USDA Forest Service · Colorado

AA Bar Ranch (AA Barn) Group Picnic Site

USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States · in Arapaho National Recreation Area

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Sites
1
Hookups
1 electric
Season
June 1 to September 30
Group sites
Yes
Drinking water
No
Restrooms
Yes
Pets
Yes
Elevation
8,330 ft
Dark sky
Bortle class 1
Cell coverage
AT&T weak · Verizon weak · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
Lake
Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
Nearest town
Granby
Address
PO Box 10, Granby, CO, 80446
Phone
970-887-4100
Activities
Day Use Area

1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.

About

Overview

Reservable, day-use site for group picnics and other gatherings next to the Colorado River, Rocky Mountain National Park, and a historic barn that is available for indoor activities. Site not shaded. Motorized access to site and use of barn facilities are by reservation only. Visitors may access on foot the river, Forest Service trails, and Rocky Mountain National Park trails located adjacent to the AA Barn Site. Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times at the AA Barn Site and adjacent Forest Service area, but dogs are prohibited in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Maximum number of people is 100 per day. The suggested vehicle limit is 20. Vehicles cannot be driven off the gravel areas. Do Not alter any features of the site, leave it as you find it. And, please pick up all trash and take it with you! Enjoy Your Stay.

Recreation

This barn is adjacent to a hiking entry point to Rocky Mountain National Park and has great fishing opportunities.

Facilities

The AA Barn is an enclosed space and has two floors. The upper floor is not available for use. The lower floor has electricity. The barn can be very cold late into the summer season due to the lack of sunlight and lack of heater. The barn can also get very hot during warm summer afternoons. The outside corrals are not suitable for livestock but do make beautiful photography backgrounds. Outside of the barn, there are handicap accessible vault toilets. The barn is at the end of a gated, drivable road. The public has access to walk on the road but does not have access to drive down the driveway. Some tables and chairs are provided. This includes approximately 5 banquet style tables and 80 folding chairs, and 13 picnic tables. Please note; you cannot operate any device that produces amplified sound at the barn site.

Watch a video tour of the barn: https://vimeo.com/816328996

Natural Features

The mountains in this area of Colorado are beautiful but the lodgepole pine beetle killed trees can be a challenge when it comes to photographs. The AA Barn used to be a working ranch and old corrals can be found on site. The Colorado River headwaters are adjacent to this barn and it is just below the Shadow Mountain Reservoir dam.

Contact Info

This location has limited staffing. Please call (970) 295-6600 for general information.

Nearby Attractions

Green Ridge Campground

Arapaho National Recreation Area

Rocky Mountain National Park

Grand Lake, Colorado

Shadow Mountain Reservoir

Lake Granby

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January29°11°-13°41°11 of 11
February32°14°-8°45°11 of 11
March38°20°0°54°11 of 11
April46°26°5°59°11 of 11
May54°34°23°66°9 of 11
June72°45°29°83°2 of 11
July77°53°44°84°0 of 11
August75°51°44°81°0 of 11
September69°46°22°80°1 of 11
October55°34°-2°65°8 of 10
November42°20°-6°56°10 of 10
December31°12°-10°44°10 of 10

Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.

Nearby campgrounds

All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.