and fresh water (free).

AT&T and, to a lesser extent, Verizon signal was decent, though a few nights AT&T was acting up (network management?). Not much trash and though it was crowded there were still spots to be had, even on the weekend. The BLM has cleaned up the area, kicked out squatters and closed off some camping areas. There were no signs of folks living there and that's a good thing. All in all, a nice place to spend a week or two.

Plenty of room for any size rig. You can find little places to tuck away for privacy or spots large enough for groups. The road to get up higher can get a little tricky but the views are worth it! There is a ridge along the west that overlooks Poncha Springs if you get in just right you can have Mountain and Valley views. Watch out for occasional broken glass. I was here before and after the 4th of July and it never felt crowded.

I stayed here before an Xscapers convergence with a lot of friends. There's a lot of space for all. Larger rigs had no problem with the lower spots, and those of us with smaller rigs went higher to get better views (and better signal).

I ended up staying in three different spots and loved them all. I'm in a van so it's easy for me to pack up and move around. It's very convenient to Salida and all that town has to offer (food, wine, beer, distillery, rafting...

The road up is a bit rough, but not rutted. It's almost impossible to find a level spot, so bring your levelers.

The higher I went, the better the signal, although with so many working-age, full-time RVers, it was intermittent.