
ELWOOD CABIN
campground Map
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Nearby Trails
Soldiers Road
Continental Divide NST
Crater Lake Trail (562)
Continental Divide NST
South Mountain Road
Prospect Creek Road
About this site
Overview Elwood Cabin sits in a saddle along the San Juan Mountains overlooking an open meadow, offering guests a unique lodging opportunity. The cabin was built in 1911 by the Mountain States Telephone Company as a "line shack" to support crews maintaining the transcontinental telephone line. Remnants of this old telephone line are still found along Iron Creek to the southeast.
The cabin was also used as a Forest Service Station from 1950 until 1962, serving as living quarters for Forest Service employees who worked on numerous projects in the area. Although the phone line has been abandoned, today the cabin is a high-altitude getaway for guests seeking relaxation and recreation in south-central Colorado. During summer months the cabin can be accessed by motorized travel.
During winter months access to the cabin is by snowmobiles, cross country skiing or snow shoeing. Recreation The area around Elwood cabin offers a variety of recreational opportunities year-round. Summertime brings excellent scenic tour opportunities in and around the Summitville area as well as exploration of several historical mining sites.
Anglers have a spectacular backdrop to fishing streams such as Iron Creek or Treasure Creek. Nearby Platoro Reservoir, which feeds the Conejos River, provides excellent fishing for trout and salmon. Great hiking can be found around the area, as it spans both the Rio Grande and San Juan National Forests, as well as the South San Juan Wilderness.
In winter, the Elwood cabin area can be blanketed with as much as ten feet of snow, requiring preparation and knowledge of winter travel. Snowmobiling, skiing and snowshoeing are popular activities in the area. Facilities The one room log cabin is furnished with two bunk beds with single beds on the top and on the bottom of each bunk, accommodating up to four individuals total for the cabin.
The cabin has a wood stove for heat, propane lighting and a propane stove.
๐ 719-274-8971
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Campground data provided by Recreation.gov ยท Updated Apr 2026
Reserve at Recreation.gov โ