About Piney Guard Station
Number of accommodations: 1
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Sites & Availability
1 Site Available
No sites found matching your criteria.
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Site Details
Select a site to view details
1 Site Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (28)
Review Summary
Jon C
VerifiedJuly 27, 2023 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
The cabin was clean and as the information provided the road required a high lift vehicle. We had one, and would recommend it. We had a great time. There were thunderstorms all night and it was wet in the mornting. We waited till 11 and the trail was good for driving out. Nature rules!
Brandon B
VerifiedMarch 21, 2023 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
Getting away from it all on skis in the winter was never so rewarding. It’s an adventure to get there but the effort is well worth it. On the way back out the ski to the car really was excellent. So much snow ip there.
Eva P
VerifiedJanuary 12, 2023 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
Lovely cabin, very secluded and peaceful experience! Cabin was left in great shape by the previous visitors, with enough wood inside to get us through the first night. Plenty of wood outside to chop for the rest of our stay. There is enough dish-ware and pots and pans, there are chairs too. Since there was a lot of snow, we hiked in the full 10 miles, pulling our sleds with gear. It kept snowing during our stay and we snowshoed the first 3 miles back until the groomed snowmobile road. We were never cold with the wood-stove going on! No signs or sounds of mice being active in the cabin.
This place must be amazing in every season. Bring a good book, some good food and get disconnected from the world for a bit!
Michal K
VerifiedSeptember 19, 2022 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
Awesome little cabin in a beautiful spot, we had a great time! I appreciated the ranger's phone call checking in with us few days prior. It was a wild drive in, would not recommend attempting the final 3 miles in a stock vehicle unless you're prepared to get stuck and/or bottom out hard. It's a rough trail with lots of heavy mud. The cabin itself is very rustic. Nice and cozy with a fire. You will be sharing it with a pack of mice. Any food or crumbs left out overnight will be devoured and there are droppings throughout the cabin. You might hear them squeaking as they scamper around at night. We left a roll of toilet paper on the floor of the outhouse and it got shredded. Firewood has been restocked. There are ample dishes, but considering the mouse droppings I'd bring your own or wash before you use them.
Ashley A
VerifiedSeptember 5, 2022 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
Love it very rustic!
Joshua D
VerifiedAugust 29, 2022 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
I wish I had read the most recent review before going. Road 700 is fine, but road 744 is 3 miles of severely rutted mud. I was in a 4x4 F-150, stock height and tire size. I made it to the cabin but bottomed out at least half a dozen times. Bent one running board out of position. Anything installed in my rear received would've been destroyed (think bike racks, etc.) The cabin itself is really cool, although, there was very little firewood. The storage box in front of the cabin was completely empty, and it had been raining heavily so nothing dry to gather. I would recommend, if it's been raining a lot, don't even try to go unless you're on foot. I only got stuck once and was able to get out by shoving some deadfall tree limbs under my tires. Bring a shovel and a come along (cable winch) with you.
Ben P
VerifiedJuly 15, 2022 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
Road was too rutted for a 4x4 truck.
Dave D
VerifiedJuly 5, 2022 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
You’re only allowed to tell ONE other person about how amazing this place is. It’s already hard enough to get a reservation! :)
Lisa M
VerifiedJanuary 26, 2022 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
Amazing, peaceful, and one long ski. Like the other post, beware of the cow. The ranchers warned us so we went around but watch out!
Jeremy H
VerifiedNovember 13, 2021 • Stayed at: 01, Loop: PINEY GUARD
Exceptional secluded mountain cabin. Well maintained, great view, and very peaceful. The road down is a blast if you have good 4wd. This is a real gem from the forest service.
Location Piney Guard Station
Address:
Eagle Holy Cross Ranger District Po Box 190
Minturn, CO, 81645
United States
Take I-70 east from Grand Junction, CO, about 126 miles or heading west from Denver about 119 miles to exit 157. Take Highway 131 north through the town of Wolcott about 5 miles. Turn right onto Forest Road #700 (Muddy Pass Road). From this location, you must follow seasonal access directions to the cabin, as detailed below:
Winter season Accessing the cabin during the winter season (November 23rd - May 20th) depends on snowpack. If the snowpack is minimal, you may be able to use a high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle to reach the gravel pile parking area at the intersection with Forest Road #700 and #744 which is approximately 7 miles from the Highway 131. If snow is moderate to low, you may be able to travel to the Forest boundary, where there is a small pull out that can fit 2 vehicles. The Forest boundary is approximately 5.3 miles from the guard station. With low snowpack, you can likely make it to the intersection of FSR 700 and 734 and parking at the gravel pile parking area. You will have to snowmobile, ski, or snowshoe on Forest Road #744 for approximately 3 miles to the cabin. During high snowpack, park at the intersection of Forest Road #700 and Highway 131. From here, travel via snowmobile, skis, or snowshoes on Forest Road #700 for approximately 7 miles. Then, turn onto Forest Road #744 and travel 3 miles to the cabin.
Summer season
During the summer season (May21st - November 22nd), it is highly recommended to use a high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle to reach the guard station. FSR 744 is very rough, rutted, and often muddy. This road can damage vehicles that are not suitable for rugged 4WD roads. If you choose to use a 2 -wheel drive vehicle, SUV, or lower clearance 4WD vehicle, you must park at the intersection with Forest Road #700 and #744, which is 3 miles away from the cabin. From this location, one must hike or mountain bike to the cabin with gear and supplies. Off Highway Vehicle (OHV/ATV) is permitted to access the cabin from the intersection of Forest Roads #700 and #744.
Latitude & Longitude: 39.7575 / -106.561
Elevation: 2761 feet