Recreation Rentals of the Pacific Northwest

US Forest Service

Map of Forests

Bureau of Land Management

Oregon and Washington

National Park Service

North Cascades

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:

1. Keep your pet leashed when required. Some rentals require that your pet remain outside and leashed.
2. Prevent your pet from harassing or chasing wildlife. Many animals maintain a small margin of energy reserves particularly in the winter for their survival.
3. Clean up after your pet.
4. 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:

1. Stay indoors or in your car.
2. If you are trapped outside during a lightning storm, move
   to lower ground and stay low to the ground.
3. Do not stand under trees or other high objects.
4. If you are in the lookout building, close windows and
   doors. Lightning follows air currents.
5. 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.

Deschutes National Forest
		Green Ridge Lookout - Oregon
Fremont-Winema National Forests
		Aspen Cabin - Oregon
		Bald Butte Lookout - Oregon Temporarily Closed for Maintenance
		Currier Guard Station - Oregon
		Drake Peak Lookout - Oregon Temporarily Closed for Maintenance
		Hager Mountain Lookout - Oregon
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
		Government Mineral Springs Guard Station - Washington
		Peterson Prairie Guard Station - Washington
Malheur National Forest
		Deer Creek Guard Station - Oregon
		Fall Mountain Lookout - Oregon
		Murderer's Creek Work Center - Oregon
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
		Evergreen Mountain Lookout - Washington Due to Flood Damage on Evergreen Mountain Road (FS Road 6554), at mile post 1.4, the Evergreen Mountain Lookout is inaccessible until further notice.
		Suiattle Guard Station - Washington Due to flood damage to the Suiattle Road (FS Road 26) the Suiattle Guard Station is inaccessible until further notice.
Mt. Hood National Forest
		Clackamas Lake Historic Ranger Cabin - Oregon
		Clear Lake Lookout - Oregon
		Fivemile Butte Lookout - Oregon
		Flag Point Lookout - Oregon
Ochoco National Forest
		Cold Springs Guard Station Cabin - Oregon
Okanogan & Wenatchee National Forests
		American River Guard Station - Washington
		American Ridge Lodge - Washington
		Table Mountain A-Frame - Washington
		Teanaway Guard Station - Washington
Olympic National Forest
		Hamma Hamma Cabin - Washington
		Interrorem Cabin - Washington
		Louella Cabin - Washington
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
		Bald Knob Lookout - Oregon
		Bolan Mountain Lookout - Oregon
		Imnaha Guard Station - Oregon
		Lake of the Woods Lookout - Oregon
		Ludlum House Group Site - Oregon
		Packer's Cabin - Oregon
		Quail Prairie Lookout - Oregon
		Snow Camp Lookout - Oregon
		Willow Prairie Cabin - Oregon
Umatilla National Forest
		Clearwater Big House Cabin - Washington
		Clearwater Lookout Cabin - Washington
		Ditch Creek Guard Station - Oregon
		Fremont Congo Gulch - Oregon
		Fremont Hilltop Hideaway - Oregon
		Fremont Miner's Retreat - Oregon
		Fry Meadow Guard Station - Oregon
		Godman Guard Station - Washington
		Summit Guard Station - Oregon
		Tamarack Lookout Cabin - Oregon
		Wenatchee Guard Station - Washington
Umpqua National Forest
		Butler Butte Cabin - Oregon
		Fairview Peak Lookout - Oregon
		Musick Guard Station - Oregon
		Pickett Butte Lookout - Oregon
		Whisky Camp Guard Station - Oregon
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
		Anthony Lakes Guard Station - Oregon
		Antlers Guard Station - Oregon
		Peavy Cabin - Oregon
		Two Color Guard Station - Oregon
Willamette National Forest
		Box Canyon Guard Station - Oregon
		Commissary Cabin - Oregon
		Gold Butte Lookout - Oregon
		Hall House - Oregon
		Indian Ridge Lookout - Oregon
		Timber Butte Lookout - Oregon
		Timpanogas Shelter - Oregon
		Warner Mountain Lookout - Oregon

Want to reserve a cabin or lookout? All reservations are through the Recreation.gov. Visit them at RECREATION.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.