Cold Springs Cabin
Open for reservations mid-May through mid-October. Not available the first Tuesday of each month for water testing, cleaning, and maintenance. Reservations required via Recreation.gov; confirmation letter contains door access code.
Air Quality Alert issued August 10 at 9:49AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Air Quality Advisory until noon PDT Wednesday. Check with your local health or air agency for current restrictions on woodstove use. There are often exceptions for those who use wood exclusively to heat their homes and those with limited income. People can take the following precautions to protect their health: * Follow local burn restrictions to prevent deteriorating air quality. * Avoid strenuous outdoor activity in smoky conditions. * People with heart or lung problems and young children are especially vulnerable. These people should stay indoors while smoke levels are high. * Use certified High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters in indoor heating ventilation, cooling, and air purification systems. * Avoid using wood-burning stoves and other sources of indoor smoke if possible. For additional information...please visit the Web site at http://www.oregon.gov/DEQ
Air Quality Alert issued August 5 at 2:33PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Air Quality Advisory until further notice. For the Smoke Air Quality Advisory, wildfires burning in the region combined with forecasted conditions will cause air quality to reach unhealthy levels. Pollutants in smoke can cause burning eyes, runny nose, aggravate heart and lung diseases, and aggravate other serious health problems. Limit outdoor activities and keep children indoors if it is smoky. Please follow medical advice if you have a heart or lung condition. An Air Quality Advisory for elevated levels of ozone pollution, or smog, is in effect for Hermiston in Umatilla County. Ozone pollution is expected to reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, pregnant people, older adults and people with heart or respiratory conditions. DEQ expected the Air Quality Advisory to last until 10 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. For additional information...please visit the Web site at http://www.oregon.gov/DEQ
Alcohol Prohibitions
This Order describes acts that are prohibited upon lands, roads and trails within the National Forest System administered by the Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region in regards to alcoholic beverages.
About
Cold Springs Guard Station, constructed in 1934, served as the switchboard station connecting phone calls between various fire lookouts and guard stations during the summer fire season. The current cabin replaced an earlier structure destroyed by fire and continued to house Forest Service employees into the 1990s. The cabin offers creature comforts rarely found in backcountry accommodations: three bedrooms with beds, two bathrooms featuring flush toilets (one with a tub, the other with a shower), a fully equipped kitchen with propane cook stove and solar-powered refrigerator, and propane-operated heat and hot water throughout. Solar lights provide illumination. Basic utensils and cleaning supplies are stocked. Guests must bring bedding, towels, and garbage bags as this is a pack-it-out facility. The guard station sits in an upland meadow near Big Summit Prairie, known for wildflower displays including wild parsley, bitterroot, meadow larkspur, and Indian paintbrush. Several bands of wild free-roaming horses live in the area. Nearby activities include hiking at Lookout Mountain trails, fishing at Walton Lake, and exploring Bridge Creek Wilderness.
Directions
From Prineville, Oregon: Travel 13 miles east on Highway 26. Turn right at the junction to Ochoco Ranger Station (County Road 123) and travel 8 miles to the junction of Forest Service Roads 22 and 42. Stay right to merge onto FS Road 42 and travel approximately 19 miles. Just after crossing the North Fork of the Crooked River, turn left onto FS Road 30 and travel 1.5 miles. Turn right onto FS Road 100 at signs to Cold Springs Guard Station, then right again at the fork and proceed through the gate. Paved roads most of the way; last 2 miles are good dirt road.
Amenities
| Water | Yes |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | No |
| Wifi | — |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | Yes |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | — |
| Price | $90 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | — |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | No |
| Pull Through Sites | No |
Contact
| Phone | +1 (541) 416-6500 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | None |
Availability
Photos
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