Louella Cabin
Located in the northeast portion of Olympic National Forest, Louella Cabin offers guests a unique lodging experience. It was built in 1912 by Forest Service employee, E. M. Cheney, who dedicated the structure to his wife, Louella. A fireguard was stationed at the cabin during the summer and fall. During the Great Depression, a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp was built in the lower part of the meadow below the cabin and consisted of barracks, a bathhouse and mess hall. The CCC has worked on many projects in the area, including fire lookouts, trails, bridges, roads and planting trees after forest fires.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins with electric | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | 30 | Gravel | Partial | 6 / 2 | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Max vehicle length | 20 ft |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
The four-room cabin can accommodate six people. The living room has a futon. One bedroom has a queen bed and the other has twin bunk beds. The kitchen has a table and chairs, cook stove, refrigerator, dishes, pots, silverware and cooking utensils. The cabin also has electricity and a propane heater. Propane is furnished. There is also a fire ring near the cabin for outdoor barbecuing and campfires, as well as a covered picnic table. Potable water and an indoor toilet are available. There are no shower facilities. Guests need to provide their own sleeping bags, pillows, flashlights, towels, dish soap, matches, cleaning supplies first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags. All trash and food must be packed out, and guests are expected to clean the cabin before leaving. Please leave nothing behind, if you would like to make a donation of goods to the cabin please contact the Ranger Station for a list of needs.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Sequim, travel east for approximately 3 miles. Just past John Wayne Marina Road, turn right onto the Palo Alto Road and travel approximately 8 miles. The access drive to Louella Cabin is by an information kiosk on the right. Turn into the driveway, go past the first building, and Louella Cabin is on the right.
| Nearest town | Sequim, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47.9952° N, 123.0849° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 3.9 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Sportsman's Warehouse ↗ | 6 mi |
| RV sales & service | Peninsula RV ↗ | 7.1 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
Take some time to visit the area around the historic Tubal Cain mine in the nearby Buckhorn Wilderness or hike to views of the Olympic mountains and Buckhorn Wilderness from the Ned Hill Lookout site. Visitors also enjoy access to Olympic National Park from this area. Take some time to visit Olympic National Park, known for its diverse and spectacular ecosystems.
- 4.1 mi
- 5.4 miSnow Creek Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 2.8 miGray Wolf3.6 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 3.2 miCat Creek Loop0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.1 miGold Creek ↗6.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 4.1 miLower Dungeness ↗6.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 4.6 miNed Hill1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trailheads within three miles
- 2.8 miGray Wolf Trailhead ↗Olympic National Forest · Season Mid-Spring
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
Buckhorn Wilderness begins about 5.9 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 5.9 miBuckhorn Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 44,270 acres
- 8.3 miDaniel J. Evans Wilderness ↗Wilderness · National Park Service · 876,447 acres
- 11.1 miProtection Island National Wildlife Refuge ↗National Wildlife Refuge · Fish and Wildlife Service · 391 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Natural features
Louella Cabin sits on a gentle slope overlooking a valley and flanked by a canopy of towering Douglas fir. Buckhorn Wilderness is accessible from the cabin. Located in the northeast corner of Olympic National Forest, the wilderness area is divided into northern and southern portions by the Dungeness River. The northern portion descends from higher mountainous terrain to lowlands, heavily forested in fir, hemlock, and cedar with an understory of moss, ferns, and berry bushes. South of the river, the terrain soars skyward to alpine meadows and rocky ridges. Magnificent old-growth western hemlock, western red cedar and Douglas fir dominate the forest, providing habitat for elk, black-tailed deer, black bears and mountain lions.
Recreation
The cabin is conveniently located near the Buckhorn Wilderness, which offers excellent opportunities for backpacking, horseback riding, hunting, mountain climbing and hiking, with over 58 miles of trails. Anglers will enjoy fishing the Dungeness River, and are drawn to it for steelhead and cutthroat trout, as well as chinook, coho and pink salmon. The river has its headwaters high on Mount Mystery in Olympic National Park, and descends into Dungeness Bay on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Guidebooks for Washington
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Louella Cabin?
Sites at Louella Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Louella Cabin?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Louella Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin with power.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Louella Cabin?
The longest site here provides 20 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Are there showers or a dump station at Louella Cabin?
There are no shower facilities.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Louella Cabin?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Louella Cabin?
The cabin is conveniently located near the Buckhorn Wilderness, which offers excellent opportunities for backpacking, horseback riding, hunting, mountain climbing and hiking, with over 58 miles of trails. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Louella Cabin?
Sequim, Washington. Take some time to visit the area around the historic Tubal Cain mine in the nearby Buckhorn Wilderness or hike to views of the Olympic mountains and Buckhorn Wilderness from the Ned Hill Lookout site.
Source: Getting there
What if Louella Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Dungeness Forks Campground (1.9 mi, first-come), Deer Park Campground (8.7 mi, first-come), and Falls View Campground (16 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby