Piney Guard Station

a quiet little get-away with decent hiking right out the front door!
driving the last 3 miles is doable in a 4x4, but could be challenging with snow. probably best to call the ranger's office if in doubt of road conditions.

Incredible cabin, albeit small (~12x~12). Two bunk beds were perfect for my kids (6 and 8), and there was also a folding Coleman cot for an adult to sleep on. Propane stove and lantern both served us well, and there were numerous folding chairs to use around the fire ring. Picnic bench was great for meals. You need to bring your own water. Outhouse about 20 yards from the cabin was functional and met expectations. The ~3 mile road to get to the cabin took us ~1 hour to get up in a 4x4, high clearance Toyota Tundra. You would get stuck in an AWD vehicle. Even if you have a 4x4, if it's not lifted it's very possible you'd damage the bottom of your car if you don't have a skid plate. Very remote and peaceful location. Run into a few people on horseback and ATVs, but they were friendly and respectful. Would definitely come back. Bring bug spray, lots of mosquitos given the proximity to marshy grasslands.

Very great. As described. The road leading up to it is manageable, especially if it's dry. If it's wet...good luck. But the USFS does a great job maintaining the cabin

We had our own little piece of Colorado for a night! Beautiful 3 mile walk in to the cabin. Wildflowers out in force!! Great way to get acclimated for our backpacking trip after.

This place is AMAZING. We were looking for an inexpensive place to stay on our cross country journey and it felt like we found a gem of Colorado in this location. Reading the guestbook felt like we were being welcomed into a secret club. The only problem when booking is that it said nothing about the state of the road. It was only when we received the instructions did we learn that the road is recommended for 4WD in the summer. Our car probably would have made it but we hiked in anyway to not have to find out. The three miles or so up made for a fun backpacking hike with full accommodations at the end. Sucks to have to hike in all your water in the summer but otherwise, a top notch spot!

The road getting out there is longer than I expected but SO worth it. This cabin was one of the coolest experiences and I can't wait to go back again this year.

The cabin was very rural, it is helpful to bring everything you would camping. They do have 2 padded bunk beds and 2 cot beds. The area surrounding the cabin is gorgeous. It was the most peaceful, quiet trip we have ever taken. No cell phone service, and completely checked out from the world. There seems to be quite a bit of wildlife up near the cabin. We read stories about a black bear, but didn't see any. We did see a fox and baby birds. There were lots of mosquitos and flies when we went in August. Bring bug spray! And the most important recommendation of all, make sure you have 4 wheel drive vehicle with high clearance. We were naive and didn't think much of the "recommended" 4 wheel drive vehicle notes but this is a must if you can't hike in. We have an Acura RDX and my husband and I were so nervous we were going to get stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell service. It was the scariest drive we've ever made late at night. You'll be fine if you have 4 wheel drive, high clearance-just go slow. Once you've made it to the cabin alive, it is the most serene place you'll ever visit and it was worth the nail biting drive. :)

What a treat! This was a super remote cabin, surrounded by beautiful scenery and wildlife - just what was promised! The ONLY reason this place didn't get 5 stars was because it was supposed to have 2 cots, and it only had 1. There were four of us, so my 10 year old was on the top bunk, my husband was on the cot, and my 6 year old and I were on the bottom bunk... and the bunks hardly qualify as "singles," so it was more than cozy. However, I love that someone put fairy lights in the outhouse (we changed out the batteries), and there was plenty of wood, and the cabin was super cozy during the torrential rain storm we experienced. Would definitely come back here again!