The Long Way
Grant County
A tall metal fire lookout tower stands among pine trees under an overcast sky.
Plate I. Steel lookout tower, Tamarack Cabin. From recreation.gov
A small cabin with a ramp and porch stands among trees under a cloudy sky.
Plate II. Exterior view of Tamarack Cabin. From recreation.gov
High-angle landscape view of hills, valleys, and distant mountains.
Plate III. Scenic view near Tamarack Cabin. From recreation.gov
A small cabin with a wooden porch and ramp.
Plate IV. Exterior view of Tamarack Cabin. From recreation.gov
A small cabin with a covered porch stands among trees.
Plate V. Tamarack Cabin. From recreation.gov
A rustic kitchen interior with a wooden dining table and green cabinets.
Plate VI. Cabin interior, Tamarack Cabin. From recreation.gov
An interior view of a bedroom with bunk beds and a dining table.
Plate VII. Cabin interior, Tamarack Cabin. From recreation.gov

Tamarack Cabin

Heppner, Grant County, Oregon. Cabin; May 15 - November 23.

Details

Map. Heppner, Grant County, Oregon. Larger map
Where
Heppner, Grant County, OR. No street address stated. Directions
When
Check in 2:00 PM, Check out 11:00 AM.
Getting there
From Lexington, OR, take Highway 74/207 east to Heppner. Continue south on Highway 207 for 39 miles through Heppner, Ruggs, Hardman and past Anson Wright County Park to the junction of Highway 207 and Forest Road 24 (0.1 miles past the Bull Prairie Campground turn-off).
Fees
$40 per night, up to 4 people.
Access
The last mile to the cabin is steep and rocky; a high clearance vehicle is strongly recommended. No water onsite; pack in, pack out. High cliff area, exercise caution. Pets welcome; horses and other stock not allowed.
Walk-in or reserve
Entry to the cabin is by combination lock. The combination will be provided in the reservation confirmation letter.
Phone
(541) 676-9187
Website
recreation.gov
Managed by
Umatilla National Forest, Heppner Ranger District.
Established
1925.
Coordinates
44.873432, -119.66185.

Tamarack Cabin offers outdoor enthusiasts a quaint cabin with epic views atop Tamarack Mountain. The cabin can accommodate four guests, and a short walk through the trees awards a unique opportunity to view miles of the Umatilla National Forest from sunup to sundown. The site was originally used as a fire detection lookout; a steel Aermotor tower is still standing.

Notable Events

  1. 1925The original lookout for forest fire detection on this site was a platform built in a tree. fs.usda.gov
  2. 1933The current 96' steel Aermotor tower replaced the glorified tree fort. fs.usda.gov
  3. 1934Tamarack Lookout Cabin, the housing for Forest Service personnel using the lookout for fire detection, was built. fs.usda.gov
  4. 1966An accidental fire destroyed the cabin, and a garage/utility shed was then converted into the existing cabin. fs.usda.gov

Sources

  1. recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234138
  2. fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/recreation/tamarack-lookout