U.S. Forest Service · Umatilla National Forest · Ukiah, OR

Miners Retreat

Miner's Retreat is an old Forest Service cabin that allows guests to relax in the outdoors and also step back in time to when the cabin was used during the bygone gold mining days. Miner's Retreat is part of the Fremont Powerhouse complex, a hub for mining built in the early 1900s. It is one of four cabins located at the site near the town of Granite, and provides great flexibility for larger groups. The surrounding valleys once teemed with mining activity, primarily gold. The Fremont Powerhouse was built in 1908 as an economical method for mining.

More like this: reservable in Oregon · pets allowed in Oregon

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
White house with clapboard siding.MINERS RETREATMINERS RETREATMINERS RETREAT
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed

This cozy little cabin offers a covered front porch and features two bedrooms, a full bath with hot and cold running water (during the summer months only) and a kitchen and living room. The cabin has electric lights throughout and is heated with electric wall heaters. The cabin sleeps up to six and is fully furnished with beds, a couch and a table with chairs. The kitchen is equipped with an electric stove and oven, refrigerator and a variety of utensils, such as skillets, a coffee pot, glasses, cups, dishes and silverware. Cleaning supplies are also provided. Guests must bring sleeping bags or bedding, a flashlight, first aid kit, washcloths, towels and dish soap, among other general camping supplies.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Miners Retreat20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.56 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.74 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.92 inches of precipitationApril: 1.66 inches of precipitationMay: 1.84 inches of precipitationJune: 1.62 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.69 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.71 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.79 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.25 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.66 inches of precipitationDecember: 3.32 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 24.8°F averageFebruary: 29.0°F averageMarch: 34.7°F averageApril: 40.4°F averageMay: 47.9°F averageJune: 54.9°F averageJuly: 63.3°F averageAugust: 62.4°F averageSeptember: 54.1°F averageOctober: 43.3°F averageNovember: 32.1°F averageDecember: 24.8°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Austin 3 S, 15 miles from the campground at 4,213 feet, station USC00350356 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 21 inches a year.

Getting there

From Pendleton, Oregon: Travel south on Highway 395 for 50 miles to the Ukiah exit. Turn left on Highway 244 to Ukiah. Turn right (south) just before the city park; this road becomes Forest Service Road (FSR) 52 at the Forest boundary. Travel 50 miles to the small town of Granite. From Granite go west on County Road 24 for approximately 6 miles.

Nearest townUkiah, Oregon
Coordinates44.7966° N, 118.4981° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Mccully

    11 mi from the campground · 13,604 acres · 91% contained

  • Prescribed
    Greenwood Rx

    25 mi from the campground · 38 acres

  • Prescribed
    Birdtrack 621 Broadcast Rx

    38 mi from the campground · 377 acres

  • Prescribed
    Bird Track 610/607A Rx

    40 mi from the campground · 141 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗39.2 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

The cabin is located less than 6 miles from Granite, Oregon, a ghost town that once bustled with prospectors and pioneers. The town provides groceries and fuel.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside North Fork John Day Wilderness.

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The cabin sits at an elevation of about 5,000 feet, on a hillside overlooking the expansive Umatilla National Forest near the North Fork John Day Wilderness. A grassy lawn in front leads to the other three cabins in the area. The forest lies in the Blue Mountains and is home to Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Birds in the area include the black-backed woodpecker, American kestrel and the Boreal owl. Black bear, elk and deer are among the native land mammals.

Recreation

Guests can hike on trails into the North Fork John Day Wilderness or go mountain biking on forest roads. A drive along the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway is a treat, as are other activities like huckleberry and mushroom picking, bird watching, wildlife viewing and photographing the vast landscape. Nearby Olive Lake offers boating, fishing and swimming.

Guidebooks for Oregon

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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 Miners Retreat?

Sites at Miners Retreat are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Miners Retreat?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Miners Retreat have?

1 site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Miners Retreat?

Yes, pets are allowed at Miners Retreat. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Miners Retreat?

Guests can hike on trails into the North Fork John Day Wilderness or go mountain biking on forest roads. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Miners Retreat?

Ukiah, Oregon. The cabin is located less than 6 miles from Granite, Oregon, a ghost town that once bustled with prospectors and pioneers.

Source: Getting there

What if Miners Retreat is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Olive Lake Campground (4.8 mi, partly first-come), North Fork John Day Campground (9.4 mi, partly first-come), and Head O' Boulder Forest Camp (10 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby