Recreation Rentals of the Pacific Northwest

US Forest Service

Map of Forests

Bureau of Land Management

Oregon and Washington

National Park Service

North Cascades

Packer's Cabin - Oregon

Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

History

Recorded history of the Packer’s Cabin site goes back to 1889, when the area was enclosed within an Indian Allotment (Van Pelt and early pioneer settlers married into the Chetco band).

The Forest Service has used the site since at least 1914. That year the phone line to service the Long Ridge Lookout was completed and the spring at the cabin was probably used for a camp. Telephone line insulators can still be found. While the cabin’s date of construction remains unclear, the current structure is believed to have been built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s to replace an earlier structure

Back in the 1930s and 40s, many of fire lookouts were in extremely remote locations, often only accessible by horse, mule or foot, as there were no roads to these sites. The men and women staffing the lookouts lived there the entire fire season, watching throughout the daylight hours for lightning storms, wet or dry, and they couldn’t leave their post to make the day or two journey back to town to replenish supplies. They were dependent on the packer, who would make his rounds with mules laden with food, cooking supplies, and tools, as well as a greatly welcomed break in routine and an opportunity for conversation.

Description

The cabin comfortably houses up to twelve people, and is furnished with a wood-burning stove (firewood is provided), a work surface for food preparation, one double bunk and ten single bunks with foam pads, and a table and chairs. An outdoor toilet (also barrier-free), picnic table and fire ring are located near the cabin.

Visitors should bring camping equipment and sleeping bags. There is no electricity or drinking water at the site, so bring a lantern and plenty of water for cooking, drinking and washing. (A natural spring is located nearby but the water is not recommended for human consumption unless first brought to a rolling boil for no less than five minutes).

Area Attractions & Activities

The area features accessible hiking trails and swimming, as well as fishing for trout, steelhead, and salmon in season. The site is also within an hour and half drive to the southern Oregon and northern California coasts, and, further south, the Redwood National Park.

Amenities

• Accessible Cabin
• Accessible Vault Toilet
• Picnic Table
• Fire Ring
• Tent Space
• Wood Burning Stove

Pets

Pets are welcome.

Smoking

No smoking.

Directions

From Brookings, take U.S. Highway 101 and turn onto North Bank Chetco River Road, County Road 784. This becomes Forest Service Road (FSR) 1376. Follow this road to the junction with FSR 1917. Follow FSR 1917 for 6 miles to FSR 1917-110 Spur Road, the entrance to Packer’s Cabin.

Travel time from Brookings is about an hour and a half, and easily accessible by highway and Forest Service roads.