GOTCHEN GUARD STATION RENTAL

Open — Open year-round for reservations through Recreation.gov. Winter access typically requires skis, snowmobile, or snowshoes from November or December through April when snow is present. The Forest Service does not plow the road to the guard station or nearby Pineside Sno-Park.

About

Built in 1909, the Gotchen Creek Guard Station holds the distinction of being the oldest historic structure on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and the only building constructed during the administration of Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. This small two-room cabin is nestled in a grove of aspen trees at the edge of a meadow, just a few miles from the Mt. Adams Wilderness. The cabin served as administrative headquarters for the Mt. Adams District from 1909 until 1916 and was built along a primary sheep driveway where tens of thousands of sheep passed through. It was formally listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The cabin sleeps a maximum of 6 people with one double bunk bed in the main room and a second double bunk bed in a separate bunkhouse. Amenities include propane heat, a propane stove, propane refrigerator, pots, pans, dishes, cooking utensils, and 2 battery-operated lanterns. A vault toilet is located about 20 yards from the cabin. Guests must bring their own sleeping bags, linens, potable water, headlamps or additional light sources, dish soap, matches, first aid kit, toilet paper, and garbage bags. The area was affected by the Cascade Fire of 2012, with fire-scarred trees and post-fire regrowth visible in the landscape. Recreational opportunities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, hunting, skiing, and snowshoeing. Gotchen Creek Trail #40 and Snipes Mountain Trail #11 are within close proximity. The cabin is located at the base of Mt. Adams, which at 12,276 feet is the second highest peak in Washington. Winter access typically requires skis, snowmobile, or snowshoes as the Forest Service does not plow the road to the guard station. The cabin is accessible by automobile during summer months, located about 20 minutes from Trout Lake via Mt. Adams Recreation Highway and Forest Road 8225.

Directions

From Trout Lake, head towards Pineside Sno-Park on Mt. Adams Recreation Highway. Once you reach Pineside Sno-Park, take Forest Road 8225 to the junction with Forest Road 8225060. Turn right and the cabin is 150 yards on the left. Winter access requires skiing, snowmobiling, or snowshoeing approximately 3.4 miles from Pineside Sno-Park or 3.5 miles from Snow King Sno-Park.

Nearby Campgrounds