Cowpuncher Guard Station

Dixie National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: ESCALANTE, UT, UT

Price: From $45 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (10 reviews)

Season: May through October

Cowpuncher Guard Station is located in the Dixie National Forest, 20 miles northeast of the town of Escalante in southern Utah. The cabin is situated just off the Hells Backbone Road and is accessed by road during summer and fall. Roads are usually closed by snow 5.5 miles from the cabin from late November to mid-April.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cowpuncher-guard-station to be notified when sites open up.

Newly built replica 1930s cabin in Dixie National Forest surrounded by abundant hiking trails including the Great Western Trail and Jubilee Guard Station, offering an authentic escape in a beautiful remote area near Escalante.

Wildlife alert: Elk, Uinta Chipmunk, Rocky Mountain Jay, Northern Flicker, American Coot, Ruddy Duck, and Wandering Garter Snake present in the area.

Insider tips for Cowpuncher Guard Station: Book early — this is a federal campground in high demand during peak season. Check ranger station for winter road conditions before visiting, as roads can close 5.5 miles from cabin. Firewood available for purchase on-site.

Skip Cowpuncher Guard Station if: You need electrical hookups — no hookups available.. You require modern facilities — cabin has no electricity and vault toilets only.. You're visiting November through April — seasonal closures due to snow..

Best time to visit Cowpuncher Guard Station: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October; roads usually closed by snow from late November to mid-April..

Nearby campgrounds: Posey Lake Campground (Antimony, UT), Barker Recreation Area (ESCALANTE, UT), Aquarius Ranger Station (LOA, UT), Oak Creek Rec Site (Boulder, Ut) (Glenwood, UT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cowpuncher Guard Station

Cell signal at Cowpuncher Guard Station (ESCALANTE, UT): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›UT›Cowpuncher Guard Station
Cowpuncher Guard Station — photo 1
Cowpuncher Guard Station — photo 2
Cowpuncher Guard Station — photo 3
See all photos
Dixie National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cowpuncher Guard Station

Share:
ESCALANTE, UT, UT★ 4.6 (10 reviews)From $45/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Cowpuncher Guard Station is located in the Dixie National Forest, 20 miles northeast of the town of Escalante in southern Utah. The cabin is situated just off the Hells Backbone Road and is accessed by road during summer and fall. Roads are usually closed by snow 5.5 miles from the cabin from late November to mid-April.

Best for:AnglersHikersSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV30 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites1 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesFirewood for Sale
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need electrical hookups — no hookups available.✕ You require modern facilities — cabin has no electricity and vault toilets only.✕ You're visiting November through April — seasonal closures due to snow.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground in high demand during peak season.

Check ranger station for winter road conditions before visiting, as roads can close 5.5 miles from cabin.

Firewood available for purchase on-site.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October; roads usually closed by snow from late November to mid-April.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Elk, Uinta Chipmunk, Rocky Mountain Jay, Northern Flicker, American Coot, Ruddy Duck, and Wandering Garter Snake present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
435-826-5499· Dixie National Forest
Getting there →

From Highway 12 in Escalante, turn north on 300E. Drive 14 miles to the junction of Forest Roads 154 and 153. Continue on FR153 for 4.5 miles. Turn left on FR145 towards Cowpuncher and Blue Spruce Campground. Travel 0.7 miles to Cowpuncher Gate. The cabin is 0.2 miles past the gate.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Dixie National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Dixie National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cowpuncher Guard Station cost per night?+
Cowpuncher Guard Station costs $45 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Cowpuncher Guard Station open?+
Cowpuncher Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cowpuncher Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Cowpuncher Guard Station?+
Cowpuncher Guard Station can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet.
How do I make reservations at Cowpuncher Guard Station?+
Cowpuncher Guard Station is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Cowpuncher Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cowpuncher Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cowpuncher Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Cowpuncher Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Dixie National ForestUtah Wildfire InformationUtah Division of Natural Resources
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$45 /night★ 4.6 (10)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cowpuncher Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Cowpuncher Guard Station open?+
Does Cowpuncher Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Posey Lake Campground

Antimony, UT

From $15/night

Barker Recreation Area

ESCALANTE, UT

From $18/night

Aquarius Ranger Station

LOA, UT

From $90/night

Oak Creek Rec Site (Boulder, Ut)

Glenwood, UT

From $20/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$45 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability