Divide Road (FR 402) — Uncompahgre Plateau Dispersed Camping

Divide Road runs the high crest of the Uncompahgre Plateau through Uncompahgre National Forest, and it’s one of the best places to string together a night or two while working the Rimrocker corridor. Expect pull-offs and old camp spots tucked into aspen, spruce and ponderosa along the road. Most have an established fire ring, and none have a table, a toilet or water. Haul in your own water and pack out everything. Summer weekends bring hunters, ATV riders and locals, but it’s rarely crowded midweek.

The road is graded gravel and dirt, fine for a stock high-clearance rig when it’s dry. After a hard rain or in shoulder season it turns slick clay fast, so check the forecast. Snow can hold on at elevation into early summer and returns by fall. Standard USFS dispersed rules apply: 14-day limit, camp in existing sites and keep fires dead out. Fire restrictions come up often in dry years. Call the Uncompahgre Ranger District to confirm road conditions and restrictions before you roll.

High plateau aspen camps along the Divide