Timpanogas

Summary

Timpanogas Shelter is a rustic cabin located in the Willamette National Forest in the Oregon Cascades Recreation Area near Diamond Peak Trail Area, Pacific Crest Trail and Diamond Peak Wilderness. Visitors can enjoy fishing, canoeing, hiking and mountain biking, as well as wildlife viewing. The cabin is equipped with a sleeping loft, a table with benches and a wood stove, as well as a picnic table, campfire ring and pit toilet outside. Guests should bring items such as bedding and insect repellent.

Overview

Timpanogas Shelter sits on shore of its namesake lake at an altitude of 5,300 feet in the Willamette National Forest within the Oregon Cascades Recreation Area. The cabin was patterned after the old Civilian Conservation Corps 3-sided shelter and was built in 1991 with the help of a University of Oregon outdoor school class and the Walker Rim Snowmobile Club.

The cabin is typically open from late June through late October. It is accessible by car, but the last 7 miles of the road are rough and narrow.

Recreation

Anglers enjoy fishing for brook trout and cutthroat on upper and lower Timpanogas Lakes, even though the lakes are closed to motorcraft. Canoeing is also possible on the lakes.

Those not inclined to fish can enjoy hiking or mountain biking on numerous trails in the Timpanogas area, especially in late August when huckleberries are ripe for picking. This includes the Timpanogas Lake Trail, which starts at the Timpanogas Campground.

The Diamond Peak Trail Area, Pacific Crest Trail and Diamond Peak Wilderness are also nearby.

Facilities

This rustic 15 x 18 shelter with a dirt floor is designed to accommodate 6-8 people and comes equipped with a sleeping loft, a table with benches and a wood stove for heat. A picnic table, campfire ring and pit toilet are located outside. Additional camping is available on-site for up to 20 people. Drinking water, firewood and electricity are not provided. The cabin does not have a cook stove or cooking supplies. Potable water is available from a hand pump at the nearby Timpanogas Campground until late September. Items such as bedding, lanterns or flashlights, matches, extra toilet paper, first aid supplies, trash bags, dish soap, towels and an ice chest are not available. Insect repellent is highly recommended. Guests are expected to pack out their trash and clean the cabin before leaving.

Natural Features

The cabin is situated in a mountainous and heavily forested area where it is possible to see Diamond Peak, Sawtooth and Cowhorn Mountains. Timpanogas Lake is just one of several alpine lakes in the area.

Willamette National Forest offers prime habitat for such species as Roosevelt elk, black bear, northern bald eagles, mule deer and bobcats, among other wildlife.

Nearby Attractions

Trails for hiking and mountain biking are located less than a mile from the shelter.