Lower Beaver Rec. Site
RV Guide
Introduction
Bordered to the east by Uncompahgre National Forest and the west by the San Miguel River, Lower Beaver Recreation Site is a great stopover and camping destination for guests willing to relax, refresh and recharge. This simple drive-in Bureau of Land Management park lies about five miles southeast of Norwood, Colorado, along Colorado Highway 145. Your visit to Lower Beaver Recreation Site will present you with good camping opportunities, loads of fun activities to enjoy, and plenty of amazing sights that will leave you thoroughly satisfied.
While you are here, you can angle for rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout in San Miguel River, or explore the waters in your boat. You’ll definitely want to extend your adventure beyond the BLM park’s boundaries into the nearby National Forest where you can climb mountains, hike and bike, hunt big game, small game, and birds, and explore remote settings. Another popular destination is San Miguel River Recreation Area where whitewater rafting is popular.
This BLM recreation area offers a campground with campsites that can accommodate tents and small recreational vehicles. Basic camping amenities are provided.
RV Rentals in Lower Beaver Rec. Site
Transportation
Driving
Lower Beaver Recreation Site lies about five miles southeast of Norwood, Colorado. Guests who want to drive to this Bureau of Land Management site from Norwood can easily access the park via Colorado Highway 145 (also known as the Unaweep/Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway). As the park is a simple drive-in recreation site, the entrance is on the right.
Highway 145 is a paved and maintained road that is open all year and easy to navigate all season, so you won’t have any difficulty accessing the park in your vehicle. As a result, you should feel free to come in whatever motorized equipment you have, be it personal vehicles, recreational vehicles, trailers, or bikes. If you want to rent camping and travel equipment for your vacation, you’ll find rental services available at Uncompahgre National Forest.
Parking
There are two parking areas provided in Lower Beaver Recreation Site which can accommodate cars and small recreational vehicles. If you’re coming in a large RV or trailer, you will have to park within designated parking lots outside the BLM park.
Public Transportation
There are no direct public transportation services available to Lower Beaver Recreation Site.
Campgrounds and parking in Lower Beaver Rec. Site
Campsites in Lower Beaver Rec. Site
First-come first-served
Lower Beaver Campground
Lower Beaver Campground is located in this BLM recreation site, under forest trees that offer shade to guests. The campsites here are well spaced and available to visitors for free. The campground offers tent and vehicle camping opportunities.
There are three sites in this campground, equipped with basic camping amenities such as picnic tables, fire grills, a toilet, and a hand-carry boat launch. Two parking areas for small RVs and trailers are also provided.
All the sites in this campground are pet-friendly. Good fishing opportunities are available here, and so are hiking, hunting, and boating adventures.
Ledges Rockhouse Area
Ledges Rockhouse Area is a Bureau of Land Management property that sits along San Miguel River, further north of Lower Beaver Recreation Site, off Montrose County Road. Here, tent and RV camping options are offered to guests. The campground in the BLM area features 12 tent and 12 RV campsites, as well as a restroom, picnic tables, cabanas, and a boat ramp.
The campground is open all year but may be inaccessible during wet conditions because the narrow road that leads there can be slick and impassable.
Recreational vehicles and trailers as long as 45 feet can be accommodated in the campground.
Pets are welcome.
None of the campsites can be reserved, as they are available on a first-come, first-served basis only.
Seasonal activities in Lower Beaver Rec. Site
In-Season
Sightseeing
Interesting sightseeing and nature photography opportunities are available for guests and campers at Lower Beaver Recreation Site to enjoy while on vacation here. The magnificence of the nearby forest areas and the San Miguel River corridors provide good backgrounds for pictures too.
Within the contiguous National Forest, there are diverse landscapes, canyons and elevated areas from where visitors can see the surrounding area for miles. Watch out for thundering waterfalls, summer icefields, and dark timbered mountainsides.
Fishing
Rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout fishing are popular among guests at Lower Beaver Recreation Site. Since the river is close to the park, even visitors that are not skilled in angling fancy their chances by trying their luck for any of these trout in the river.
Skilled anglers don’t end their pursuits on the San Miguel River as they often take their adventure to the large rivers, small creeks, and other water bodies in Uncompahgre National Forest. If you have your fishing license, you should do the same too.
San Miguel River Recreation Area
The San Miguel River Recreation Area lies south of Lower Beaver Recreation Site and offers diverse opportunities to enjoy time outdoors. This BLM recreation area is home to rare riparian plant communities that attract flora enthusiasts for observations and study. Besides, nature viewers and visitors also see how these vegetative species decorate the park’s corridors.
Whitewater rafters, anglers, and boaters are other categories of recreation enthusiasts that you will see enjoying themselves in this recreation area.
Off-Season
Hiking/Biking
There are no designated hiking or biking trails at Lower Beaver Recreation Site. However, this does not stop guests from strolling through the park’s areas or riding along the roads in the site. Visitors that wish to enjoy full-blown hiking and biking take their gear to Uncompahgre National Forest.
More than 3,500 miles of trails are available for hiking in the National Forest, some of which are multi-use and explored by equestrians, skiers and cyclists too. Bikers have their dedicated trails too, as well as shared trails.
Mountain Climbing
There are plenty of opportunities to climb mountains and hills in Uncompahgre National Forest. Whether your interest is just scrambling through canyons, taking a technical climb up ice walls, or following a trail up the peak, you’ll find what you want.
Your skill level, physical ability, and gear will definitely influence where you choose to climb and how far you will be able to go. Some of the peaks here rise to 14,000 feet, while most are less than that. Be ready for some solitude as you make your way up.
Hunting
Big game hunting, game bird and waterfowl hunting, as well as small game hunting opportunities, are offered to guests with appropriate hunting licenses and permits.
Big game hunting is the most attractive sport here and draws hunters from all parts of the state to the National Forest. You will find mule deer, mountain goat, elk, bighorn sheep and black bear here. In addition, you can go after mountain lion and moose, as well as birds such as blue grouse, turkey, mourning dove, and sage grouse.
