Stay in the historic Musick Guard Station – Forest Service cabin rental

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Musick Guard Station is currently closed due to extensive vandalism and destruction of property.  The severe damage has made the location unfit for use at this time. Repairs and modifications need to be completed before reopening, including historical feature repair. The closure will likely remain in effect for the 2024 camping season. 

Musick Guard Station is a historic fire guard station built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) on Bohemia Mountain in 1934.  Forest Service fire crews lived in the cabin, in sight of the Fairview Peak Lookout just a bit up the mountain.  Now, the cabin is available as a rental in the Forest Service’s recreation program.  Staying in the cabin puts visitors right in the middle of everything: dramatic views, unique hiking, 120 years of history.  We were sold.

The drive to Musick Guard Station

We drove from Springfield to Cottage Grove (where we filled with gas…there are no gas stations in the 40+ miles up to Bohemia Mountain) and then started up the road toward the Musick cabin.  As the mile markers pass, the road narrows, turns to gravel, and finally tapers to a single track.  The road winds upward through the trees.  When the trees part, the view seems to last forever.  Each layer of mountain ridge fades from navy to royal to denim, until the endless trees and hilltops disappear into the sky.

Wildfire smoke obscured some of the view on our trip, but I think the smoky haze also adds a filter of mystery and solitude.

Arrival at Musick Guard Station

We arrived at the cabin early in the afternoon and got our first look at our “home” for the next three days.  We delighted in discovering (and later exploring) the three outbuildings near the cabin.

My first thought, “Wow, this is more rustic than I expected!” Then I remembered there’s a barn, and other outbuildings. This is the barn, not the cabin! The cabin is just up the hill.

This is the Musick Guard Station.  A two-story, 4-room cabin perched on a ridge top, where the wind blows steadily.  If you open the side windows, the breeze is amazing and also makes cooking indoors in August completely bearable.

Musick Guard Station sits at the peak of a ridge, with views through the trees on every side, and wildflowers leading right up to the front door.

Outside Musick Guard Station

Immediately behind the cabin is this building. I’m not sure what it was used for, supplies perhaps, or firewood. It’s nailed shut.

The last outbuilding, furthest up the hill from the cabin, is a water tank. This doesn’t work — there is no water at the cabin! — but it’s fascinating to see and to wonder how it worked when it was built.

And the bathroom! This is a standard vault toilet, same design you see all over Oregon. Nothing fancy. It was pretty clean and well-stocked with toilet paper (an issue we had earlier this year at a campground! No TP for dayssss…rough…thankfully we had our own, but that’s another story. )

Inside the Cabin

Once we’d unlocked the door, we spread out, exploring every nook and cranny of the cabin.  You’ll need to bring everything, including water, as the cabin doesn’t have much of anything.  On our visit, there was a pack of matches, a candle, and a 5-lb can of beans.  (If you really like beans, you’re all set!)  There is a sturdy wood stove for heating and for cooking, and firewood is often provided.  Wood is abundant nearby, if needed.

It was really dark in the kitchen, and I somehow missed taking any photos of that room.  But it contained a small table, a sink, and ample cabinetry.  There’s no running water, but the dry sink has a drain, and we set up a 5-gallon water jug for washing dishes and filling water bottles.

The main room, which holds a table and the wood stove. Keeping kids away from the stove was our biggest concern, and we used one of the benches from the table to block it off.

Another view of the main room, with the stairs leading up to the bunk area.

This is the best wood stove I’ve ever used. There’s an OVEN!! I cooked a the best cornbread I’ve ever had, soft and flavorful in the middle, and crispy on the edges. And while I’m adept at cooking over a fire, I appreciated having a stable heat source to cook over. Also, the wood stove is important for hot, dry Augusts when fires aren’t allowed outside, as it was during our trip.

While you’re there, don’t miss the “museum” tucked into a cabinet. Lots of fascinating ceramics, metal, and glass found in the area. My favorite were the soles of two spiked boots…so small!  At first I thought they were a child’s boot soles, but I realized that, 120 years ago, men were much shorter on average, and these were the men’s boot soles.  We added a couple of railroad nails that we found at the nearby Musick Mine.

Sleeping Quarters

This is the downstairs bedroom. We didn’t use this room at all, but the bed fits a queen-size air mattress.

Upstairs is another queen/double bed. We brought air mattresses and our queen mattress fit here perfectly.

The bunks upstairs. These fit twin size air mattresses. The top bunks were pretty much off limits for us as there were no ladders. Our kids used the bottom bunks and we used the larger bed.  We all slept well.

Exploring Nearby

There’s a LOT to explore.  We stayed for 2 full days and didn’t begin to explore everything there is to see on Bohemia Mountain.  Gold was discovered on Bohemia Mountain in 1858 and people have lived and attempted to work up there ever since, building roads and trails and digging mines.  Boom towns sprung up overnight, only to be torn down and moved, or left to rot.

First, explore around the cabin.  Several trails take off right at the cabin.  Some we hiked to the end, only to find they didn’t really go anywhere (but what is adventuring if you don’t at least see where it goes?)  We poked around the buildings and caught peeks of Fairview Lookout through the trees.

There are numerous trails in the region for hiking and ATVs.  Many trails aren’t marked on maps but may lead to old mines.   Others, like the Bohemia Mountain Trail, are well-marked and maintained.

Within about 3 miles in any direction of the cabin are remnants of old gold mines.  Most are still private property and are marked with signs.  We visited two mines, the Musick Mine and the Vesuvius Mine (neither are open to the public now).  I’ll detail them in a separate post, but to whet your appetite, here are a couple of photos.  This is the post office from the Musick Mine.  It’s the only building still standing from what used to be a thriving community.

The Musick Mine’s post office. It’s the only building still standing at the historic Musick Mine.  This is no longer open to the public to visit.

Booking the cabin for your own stay

The Musick Guard Station suffered severe vandalism and is closed through the 2024 season.

If you go, and I really hope that you do, book early.  Bookings for Forest Service cabins start 6 months in advance, which is January-March for the summer season.  See Recreation.gov for booking details.