Trout Creek Guard Station

Ashley National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: VERNAL, UT, UT

Price: From $60 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (16 reviews)

Season: May through October

Trout Creek Guard Station is located in the Trout Creek area, approximately 21 miles west of U.S. Highway 191 near Vernal, in eastern Utah. It is part of the beautiful Ashley National Forest.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Fishing

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

Historic 1934 CCC-built guard station in Ashley National Forest with excellent 5/5 Google rating. Campers praise it as a cozy, remote hidden gem with rustic charm and unique character.

Wildlife alert: American Elk, Northern Flying Squirrel, Snowshoe Hare, Yellow-bellied Marmot, and various birds including Bald Eagles present in the area.

Insider tips for Trout Creek Guard Station: Book early — federal campground with only 1 site fills quickly Arrive before dark; remote location 21 miles west of US Highway 191 near Vernal Running water available in summer only; plan accordingly for winter visits

Skip Trout Creek Guard Station if: Seeking hookups — no hookups available. Need winter access — seasonal operations May through October only. Prefer large campgrounds — only 1 tent site.

Best time to visit Trout Creek Guard Station: May-October — Official operating season. Summer months have running water; winter access not recommended..

Nearby campgrounds: Carter Military Trail Yurt (VERNAL, UT), Iron Springs Group Ashley (Vernal, UT), Grizzly Ridge Yurt (VERNAL, UT), Summit Springs Guard Station (Pleasant Grove, UT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Trout Creek Guard Station

Cell signal at Trout Creek Guard Station (VERNAL, 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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Ashley National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Trout Creek Guard Station

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VERNAL, UT, UT★ 4.5 (16 reviews)From $60/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Trout Creek Guard Station is located in the Trout Creek area, approximately 21 miles west of U.S. Highway 191 near Vernal, in eastern Utah. It is part of the beautiful Ashley National Forest.

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
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites1 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
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:✕ Seeking hookups — no hookups available✕ Need winter access — seasonal operations May through October only✕ Prefer large campgrounds — only 1 tent site

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

federal campground with only 1 site fills quickly

Arrive before dark; remote location 21 miles west of US Highway 191 near Vernal

Running water available in summer only; plan accordingly for winter visits

Best: May-October

Official operating season. Summer months have running water; winter access not recommended.

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: American Elk, Northern Flying Squirrel, Snowshoe Hare, Yellow-bellied Marmot, and various birds including Bald Eagles present in the area.

Location

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

Follow the mileage indications below and look for signs on the ground when traveling to Trout Creek Guard Station. Leave with plenty of time to arrive at the guard station before dark. From Vernal, travel north on U.S. Highway 191/Vernal Avenue for approximately 20 miles. Turn left (west) on Forest Road 020/018; a paved parking lot with a restroom is located at this intersection. Follow paved Forest Road 020 northwest approximately 9 miles. The pavement ends and the road turns to gravel after th

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 — Ashley National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Ashley National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Trout Creek Guard Station cost per night?+
Trout Creek Guard Station costs $60 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Trout Creek Guard Station open?+
Trout Creek Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Trout Creek Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Trout Creek Guard Station?+
Trout Creek Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Trout Creek Guard Station?+
Trout Creek 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 Trout Creek Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Trout Creek Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Trout Creek Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Trout Creek 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.

$60 /night★ 4.5 (16)
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 Trout Creek Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Trout Creek Guard Station open?+
Does Trout Creek Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Carter Military Trail Yurt

VERNAL, UT

From $50/night

Iron Springs Group Ashley

Vernal, UT

From $25/night

Grizzly Ridge Yurt

VERNAL, UT

From $50/night

Summit Springs Guard Station

Pleasant Grove, UT

From $20/night

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Trout Creek Guard Station — Ashley National Forest | CamperWatch