Cowpuncher Guard Station

COWPUNCHER GUARD STATION in UT — photo 4

About this campsite

Overview

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. Check the ranger station for winter conditions.

Recreation

The cabin is surrounded by trails, including the Great Western Trail which offer abundant opportunities for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Pine Creek flows through the site offering excellent trout fishing. The scenic Hells Backbone Road is minutes away and is a popular scenic drive for both cars and OHVs. Posey Lake is 7 miles away.

Facilities

The cabin is comfortably furnished with bunk beds and one full size bed, table and chairs, wood cook stove, propane stovetop, kitchen sink with cold running water (summer and early fall), battery operated lanterns, pots and pans, dishes and utensils. A covered porch extends the space outside with a picnic table and fire ring below. A vault toilet is located 150 ft. from the cabin and firewood is provided.

Natural Features

Cowpuncher sits in a secluded meadow surrounded by pine and aspen groves next to a small trout stream. The elevation at the cabin is 8,000 feet and the adjacent pine and aspen covered slopes quickly rise up to 8,900 feet. Summer days are warm and nights are cool.

Nearby Attractions

Cowpuncher offers a cool escape from the surrounding desert landscape and is often used as a base to explore the surrounding area. The Escalante area of southern Utah offers breathtaking scenery nearly everywhere you look. Sightseeing along Road 153, Hells Backbone Road, and Utah Highway 12, a National All American Highway, are very popular. The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Anasazi State Park, and the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park are all located in the area.

Location

COWPUNCHER GUARD STATION•UT

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Common questions about COWPUNCHER GUARD STATION

Can you book COWPUNCHER GUARD STATION online?

We hold no online booking link for COWPUNCHER GUARD STATION, so it is not bookable through this page. Many parks and showgrounds still require a booking, so contact the operator before you go. Their website or phone number is the fastest way to confirm a site.

Where is COWPUNCHER GUARD STATION?

COWPUNCHER GUARD STATION sits in UT. The map on this page shows the exact spot, and the coordinates travel straight into your navigation app. Check road conditions before you set out if you are towing, since access tracks can change with the weather.

Nearby Campsites

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POSEY LAKE CAMPGROUND

Overview Posey Lake Campground is located next to its beautiful namesake lake high on the Colorado Plateau at an elevation of 8,800 feet. Visitors enjoy canoeing, fishing and exploring local trails. Recreation Posey Lake offers rainbow and brook trout fishing, canoeing, kayaking and non-motorized boating. Two hiking trails begin at the campground. The Posey Overlook Trail is a mile long and leads to a beautiful overlook. The Posey Spur Trail connects the campground to the Great Western Trail, which provides excellent hiking and mountain biking. Facilities The campground contains 21 single-family sites and one group site for up to 35 people. Drinking water is provided from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Facilities at this campground include accessible vault toilets, a fish cleaning station and two fishing docks. Roads and parking spurs are gravel. Natural Features The campground is situated on a hillside above Posey Lake. A scenic forest of towering ponderosa pines covers the area. Clusters of aspens dot the landscape and summer wildflowers are abundant. Nearby Attractions Posey Lake offers a cool escape from the surrounding desert landscape and is often used as a base to explore the surrounding region. The Escalante area of southern Utah offers breathtaking scenery nearly everywhere you look. Sightseeing along Forest Road 153 (Hell's Backbone) and Utah Highway 12, a National All American Highway, is very popular. The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Anasazi State Park, and the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park are all located in the area. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (801) 226-3564.

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BARKER RECREATION AREA

Overview Barker Recreation Area is located high on the Colorado Plateau at an elevation of 9,300 feet. Visitors enjoy canoeing, fishing and exploring local trails. Recreation Upper Barker Reservoir provides canoeing, kayaking and fishing for rainbow and brook trout. Numerous hiking, biking and horse trails can be accessed from both the Upper and Lower Barker Reservoir trailheads. Trails, including the non-motorized Great Western Trail, lead to nine backcountry fishing lakes and beautiful mountain views. The area also has excellent stream fishing and spectacular fall colors. Facilities This recreation area contains 13 single-family sites, three group campsites and a day-use area. Horses are permitted in the Porter group site. Drinking water is provided from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Amenities include accessible vault toilets and bear-proof food storage lockers. Fishing docks are located at Upper and Lower Barker Reservoirs. Roads and parking spurs are gravel. Natural Features A dense canopy of aspen and spruce trees forests Barker Recreation Area. Summer wildflowers are plentiful and a variety of wildlife frequents the area, including black bear, blue grouse, golden eagle, ducks and wild turkey. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (801) 226-3564. Nearby Attractions Both the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park are located approximately 45 minutes away. Sightseeing along Utah Highway 12, a National Scenic Byway, is very popular. Travelers visit from every corner of the world to see the stunning red rock canyons and desert landscapes. Bryce Canyon National Park, Kodachrome Basin State Park and Anasazi State Park are also located in the area.

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AQUARIUS RANGER STATION

Overview Aquarius Ranger Station is located about 15 miles south of Loa, in eastern Utah. It sits on the west side of beautiful Boulder Mountain, which makes up half of the expansive Aquarius Plateau. The station was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937 and was used by generations of Forest Service employees working in the surrounding back country. Recreational activities abound in the surrounding area. Guests enjoy fishing in many lakes on Boulder Top, and exploring local trails. Recreation Pine Creek Reservoir is less than a mile from the ranger station. This small lake covers three acres, and offers fishing for brook trout. Cook Lake, Miller Lake and numerous additional fishing lakes are scattered across Boulder Top. Many hiking, biking and off-road vehicle trails meander through the surrounding area. The Great Western Trail spans nearly 4,500 miles through five states, and runs alongside the station. Hikers, horseback riders, mountain bikers and off-road enthusiasts love this spectacular trail. Big game hunting for black bear, mule deer, elk, grouse and antelope is also a popular activity. Facilities The Aquarius Ranger Station Complex can accommodate a maximum of 20 people, with four inside and 16 camped outside in tents or RVs. The rustic two-room cabin sleeps four people comfortably on one double bed and one set of bunk beds. No linens or bedding are provided. Two or three RVs and several tents are allowed outside. The cabin is equipped with a table and chairs, a wood stove and propane appliances including a cook stove and oven, and hot water heater. Some pots and pans, dishes and utensils are provided, but guests are encouraged to bring their own. A vault toilet is located adjacent to the cabin, as is a campfire circle and several picnic tables. Potable water is available inside the cabin and at a hydrant outside. Solar lighting is available inside the cabin. Please note: pets are not allowed inside the Ranger Station. No smoking in the Ranger Station. Natural Features The ranger station is situated at the edge of a meadow lined with aspens and mixed conifers, at an elevation of 8,700 feet. Grasses, sagebrush and summer wildflowers fill the meadow. From the front porch, guests are awarded scenic views of surrounding area. Summer days are warm and nights are cool. Boulder Mountain rises to an elevation of 11,317 feet. Capitol Reef National Park lies on its eastern edge. Boulder is comprised of over 50,000 acres of rolling pine, spruce and aspen forests on its slopes and broad, lake-studded meadows on its top.