Butler Butte Cabin

About

Butler Butte Cabin offers a unique lodging experience in the Umpqua National Forest with significant historical value. Built in 1942 as an Aircraft Warning System (AWS) Station, this remote outpost was strategically positioned to watch for Japanese planes and incendiary balloon bombs targeting West Coast forests during World War II. A 1932 lookout tower at the site also served this purpose through October 1943. The one-room cabin is furnished with a double bed and two single beds, plus a table and chairs. Propane powers the heater, cook stove and oven, refrigerator, and interior lights. Outside, guests have access to a metal fire pit with BBQ grill, a campfire ring, and a picnic table. A vault toilet is located nearby. There is no potable water on-site; the nearest water source is at the Tiller Ranger Station. Reaching the cabin requires navigating Forest Service roads that are rough in places, making a high-clearance or 4WD vehicle strongly recommended. During winter months, roads are not plowed, typically requiring a 5-mile trek by snowmobile, snowshoes, or cross-country skis. Summer activities include hiking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, and huckleberry picking.

Directions

From Canyonville, OR: Take West 1st Street to SE 3rd St/OR-227 and follow for 23 miles to Tiller. From Tiller, take Douglas County Road #46 (becomes South Umpqua Road/FS Road #28) for 5 miles to Jackson Creek Road (FS Road #29). Continue 9.7 miles to the five-way junction with FS Roads #2925, #600, #700, and #800. Shortest route: Take FS Road #800 for 2.5 miles (rough). Alternate route: Follow FS Road #700 for 6 miles to Tucker Gap, then FS Road #800 for 2 miles. High-clearance or 4WD vehicle recommended.