**Bring your own self-contained RV WITH INTERIOR RESTROOM (sorry, NO TENT/CAR CAMPING!) Describe your setup in booking request.** Nestled on 7 acres of former ranch land, enjoy a relatively level dry RV site w/ views of Mesa Verde, the La Platas , & the shade of mature juniper trees. On-site hosts ready to welcome you to this haven of dark skies & Milky Way views, herds of mule deer, foxes, singing coyotes, & 250+ sunny days a year! *no hookups*generators ok*can fill a camp container with water* Feel far from everything while only a few miles from town. At 7,000' above sea level, in the high desert of SW Colorado, we get over 250 sunny days a year, big beautiful snows in winter (and sometimes as late as June), and monsoon rains in late summer. Spring can be cool and windy, but you'll experience the reawakening of the plants, the lowing of mother cows and their calves on nearby ranches, and maybe even a blooming prickly pear or two! Autumn is a sweet spot here. A scenic drive along the San Juan Skyway will reward you with an array of fall color from a variety of deciduous trees down here, and brilliant yellow aspens in the higher elevations. We keep the site available for the adventurous winter camper too, though 4x4 is recommended if snow is on the ground. The silence of a snowy day giving way to the sparkle of sunshine on a blanket of white rounds out the gifts of the seasons here. We are typically available by message on the Airbnb system, text, phone, email, or by giving a knock on the door to our home, which is on the same property as the campsite. Just be prepared for barking if you choose the knocking option! Text is probably fastest! In the heart of the Mancos River Valley, you'll find yourself at the perfect basecamp for all that the area has to offer! Our campsite is just 15 minutes to the entrance gate at Mesa Verde National Park, designated in April of 2021 as the 100th Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association, and tours of the Ancestral Pueblo Cliff dwellings resumed by reservation in May 2021! Take a scenic two and a half mile drive to historic Downtown Mancos, to find art, dining, and fun. Historic Mancos, known for its thriving creative district, is the home of Bomdiggity, The Raven House Gallery, The Artisans of Mancos Co-op, The Painted Turtle Gallery, and Kilgore American Indian Art. Downtown Mancos is also home to an array of dining options from local food trucks to fine dining. Fenceline Cidery and their delightful riverside cider garden host a variety of local food trucks on a rotating basis. The recently opened Deco Dessert, offers something for your sweet tooth with homemade ice cream, artisan chocolates, and cakes. Just across Hwy 160, you can enjoy craft beer, delicious locally sourced food, and a variety of fun events, including live local music, weekly trivia with our local librarian, and beer-e-oke on the expansive patio at Mancos Brewing Company. Columbine Bar & Grill, one of the oldest bars in the state, is right on Grand Ave, serving delicious burgers, sandwiches, and salads with outdoor seating seasonably available. Other downtown offerings include locally roasted coffee at Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters, and an incredible variety of baked goods and delicious breakfast and lunch options at the renowned Absolute Bakery & Cafe. Grab take out and sit at a picnic table by the Mancos River or in the park across the street. And check out local artists' work in the art vending machines at Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters and Fenceline Cider! Beyond downtown, you'll find easy access to Mancos State Park, mountain biking at Phils World, Chutes & Ladders, Aqueduct, Chicken Creek, and the Boggy Draw trail systems, paddling at Summit Lake, paddling and boating at McPhee Reservoir, the 88 mile Canyon of the Ancients Scenic Drive, and miles of hiking and off-roading trails in the San Juan National Forest. Or head just 30 minutes into Durango for a ride on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a run on the rapids of the Animas River, or a powder day at Purgatory (resort an hour from the site). If you want to venture further afield, Telluride, Moab, Monument Valley, and Arches & Canyonlands National Parks are all within 2.5 hours. Or take a drive along the San Juan Skyway scenic byway to see the best of Colorado's Western Slope including Silverton and Ouray. Your hosts are avid outdoor enthusiasts who can give you the details (and loan you some maps & guidebooks) on all of the great things that await you at our little slice of southwest Colorado! Our neighborhood, being on a no outlet road that lightly trafficked, is easily walkable. The gravel roads in the area make for nice low-stress gravel biking as well. Town is just 2.5 miles from the campsite, and area drivers are used to taking care around folks walking or biking the route. Keep a hand ready, because everyone will wave hello! Parking in downtown is plentiful and free, making driving the preferred method of transportation for most of our previous guests. Downtown recently opened three trails. There is a kiosk with a map at the corner of Grand Ave and Mesa St. From there, follow the painted blue moose prints, red fox prints, or yellow mountain lion prints painted along the route by local school children. Please include what kind of RV setup you have, including verifying that you have an enclosed interior restroom in your RV when you submit your booking request! We are not equipped to host people camping in tents, cars, teardrop trailers or any other vehicle without its own interior restroom, as we do not have restroom facilities at the site, and we are in view of other residences. Including this information in your booking request helps us determine if your setup is a good fit for our space and helps us respond more quickly to your request. Thanks!