ELWOOD CABIN

About ELWOOD CABIN

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. The kitchen is equipped with a table and chairs, cookin

How to Get There

From Del Norte, take U.S. Highway 160 west to South Fork. Continue west on U.S. Highway 160 for 8 miles to Park Creek Road. Travel 15 miles on Park Creek Road to Summitville Road. Turn right on FSR 380, the cabin is about 2 miles on the left. From the junction of FSR 250 in the Alamosa Canyon and FSR 380, follow FSR 380 about 8 miles, the cabin is on the right. Access to the cabin in the summertime can be accomplished with just about any vehicle; however, when the dirt roads are wet they tend to get slick. In winter, the trail access to the Elwood Cabin is on the unplowed portion of Forest Road 380, which starts southeast from the junction, but makes a bend and continues south-southwest to the cabin. The 2 mile ski to the cabin is generally easy with a 400 foot elevation gain. The Elwood Cabin is visible below the road on a knoll projecting into a large open park. Allow from 1.5 - 2 hours or longer, depending on snow conditions, for the trip.

What to Pack for Your Stay

Tuned to the live forecast for this park.

Plan Your Visit to ELWOOD CABIN

Heading to ELWOOD CABIN? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)