Forest Service Cabins are unique properties. We are fortunate in Lake Tahoe to have many tracts scattered around the area. These cabins are used via a special use permit issued by the US Forest Service. This is how ski resorts can operate on public lands. There is a yearly fee associated with the permits, payable to the Forest Service. You also pay property taxes to the county for these cabins. However, they are not real property as you do not own the land, you are just given exclusive use. This means that you cannot get a loan for them, you must pay cash. Additional restrictions include: you can not rent them out for more than 14 days per year, they may not be your primary residence, they are considered seasonal use only, the road may not be plowed, you may not add on to them. If these restrictions aren’t too daunting, then cabin life just may in your future.