Horse Prairie Cabin

We spent 2 nights at this cabin over MLK weekend and had a lovely stay! The wood stove kept us plenty warm and there were plenty of kitchen utensils to make our food with. It wasn’t a far trek from the bottom of the road, but would recommend bringing sand and a shovel as our car got stuck in the snow. Very pretty place and I had cell service with AT&T the whole time.

USFS cabins and lookouts are not comparable to commercial for profit rentals. You are relying on previous renters to clean the cabin before you arrive which sometimes does not happen. Our star review is based upon a rustic cabin experience and some cabins have electricity, propane or just a wood stove. A 5 star for a USFS cabin or lookout could equal a 2 or 3 star review to a regular for profit cabin.

This was one of our favorite USFS cabins we have ever rented. The views are wonderful and the photos on the site do not do it justice. You get to see a long way across the prairie to the mountain range east of I-15 35+ miles away.

The good:
Easy drive weather permitted in a car. If there are medium+ rains you may have a challenge due to the mud not to mention snow.

Excellent Verizon coverage of 4 - 4.5 bars with data too.

Nice propane stove with oven.

A wood stove is in the kitchen.

Nice dining table with 3 backed chairs.

There are 3 bunk beds so 6 beds are available although they are a little noisy. A previous reviewer pointed this out 6 months ago. We told the Dillon Ranger Station also but a month later from our stay they still have not updated the site. Of course you can see 3 bunk beds in the photos.

Propane lights with 2 in the kitchen and one in the bedroom.

Nice ADA vault pit toilet.

A few games and puzzles.

Fire pit.

Lots of wood.

Locked gate for privacy that appears to have been added recently.

Water is supplied June-September and there is a sink that drains outside.

Creek a short distance away but not recommended for drinking.

Heard wolves, coyotes and all kinds of birds with the Western Meadowlark being our favorite. Prairie dogs abound with elk and moose sighted. Some reports of bear sightings in the journals.

The bad:
Notified the Dillon Ranger Station May 18, 2022 that there is no mop or mop bucket or shovel as site states.

Also told them that the ax was was broken and wood splitter maul was barely hanging on.

Swallows a bit irritating with nests around the cabin mostly on the sides. At the time of our stay there were none over the porch fortunately.

There was a thin string across the kitchen area for hanging some clothing but there is no clothes hangers or rods.

According to journals two different people locked themselves out and ended up breaking windows to get back in. Keep back door unlocked please.

Bring fly traps.

Road going up is very rough and has some spots of loose gravel so maybe not best for low clearance vehicles but it is beautiful.