Forest Service cabins are unique properties situated on land administered by the US Forest Service. This means that the land associated with the cabins belongs to the Federal Government. The cabin owner gets exclusive use of the land via a special use permit that they pay for on an annual basis. Special use permits are renewed in 20 year increments on a forest by forest basis. You still do pay property taxes to the county assessor based on the purchase price of the cabin.

The cabins are for recreational use only and can not be your primary residence. Many of the cabins are on well and septic systems, although some are on water and sewer. In general the roads to the cabins are gated in the off season from approximately October to May to help maintain the integrity of the roads. Because you do not own the land associated with these cabins, banks will not issue loans on them. They are generally considered a cash only purchase.