Payson Lakes Guard Station

Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Pleasant Grove, UT, UT

Price: From $139.92 per night

Rating: 3.7 out of 5 (11 reviews)

Season: May through October

Payson Lakes Guard Station is located in the Uinta National Forest, approximately 13 miles south of Payson, Utah, along the Mount Nebo Scenic Byway. The Guard Station was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935 as part of the New Deal Program. The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest offers the cabin for advance reservation so visitors can enjoy an experience similar to that of early Forest Rangers and their families.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Camp Host, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

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

Payson Lakes Guard Station offers a historic 1935 CCC-built cabin experience in the Uinta National Forest with nearby alpine lakes, paved walking trails, and easy hiking suitable for families. Campers consistently praise the scenic location and recreational opportunities with a 4.4/5 rating across 373 reviews.

Wildlife alert: Greater Short-horned Lizard, Great Basin Rattlesnake, Wandering Garter Snake, Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Dusky Grouse, and Black-chinned Hummingbird documented in the area

Insider tips for Payson Lakes Guard Station: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site and high demand Canoes available for rent at nearby Payson Lakes Recreation Area 1-mile paved loop trail around the lake is accessible for families

Skip Payson Lakes Guard Station if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available. You're traveling outside May-October — seasonal operations only. You have large RVs — reviewers reported tight drive-around loop with scraping issues.

Best time to visit Payson Lakes Guard Station: May-October — Verified operating season for the campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Payson Lakes (Pleasant Grove, UT), Blackhawk (Pleasant Grove, UT), Maple Lake Campground (Pleasant Grove, UT), Tinney Flat (Pleasant Grove, UT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Payson Lakes Guard Station

Cell signal at Payson Lakes Guard Station (Pleasant Grove, 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.

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Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Payson Lakes Guard Station

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Pleasant Grove, UT, UT★ 3.7 (11 reviews)From $139.92/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Payson Lakes Guard Station is located in the Uinta National Forest, approximately 13 miles south of Payson, Utah, along the Mount Nebo Scenic Byway. The Guard Station was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935 as part of the New Deal Program. The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest offers the cabin for advance reservation so visitors can enjoy an experience similar to that of early Forest Rangers and their families.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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 RV25 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsCamp Host
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsFirewood for Sale

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 RV hookups — no hookups available✕ You're traveling outside May-October — seasonal operations only✕ You have large RVs — reviewers reported tight drive-around loop with scraping issues

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site and high demand

Canoes available for rent at nearby Payson Lakes Recreation Area

1-mile paved loop trail around the lake is accessible for families

Best: May-October

Verified operating season for the campground

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: Greater Short-horned Lizard, Great Basin Rattlesnake, Wandering Garter Snake, Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Dusky Grouse, and Black-chinned Hummingbird documented in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

From I-15, take exit 250 toward north Payson/Salem and proceed south on Main Street to 100 North/Highway 198. Travel east to 600 East. Turn south onto 600 East, which becomes the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway/Payson Canyon Road. Travel south along the Nebo Loop Road 015 until you see the Payson Lakes Guard Station sign on the right. Proceed up the driveway and through 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 — Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Payson Lakes Guard Station cost per night?+
Payson Lakes Guard Station costs $139.92 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Payson Lakes Guard Station open?+
Payson Lakes Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Payson Lakes Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Payson Lakes Guard Station?+
Payson Lakes Guard Station can accommodate RVs up to 25 feet.
How do I make reservations at Payson Lakes Guard Station?+
Payson Lakes 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 Payson Lakes Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Payson Lakes Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Payson Lakes Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Payson Lakes Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapUtah Recreation CompanyUinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
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.

$139.92 /night★ 3.7 (11)
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 Payson Lakes Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Payson Lakes Guard Station open?+
Does Payson Lakes Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Payson Lakes

Pleasant Grove, UT

From $27.67/night

Blackhawk

Pleasant Grove, UT

From $20/night

Maple Lake Campground

Pleasant Grove, UT

From $25.89/night

Tinney Flat

Pleasant Grove, UT

From $24/night

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