Johnson Guard Station

About

Johnson Guard Station is a historic Forest Service cabin located 30 miles east of Soda Springs, Idaho, on a site established in 1910. The current building was constructed in 1934 and is named after James J. Johnson, who served as ranger of the Georgetown Ranger District from 1907 to 1913. The cabin sits in a scenic meadow at 6,500 feet elevation, surrounded by the peaks of Dry Ridge and the Webster subrange in southeastern Idaho. Stands of aspen and lodgepole pine dot the landscape. The guard station accommodates up to 15 guests and features one sleeping room with four single beds. Guests must bring their own bedding, sleeping pads, cookware, and utensils. The kitchen includes a gas stove for cooking and a dining table with chairs. A gas furnace provides heat, and propane-powered lights offer illumination. An outdoor vault toilet and picnic table are available. No water or electricity is provided, so campers must bring all drinking water. Recreation opportunities abound nearby. The Bear Canyon OHV Trail begins about 1 mile north, and the area offers excellent hiking, mountain biking, fishing in Diamond Creek, and hunting. In winter, the surrounding terrain is popular with snowmobilers and cross-country skiers. Wildlife in the area includes black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, elk, moose, mule deer, mountain lions, and pronghorn.

Directions

From Soda Springs, take Highway 34 north approximately 12 miles to the China Hat turnoff (Blackfoot River Narrows). Follow this road along the Blackfoot River for 11 miles to a junction with a Forest Service sign. Take the right fork (Caribou National Forest Road 102) southeast for 10 miles to the guard station. The road becomes Diamond Creek Road.