Big Elk Guard Station
With a history that dates back to 1907, Big Elk Guard Station is the oldest continuously used administrative site within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, and a delightful setting for guests seeking a unique getaway. For many decades the guard station served as summer headquarters for solitary forest "guards" who built trails, fought forest fires and patrolled the land on horseback. Most recently the site was used to house Forest Service seasonal fire crews. The cabin is one of the few remaining examples of Forest Service log construction in the Forest and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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 | Entry | Fits, ft | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Pull-through | 50 | Partial | 10 / 4 | Yes | Standard |
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
| Max vehicle length | 40 ft |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
Big Elk Guard Station is a rustic log cabin with a main room and a kitchen on the ground floor and two upper-story bunkrooms with one king bed and two twin beds, reached by a double landing stairway. The first floor rooms include a large, comfortable living room with a mortared-rock fireplace and a loveseat sofa. The kitchen has a table and chairs, a dry sink, an electric range and refrigerator. The original fir flooring remains intact. There are electric lights throughout the cabin. The cabin is heated with a wood stove and there are no guarantees of firewood. The supply may run low and what is there may have to be split by the visitor with the tools provided. No water is available at the facility. Visitors must bring plenty of their own water for drinking, cooking and washing. A picnic table and fire ring are available for outdoor dining, and an outbuilding, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, acts as a storage shed for firewood. A vault toilet is located near the cabin, as well as additional space for tent camping.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Drive east from Butte Falls on the Butte Falls-Fish Lake Highway (County Road #821) for approximately 19 miles to the junction with State Highway #140. Turn right, go.08 miles on Highway #140 to the junction with Forest Service Road #37. Turn left, and travel approximately 4 miles to the junction with the guard station driveway.
| Nearest town | Butte Falls, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 42.3590° N, 122.3578° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx Long Prairie
41 mi from the campground · 112 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 19.2 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Mountain Provisions ↗ | 21.3 mi |
| RV sales & service | Blue Compass RV ↗ | 24.7 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
Campgrounds nearby includes Fish Lake Campground, Doe Point Campground and North Fork Campground. Fish lake Resort is 5 miles from the cabin and provides dining, boat rentals, firewood sales, small store and boat launch. the south entrance to Crater Lake National Park is 57 miles north of Big Elk Cabin.
- 3.2 miFish Lake Picnic Site ↗Day use
- 6.3 miBrown Mountain South Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 13.8 mi
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miRobinson Prairie Snomo ↗5.7 mi trail · motorcycle, ATV, 4WD, e-bike and 3 more
- 0.2 miBrown Mountain Snomo ↗7.8 mi trail · motorcycle, ATV, 4WD, e-bike and 3 more
- 0.3 miRobinson Butte Loop Snomo2.3 mi trail · motorcycle, ATV, e-bike, snowmobile and 2 more
- 0.9 miRobinson Butte Snomo0.9 mi trail · motorcycle, ATV, 4WD, e-bike and 3 more
- 1.3 miFish Lake4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.4 miDeadwood Snomo ↗4.6 mi trail · motorcycle, ATV, 4WD, e-bike and 3 more
Trailheads within three miles
- 2 miSummer Home Sno-Park ↗Rogue River-Siskiyou 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
Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument begins about 7.2 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 7.2 miCascade–Siskiyou National Monument ↗National Monument · Bureau of Land Management · 170,596 acres
- 9.3 miMountain Lakes Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 23,036 acres
- 11.5 miSky Lakes Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 113,571 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
On the National Register nearby
- Big Elk Guard StationBuilding · Ashland · 0 mi
- Fish Lake ShelterStructure · Ashland · 3.1 mi
- Willow Prairie CabinBuilding · Butte Falls · 3.7 mi
Natural features
Big Elk Guard Station sits on the fringe of Big Elk Meadow, a grassy expanse that floods in spring and dries out in the summer. Just a short stroll across the meadow, guests are treated to views of Mt. McLoughlin and the edge of a 20,000 year old lava flow from Brown Mountain. The surrounding forest includes lodgepole pine, quaking aspen, Shasta red fir and Douglas fir. A variety of wildlife ranging from blacktail deer, elk, mountain lion, black bear, bald eagle and other bird species can be found in the area.
Recreation
Nearby Fish Lake offers biking, fishing, swimming, paddle / motor boating and hiking opportunities. Fish Lake Trail, High Lakes Trail, Brown Mountain Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, Sky Lakes Wilderness and Mount McLoughlin Trail system are all less than an hour drive away.
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 Big Elk Guard Station?
Sites at Big Elk Guard Station are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Big Elk Guard Station?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Big Elk Guard Station have?
1 site, including 1 cabin with power.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Big Elk Guard Station?
The longest site here provides 40 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
Can I have a campfire at Big Elk Guard Station?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.
Source: Fire nearby
Is there cell service at Big Elk Guard Station?
FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE and T-Mobile 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is there to do at Big Elk Guard Station?
Nearby Fish Lake offers biking, fishing, swimming, paddle / motor boating and hiking opportunities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Big Elk Guard Station?
Butte Falls, Oregon. Campgrounds nearby includes Fish Lake Campground, Doe Point Campground and North Fork Campground.
Source: Getting there
What if Big Elk Guard Station is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are North Fork Campground (1.3 mi), Doe Point Campground (2.9 mi, partly first-come), and Fish Lake Campground (3.2 mi, partly first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby