Pebble Guard Station

Pebble Guard Station is located at the base of Bonneville Peak along beautiful Pebble Creek, a tributary of the Portneuf River. The rustic one-room cabin offers a secluded retreat on four fenced acres, surrounded by high mountain vistas. The original Pebble Guard Station was built in 1908; the current structure stands at a higher altitude and was built in 1933. Guests can drive to Pebble Guard Station during warmer months, but it can only be accessed by snowmobile or other snow means in the winter. The main access road, Pebble Road, FS #036, is closed after November 15 every year, and guests will have to walk, bike, ski, snowshoe or snowmobile in approximately 6 miles on a groomed trail to the cabin, hauling their gear and supplies. Winter guests should check snow conditions with the Westside Ranger District before booking from November through May, and must bring their own water. Guests will find opportunities for recreation year-round. Hunting is a popular pastime, and a nearby beaver pond provides good fishing and wading. Trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and off-road vehicles are nearby. In winter, the area turns into a snowmobiling playground. Pebble Guard Station can accommodate up to six people on the two bunkbeds and folding cots provided. Cabin amenities include a mudroom with a sink, countertop and seasonal shower facilities. The main room serves as the kitchen and sleeping room, with two bunk beds with mattresses, a wood stove, table with chairs, folding cots, a broom and dustpan, and a stove and oven. Propane appliances include lights, stove/oven and water heater; the propane heater located in the main room is currently not functional, so guests should come prepared with their own firewood to heat the cabin with the wood stove. Water is only available during the summer season. A single vault toilet, campfire ring, grill, lantern post and picnic table are located outside, and the parking area can accommodate up to 3 RVs. Guests may find limited dishes and cookware; bedding, towels, first aid and emergency supplies, matches, lanterns and flashlights are not provided, nor are garbage bags and cleaning supplies. Guests are expected to clean the cabin and pack out their trash before leaving. Pebble Guard Station is managed by Pinnacle Parks LLC under a special use permit with the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The cabin is located at 6,320 feet on the open foothills of Pebble Basin, which offers expansive views into the high country of Bonneville Peak. This peak is the highest of the Portneuf Range, and the mountains of this range are covered with pine forest and green vegetation. A variety of wildlife inhabits this area, including mule deer, elk, cougars, coyote and black bears. Lava Hot Springs makes a fun day trip from the cabin, with a natural hot springs soaking pool, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, waterslides and diving platforms, two 9-hole disc golf courses linked around the pool complex, and tubing on the Portneuf River, with tube rentals available throughout town.