Podunk Guard Station

Dixie National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: PANGUITCH, UT, UT

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (19 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.

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

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

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

Podunk Guard Station offers a remote, quiet location next to the East Fork Sevier River in Dixie National Forest with access to multiple recreation activities including fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and proximity to Bryce Canyon (approximately 35 minutes away).

Wildlife alert: Utah Prairie Dog, Mule Deer, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Uinta Chipmunk, Common Raven, Bushtit, Green-tailed Towhee, and Greater Short-horned Lizard documented in the area.

Insider tips for Podunk Guard Station: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 1 site Road in is well-graded dirt; suitable for standard vehicles Tropic Reservoir is approximately 15 minutes away for water recreation

Skip Podunk Guard Station if: You need hookups — no hookups available. You require amenities beyond basics — cabin is described as bare bones. You plan to visit outside May through October — seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Podunk Guard Station: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Kings Creek (Cedar City, UT), North Campground (Ut) (BRYCE, UT), Ruby’s Inn RV Park & Campground (Bryce Canyon City, UT), Duck Creek (CEDAR CITY, UT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Podunk Guard Station

Cell signal at Podunk Guard Station (PANGUITCH, 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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Dixie National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Podunk Guard Station

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PANGUITCH, UT, UT★ 4.6 (19 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife 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 RV30 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
CampfiresNot permitted
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Vault 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 hookups — no hookups available✕ You require amenities beyond basics — cabin is described as bare bones✕ You plan to visit outside May through October — seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 site

Road in is well-graded dirt; suitable for standard vehicles

Tropic Reservoir is approximately 15 minutes away for water recreation

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only

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: Utah Prairie Dog, Mule Deer, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Uinta Chipmunk, Common Raven, Bushtit, Green-tailed Towhee, and Greater Short-horned Lizard documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1111111111· Dixie National Forest
Getting there →

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

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 Podunk Guard Station cost per night?+
Podunk Guard Station costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Podunk Guard Station open?+
Podunk Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Podunk Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Podunk Guard Station?+
Podunk Guard Station can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet.
How do I make reservations at Podunk Guard Station?+
Podunk 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 Podunk Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Podunk Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Podunk Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Podunk Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●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.

$30 /night★ 4.6 (19)
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 Podunk Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Podunk Guard Station open?+
Does Podunk Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Kings Creek

Cedar City, UT

From $25/night

North Campground (Ut)

BRYCE, UT

From $30/night

Ruby’s Inn RV Park & Campground

Bryce Canyon City, UT

From $47/night

Duck Creek

CEDAR CITY, UT

From $30/night

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