Apache Maid Cabin

Great place BUT.......they need to tell you it's 5 miles off pavement. They hint to it but never say the distance. Really? It mentions its passable etc. but never says how far. We chased daylight to get there, and the signage is not great. A few simple signs to tell you the way. Not hard to do. Get there in the daylight that's all I can say. Disappointing for us. Nice way off the beaten path place however no question. Whoever runs the recreation.gov site should honestly be forthcoming about the ride in and improve the signage to the cabin. Especially at the end when you are so close but at the same time have no idea.

AWESOME

The cabin was fantastic and the area was beautiful. It would be helpful to include that there is no water available at or near the cabin. It did state that there was no drinking water, but didn't say there was no water for washing or putting out campfires.

Rustic historic cabin with everything we needed. Beautiful location, private surroundings. Good hiking in the area. We loved it. Hope to return!

Late September turned out to be the perfect temperature to enjoy the outdoors and the wildflowers seemed to be at their peak. Glad we brought a couple of camp chairs for lounging and a big jug of water for dish washing and hand washing. The night sky was spectacular. Had a small tarp and sleeping pad to lay on the ground for easier star gazing. Bring your own lantern or good flashlight if you need to make a trip to the outhouse at night--it's very dark. Will plan to come back to the Apache Maid Cabin next year!

We stayed for two nights around August 24, 2022. Yes the cabin is rustic. Which is a nice way of saying very simple. There are solar powered ceiling lights. The outside motion detector light did not work nor did the similar light in the latrine located outside the cabin. Laterns were provided but we used our own. There were several daddy long leg spiders in the cabin which we picked up and moved to the outside. There were plenty of pots, pans, plates, utensils and dish soap. There is an outside sink for washing dishes with a drain to a below ground tank. The stove and oven are propane powered. The stove required matches to light so bring a lighter or matches. There are two large picnic tables outside but only a small, worn table inside. This arrangement is fine unless it is raining. The upper bunkbed in one room has side rails to climb up but this climb may not be appropriate for an adult. The futon was comfortable to sleep on in a sleeping bag. The lower bunk bed was also comfortable. The area is very quiet, secluded, and well forested. There is a creek to the south of the cabin that was flowing due to recent rains. This worked out perfect for us as a monsoon-season alternative to tent camping. There was wood for a campfire (which would require some splitting). The drive to the cabin is passible with a standard passenger car in dry weather. Due to recent rains, about a mile of the four-mile dirt road segment was particularly slick and difficult. For us, there was no cell phone service once we got off the paved road (pavement extends eight miles from I-17). Stoneman Lake is now non-existant. It is full of reeds and grass. We saw elk near sunset a couple miles from the cabin. There is room for a parked camper or RV near the cabin. In dry weather, this would be a great place for a family or group of friends. But if there is rain, the quarters could be a little tight in an hours-long rain. We had rain for several hours one day.

Yes there is a stove. The problem is that it is covered with signs to not use. We were glad that we did not have a monsoon problem while we were trying to cook on the BBQ on the deck.

Me and my wife had an amazing weekend at apache maid cabin.

This is a very private cabin in an area that is fairly easy to drive to. I have stayed at several of these forest service cabin, and this is one of the best, in my opinion. The cabin was clean and well cared for, and the surrounding area was truly beautiful. I would stay here again.

The whole area was recently cleaned and firewood was left for us. The cabin is cozy and well stocked. This was a really wonderful experience and we will be back!