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Podunk Guard Station is located next to the East Fork Sevier River, in the Dixie National Forest in southern Utah. The cabin was constructed in 1928 and has been used by generations of Forest Service employees.
Guests enjoy exploring local trails on foot, horseback, mountain bike and off-road vehicle. The river offers fishing and swimming opportunities.
Recreational opportunities in the area include hiking, mountain biking, off-roading and fishing. The Paunsaugunt, Fremont and Great Western OHV Trail Systems can be accessed easily from the guard station.
The two-room cabin can sleep six people on two, twin-size bunk beds located in the bedroom, and a double-size futon in the living room. No linens or bedding are provided.
The kitchen is equipped with a propane stove and oven, a table and chairs. No pots, pans, dishes or utensils are available. Guests must bring their own cooking and eating euipment. A wood stove is provided for heat. The cabin has seasonal water running water in the kitchen sink only (when temperatures are freezing the water will be turned off).
A vault toilet, picnic table and campfire ring are located outside.
The cabin sits in a narrow mountain valley just above the meandering East Fork Sevier River. The meadow is surrounded by mature spruce trees, and grasses and willow thickets line the riverbanks.
Average summer temperatures range from 74 degrees during the day to 42 degrees at night. September temperatures range from 68 to 37 degrees; October temperatures range from 57 to 27 degrees.
Tropic Reservoir is 8.5 miles north of the cabin. Boating, canoeing and fishing are popular activities. Anglers fish for brook, rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. A boat ramp is located on the west side of the reservoir.
From Panguitch, turn onto State Highway 89 and travel 7 miles to State Highway 12. Drive 8 miles on Highway 12 to East Fork Road/Forest Road 30087. The sign at this junction will say, "Tropic Reservoir - 8 miles." Travel south on this well-maintained, two-lane dirt road for 16 miles. Podunk Guard Station will be on the east side of the road.
From Bryce Canyon National Park, travel on Highway 12 for 5 miles to East Fork Road/Forest Road 30087. The sign at this junction will say, "Tropic Reservoir - 8 miles." Travel along this well-maintained, two-lane dirt road for 16 miles. Podunk Guard Station will be on the east side of the road.
[**Reservation Cancellations & Change**](https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policieshttps://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies) **s (**[ **see website for more informatio**](https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policieshttps://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies) ****[**n**](https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policieshttps://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies) **)**
* **Cancelling a Reservation:** Customers may cancel their reservation prior to arrival both on-line and through the call center. A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refund for a cancellation. Depending on when you cancel in relation to your arrival day, it may be considered a late cancellation (see website).
* [https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policieshttps://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies](https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policieshttps:/www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies)
* **Cancellation Fee:** A service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation.
* **Fees:** Applicable fees, such as reservation fees, service/cancellation fees, lottery application fees, and change fees, are non-refundable.
[https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policieshttps://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies ](https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policieshttps://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies)
Basic cabin but does have running water although the description on recreation.gov says it doesn’t. Within hiking distance to Bryce Canyon.
This place is magical. Absolutely love it here. But the cabin is very bare bones. Do not expect much. Read this review for an idea on what you need to bring.
-There is running water but I read online it wasn't potable. So I recommend bringing a water jug and filling it at Tropic Reservoir Campground. Or boil the water.
-There are no sheets or pillows so you should bring a sleeping bag and pillow.
-There is a outhouse with toilet paper. But it's always good to bring your own.
-collecting firewood is prohibited here. So buy some before arriving.
-you will get a code when you reserve the cabin that unlocks it.
-it is a fairly long dirt road in. We did it in 2 Toyota Prius's. So I'm sure almost any case could do it. But AWD/4WD would be useful.
Read the steps and follow the things I listed above and you should have a great time
The best part of our trip was this entry from 8/15/2016 in the Guest Book:
“It started off as a grand family vacation! Then some slightly odd things started occurring. The doors locked by themselves. The lights flickered when our dog barked. Which, by the way, happened a lot. Our dog is always very calm & quiet, but for some reason he was obsessed with barking at the closet. Our 10 year old, who always sleeps through the night, for some reason had nightmares, waking up at 3:00 AM on the dot every night, and screaming “Go away!” It’s probably just because he isn’t used to the cabin. The faucet water had a pinkish-red undertone & smelt like metal, but they did say the water is being treated. On the third night, we started naming the moths, and became good friends. Whenever we had a fire, it reeked like a dead animal, despite clearing it out multiple times & using fresh wood. We were supposed to stay a week, but by the fourth day we had to leave. (Also, sorry about the front door screen, our kid was scratching at it in the middle of the night)
P.S We saw a moose!”
Great remote location! Some highlights of Podunk are the great remote location, the beautiful stream, access to Bryce Canyon, and the amount of space. I would stay here again and I would bring more candles and lanterns. Other than that just be prepared for a remote cabin stay.
The cabin is remote and quiet. The road in very well graded, dirt road. Google maps says an hour to Bryce, but it's more like 35 minutes. 15 minutes to Tropic Reservoir. If you like SUP or kayak, definitely worth bringing yours along... we enjoyed spending time out on the reservoir.
The cabin has 2 separate rooms, one with 2 bunk beds, a couple of benches, a closet rod for hanging clothes, a few shelves, and a chest with wood. The other room is the futon, 3 more benches, a table that folds down from the wall and has some shelves with a few random dishes, a kitchen table with 2 chairs, a small woodstove, a sink with cold water (with sponge, dish soap, drying rack), and a gas stove/oven. Front porch has 4 Adirondack chairs. Side yard has 2 picnic tables, a permanent charcoal grill (bring your own), and a fire ring. The toilet is your standard government pit toilet that you find at national parks, except because it's so little used, it's not nearly as terrible as some get.
There are cows that graze on the property. Don't let the fence and cattle guard fool you... they come right through the fence. But they're not pushy or social, so they won't bother you. We also saw deer and prairie dogs there. Take lots of bug sprays... it gets buggy.
