A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Poso Guard Station Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Sequoia National Forest, Tulare County, California. 4,587 feet. 28.1 miles from Porterville.

Managed by
Forest Service Sequoia National Forest
Elevation
4,587 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 cabin electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Tulare County

Overview

The Poso Guard Station Cabin is situated on a mountain top in the Giant Sequoia National Monument in the Sequoia National Forest. Perched at an altitude of 4,480 feet, the cabin is only an hour from Bakersfield, California. The cabin has expansive views of the San Joaquin Valley and surrounding mountains, including Tobias Peak, and is a great base for a forest getaway.

Poso Station Cabin was constructed in 1933 near the small town of Posey to provide a residence for fire patrolmen stationed in that area. The exterior is constructed of board and batten-style paneling nailed to a standard wooden frame. The interior has been modified with paneling, modern sliding glass windows and modern counter tops in food preparation area.

Recreation

In the summer, hiking, fishing, biking and horseback riding are popular options. Skiing and snowmobiling are popular in the winter. Stargazing is enjoyable year-round.

During the summer, The Tobias Fire Lookout and the Trail of 100 Giants, both an hour drive from the cabin, make a nice outing.

Facilities

The one-story, one-bedroom cabin sleeps five and offers electricity, hot and cold running water and a furnace for fall and winter seasons. The bedroom contains a queen-size bed and a twin bed. The living room has a double hide-a-bed couch that sleeps two.

The kitchen includes a stove, refrigerator, microwave, toaster, coffee maker, pots and pans, dishes and utensils and a small table. There is a a bathroom with a flush toilet and a tub-shower.

A picnic table and campfire ring sit outside. There is also room outdoors for cots and tents, and space to accommodate a motor home, although there are no hookups available.

Guests should plan to bring linens, pillows, blankets, towels, toiletries, food and trash bags. Suggested additional items include toilet paper, paper towels, camp chairs, wood for the outside fire ring, insect repellent and dish towels.

Natural Features

The cabin is situated amidst pines and oaks and has views of the Greenhorn Mountains, which are part of the Sierra Nevada range.

The cabin also has views of Tobias Peak, site of a 8,300-foot-elevation lookout tower.

There are deer and cattle in the area, as well as raptors such as Golden Eagles and an occasional condor.

Temperatures range from the 20s in the winter to the high 90s in the summer. The weather can change suddenly, so guests need to be prepared with warm clothing.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • interpretive programs
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Poso Guard Station Cabin

The ringed pin is this cabin or lookout; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.