Hey everyone! Welcome to another Campground Recon tour!
We have a unique one to show you today. If you love trains you will want to visit this campground
located at the site of a historic narrow-gauge railroad town. This restored railroad trestle
over the Cimarron River was constructed in 1895, replacing the original wooden one.
For over 70 years, locomotive 278 ran the Denver and Rio Grande mainline in this area
as well as the rail yards in Gunnison and the Crested Butte branch. It was built in 1882
The coal tender was originally with another locomotive before
it was connected to locomotive 278 in 1935.
This boxcar from 1904 was capable of carrying 25 tons.
A caboose built in 1886 was used on this line of the Denver and Rio Grande.
Within view of the Cimarron Campground, you will find a stock car, another boxcar,
and the Cimarron Depot which houses a visitor center and narrow gauge railroad display,
The outdoor display also includes livestock corrals, a second stock car, and a derrick car.
All of this is located in the Curacanti National Recreation Area 20 miles east of Montrose. We're
between US Highway 50 and the Morrow Point Dam on the Gunnison River. If you plan on visiting in the
summer of 2021 be aware that there are significant closures on US 50 about 10 miles east of here.
The Mesa Creek Trail follows along the Cimarron River down to where it flows into the Gunnison
A portion of the trail splits off and leads below the dam
while the main trail crosses a footbridge over the Gunnison and continues on.
Let's go take a walk through Cimarron Campground. While the sign says eight
dollars per night the website for the Cimarron Campground shows 16 dollars.
21 first-come, first-served campsites are available from May to October
An RV dump station is located near the campground.
Elevation here is just under 6,900 feet.
Number seven
Eight
Number nine
Number ten
Number 12. This pull-off is the first of the
sites on the right side here that will back up against the road down to the dam
site 13.
14
water just beyond 14.
another pull-off 15.
16.
17.
18.
19
another pull off by the road
so site number 20.
water on the left just beyond 20.
21 is a pull-off
22.
And we're coming up on the exit now
This campground was closed for part of 2020 due to water line break
which is why it looks a little overgrown
You can hear some of the traffic on US Highway 50.