Sunshine Guard Station
Open year-round. County Road 20 receives limited winter maintenance and may require parking at the driveway entrance during snow conditions. Fire danger is currently moderate. 14-day stay limit in effect.
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
Sunshine Guard Station is a historic four-room cabin built in 1936, originally used as a bunkhouse and work station for fireguards until the 1990s. Located at 3,700 feet elevation along the Middle Fork John Day River, approximately 43 miles northeast of John Day, Oregon, the cabin offers a remote base camp experience in the Malheur National Forest. The cabin accommodates up to six guests and includes two bedrooms each with a queen-size bed, a living room with futon and chairs, and a kitchen equipped with an electric cook stove, refrigerator, and table with chairs. Electric lights and heaters are provided. A vault toilet is located outside. Guests must bring their own drinking water, bedding, towels, dish soap, and trash bags, as no potable water is available on-site. Recreational opportunities include fishing for steelhead and rainbow trout in the John Day River, hiking trails leading into the nearby Vinegar Hill/Indian Rock Scenic Area, and wildlife viewing for elk, deer, and songbirds. The area has no mobile phone coverage, and County Road 20 receives limited winter maintenance.
Directions
From Prairie City, OR, travel east on US Highway 26 approximately 13 miles to the junction of US Highway 7. Turn left on US Highway 7, travel one mile to the junction with County Road 20/Middle Fork Road. Turn left and follow County Road 20 approximately 10-13 miles; the guard station will be on the right.
Amenities
| Water | No |
| Fires Allowed | — |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | No |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $60 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | — |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | — |
| Pull Through Sites | No |
Contact
| Phone | +1 (541) 820-3800 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | None |
Availability
Photos
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