Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta
Nestled in a grove of towering old-growth conifer trees, the Government Mineral Springs Guard Station is a delightful setting for guests seeking relaxation and recreation in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The Government Mineral Springs area has been a draw to recreation enthusiasts since the early 1900's. In 1910, S.D. Fox and the Star Brewing Company of Portland began construction of a hotel near Trapper Creek, which eventually became known as Government Mineral Springs. The popular resort boasted bath houses, Iron Mike Bubbling Springs, a dance pavilion, store, ice cream parlor, goldfish ponds and flower gardens.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| GMS | Gravel | Full | 9 / 3 |
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 11:00 AM.
Amenities & rules
The two-story cabin can accommodate up to nine guests. The lower floor has a large kitchen with a propane stove, dining room and living room with a table and chairs, fireplace and two futon couches that fold out into double beds. Two upstairs bedrooms can accommodate five guests, with two single beds in one bedroom, and one bunk-bed that sleeps three in a second bedroom. Propane heat, lights and a cooking stove are provided along with wood for the fireplace. Pots, pans, dishes and cooking utensils are provided. A vault toilet is located on site. There is no potable water at the cabin, and guests are encouraged to bring plenty for drinking, cooking and washing. A stream within 300 feet of the guard station may be used as a water source; however, the water must be treated or boiled before drinking. Although the cabin has several amenities, guests do need to provide their own sleeping bags, linens, towels, dish soap, matches, first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags. Bringing an additional light source in case of emergencies is also advised.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Portland take Interstate 84 east, take Cascade Locks Exit 44 and cross the Bridge of the Gods (toll bridge) to Highway 14 in Washington State. Turn east (right) on Highway 14 and drive 5 miles to the Carson junction with the Wind River Highway.
| Nearest town | Trout Lake, Washington |
| Coordinates | 45.8812° N, 121.9931° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- Melted snow can be used for washing, but is not safe for drinking.
Fire nearby
- WildfireHigh Lava
6 mi from the campground · 2,899 acres · 95% contained
- PrescribedTop Of The World Rx
30 mi from the campground
- PrescribedTracy Hill Rx
31 mi from the campground · 28 acres
- WildfireGrasshopper
49 mi from the campground · 93,972 acres · 98% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Stevenson Trailer Sewage Dump Station ↗ | 13.9 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Camping World ↗ | 31.1 mi |
| RV sales & service | Camping World ↗ | 36.3 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
The guard station is located between Mt. St Helens National Volcanic Monument and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, convenient for day trips.
- 11.3 miTrailhead: Thomas Lake ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.3 miObservation ↗7.4 mi trail
- 0.4 miSoda Peaks Lake ↗5 mi trail
- 0.6 miTrapper Creek ↗8.2 mi trail
- 0.8 miTrapper Creek Bridge0.3 mi trail
- 0.9 miCabin0.07 mi trail
- 1.7 miBig Slide0.4 mi trail
Trailheads within three miles
- 0.6 miTrailhead: Trapper Creek ↗Gifford Pinchot National Forest
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
Gifford Pinchot National Forest begins under a tenth of a mile away, and it is the closest of these.
- under 0.1 miGifford Pinchot National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,496,308 acres
- 0.6 miTrapper Creek Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 5,963 acres
- 9.7 miIndian Heaven Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 20,784 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
Trapper Creek Wilderness is within walking distance of the guard station, boasting 6,050 acres of diverse habitat. Cascading streams and waterfalls are plentiful throughout the steep slopes at the lower elevations, while huckleberry fields occur higher near Observation Peak. Wildlife abounds in the area. Animals commonly seen include black tail deer, Roosevelt elk and black bear. The more elusive cougar, bobcat and pine marten are seen occasionally. Spotted owls, barred owls, pileated woodpeckers and goshawks inhabit the forest treetops.
Recreation
Many recreational opportunities are within close proximity of the Guard Station, including fishing, hiking, biking, mushroom and huckleberry picking, hunting, skiing and snowshoeing. Nearby fishing opportunities include spring chinook fishing on the Wind River and lake fishing for brown and brook trout in Soda Peaks Lake, in Trapper Creek Wilderness. A short drive from the cabin is the Falls Creek Falls Trail, a 3.5-mile round-trip hike for the whole family. Accessible year round, the trail follows a forested creek before crossing a suspension bridge, then traverses a side slope which offers views of the creek and interesting rock formations. At the end of the trail is lower Falls Creek Falls, a three-tiered waterfall which drops nearly 250 feet into a pool below the viewpoint.
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 Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta?
Sites at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta?
Many recreational opportunities are within close proximity of the Guard Station, including fishing, hiking, biking, mushroom and huckleberry picking, hunting, skiing and snowshoeing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta?
Trout Lake, Washington. The guard station is located between Mt.
Source: Getting there
What if Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Government Mineral Springs Campground (0.1 mi, first-come), Beaver Campground (2.5 mi), and Paradise Creek Campground (5.5 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby