Glade Guard Station

About

Glade Guard Station holds the distinction of being one of the oldest Forest Service administrative sites in Colorado, with its original log cabin constructed in 1905 for the Glade District of the Montezuma National Forest. The property is listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties and is now part of the Dolores Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest. In 2018, the Jersey Jim Foundation was selected to operate the guard station as a short-term vacation rental. The facility includes tent pads for camping, a large firepit area with picnic tables, one interior full-service restroom, and one external flushing toilet. Horse enthusiasts will appreciate the corral, barn, and piped water for stock animals. Visitors must bring their own drinking and cooking water as no potable water is available on site. The station sits within the Glade, a 165,000-acre landscape of wetlands, meadows, and mesas at approximately 8,000 feet elevation. Access requires an hour and a half drive on mostly forest service dirt roads from Cortez or Dolores. There is no cell service at the cabin or for several miles in any direction, making this a true backcountry retreat.

Directions

From Cortez or Dolores, approximately 1.5 hours via forest service dirt roads through aspen, pine, and oak forests. No cell service at the station or for several miles.