PAYSON — The historic Payson Lakes Guard Station will now be available for the public as part of the Forest Service cabin rental program.
The facility can accommodate eight people overnight for $100 per night, with a two-night minimum stay. Make reservations at recreation.gov.
The guard station can be accessed via the Mount Nebo National Scenic Byway, about 13 miles south of Payson. The facility is adjacent to Payson Lakes, a popular day-use area, and within close proximity of the Mount Nebo wilderness, which has many trails. A fenced horse pasture is included with the cabin rental for access to nearby equestrian trails. The guard station availability for public use also marks the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. Guard stations, like Payson Lakes, were originally built for use by early Forest Service Rangers and their families. The guard station was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935 as part of the New Deal Program. Early Forest Service guard stations were typically spaced a “day’s ride by horseback” from each other. In an effort to maintain the historic structures, the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest is rehabilitating several guard stations to be available to the public through the National Recreation Reservation Service. Restoration work is also being done on a second cabin on the Spanish Fork Ranger District, the Diamond Fork Guard Station, which will be available for public use in the near future.