Welcome to the
Pacific Northwest’s
Forest Service Rental Program!
Whether it is winter, spring, summer, or fall, you can experience all of
the seasons in a historic Forest Service cabin or fire lookout. Once operated
as fully staffed lookouts or remote ranger stations, many of these rentals
provide an opportunity to live the life of a ranger or fire lookout.
These recreation rentals are offered to the public under the Federal Lands
Recreation Enhancement Act. Rental fees are retained locally to help maintain
and preserve these historic properties.
A Bit of History
Many of the cabins and lookouts that compose the Recreation Lodging offering
in the Pacific Northwest Region are the historic representatives of a
once- extensive system of protective structures designed to detect wildfires – and
to house fire guards, "smoke chasers", who formed the front-line
defense in fighting those fires as the initial attack.
The cabins were "Guard Stations" – intermediate protective
facilities between the Ranger Station and the back country. Guard Stations
were strategically located, to afford the maximum contact with people headed
into the back country– to check permits, provide information, and caution
about the use of fire. Guard Stations also placed fire guards closer to forest
so that no time would be lost in getting on the trail when a phone call came
in from the lookout locating a "smoke" (fire). Many of the trails
that are now recreation trails began as fire trails to connect and supply
fire lookouts, and to reach far into the back country.
Fire lookouts were fixed point fire detection stations, built from a sequence
of standard plans, the designs for which were technical and functional. At
first, fire lookouts were located on high peaks such as Mt Hood and Mt Adams,
and in the fore country. However, the high peaks were often above
the clouds and didn’t provide a routinely good view of the surrounding
forested lands. Access to the back country was gradually increased, and after
its formation in 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built many lookouts,
both ground houses and towers, in areas of the forests not previously covered.
At its zenith, the fixed point fire detection system covered virtually every
stream drainage, often from two or three points, so that almost all forested
lands were visible. More recently, other fire detection technologies have
largely supplanted fixed point fire detection stations.
General Information
Pets: Pets are allowed in many of the recreation rentals
available to the public. Here are a few simple things to consider when bringing
your family member on your trip to make your stay more enjoyable to you,
your pet, other visitors, and wildlife:
- Keep your pet leashed when required. Some rentals require that your pet
remain outside and leashed.
- Prevent your pet from harassing or chasing
wildlife. Many animals maintain a small margin of energy reserves particularly
in the winter for their survival.
- Clean up after your pet.
- Do not leave your pet unattended in the rental.
Storms: Storms are part of the thrill of staying at a lookout,
but they are also extremely dangerous. If a lightning storm should occur
while you are at the lookout, please follow these rules:
- Stay indoors or
in your car.
- If you are trapped outside during a lightning storm, move
to lower ground and stay low to the ground.
- Do not stand under trees
or other high objects.
- If you are in the lookout building, close
windows and
doors. Lightning follows air currents.
- Turn off radios. Do not touch
anything metal.
Safety: Many of the fire lookouts are difficult to access
requiring the ability to scale ladders or climb steep steps. Catwalks around
the towers are narrow. Modifications to these facilities are virtually impossible
in order to maintain their historic integrity. These lookouts are not recommended
for small children.
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