Birch Creek Cabin

Please see our past review from September 18 2021 for more detailed info.
More below from our current stay.

For our current stay there is still no water available and the drain still just goes to a bucket.

We have Verizon and we got a little better signal this time of 1-2 bars 4G at the CCC camp.

Hooray! There is a brand new stove/oven now replacing the old unit where the oven did not work.

When we stayed previously wood was stacked by the fire pit. This time wood was stored in the building behind the cabin with access via a combination lock. Sadly people keep breaking the ax and splitting maul that the USPS supplies.

Brighter LED bulbs have been installed in the cabin.

Awesome cabin and location!

Love the location, local hiking, smoke firewood, we’ll appointed cabin. We’ll be back!

Loved the cabin and the location. We were able to drive to the cabin despite snow, but I'd recommend having 4WD or chains. Otherwise it's about 1/2 mile walk to the cabin in the winter. Good cross country skiing out the door. Cabin is very basic but has most everything you need. Definitely a bonus to have electricity. No running water but there is a creek right next to the cabin.

Beautiful location and pretty easy to get to, even in winter, at least during our visit. Still plenty of solitude. There was ample snow for cross-country skiing, yet hikes were very doable as well. There was a fair amount of firewood and we kept the fireplace in the bedroom going as the low temp during our visit was -11F. The fireplace and down comforters kept us comfortable. The axe has seen better days and is one swing away from breaking. Next time we'll bring our own. The electric stove appeared brand new and worked well. No mice seen. We brought plenty of water. We really enjoyed the stay and look forward to visiting in different seasons. It was a great way to ring in the New Year!

Nice private cabin, in a pretty setting.

Clean!

Bring your own padlock for use on the back door while you are staying. We had the unsettling experience of finding the place had been unlocked by someone and left that way one afternoon while we were out. Creepy, though nothing was taken. Don't think you are the only one who knows the combination! They don't change it often enough! Mice are active. Bring your own dishes and cookware in a mouse-proof tote. Same with the food items that won't go in the fridge. Electric stove's oven does not work but top burners do. Look for pots stored in oven. Use wood stoves to keep hot water going all the time (wash water & humidity). We brought a crock pot, very useful. Top bunks are hazardous and hard to climb in and out. No siderails or handles. We brought a stepladder which helped but was still too short. Headroom between top and bottom bunks too short for adults to sit comfortably. We brought a cot, which was useful after one night braving an upper bunk. Bunks have cloth-covered box springs, and vinyl-covered foam pads on top of those. The box springs are grimy. Glad we brought brought fitted sheets and mattress pads which we used on the vinyl pads, with our sleeping bags on top. They still reeked after 2 nights. Bring drinking water. We got water to heat for washing from the creek, and went to the spring in the lower canyon to refill drinking water containers. There was a table lamp in the kitchen, which can be moved, but you might like to bring another for the bedroom. The overhead lights are bare LED or CFL bulbs, rather glaring cool spectrum for this cozy warm-colored cabin.

Clean and the beds were quite comfortable. The fire place was small and requires constant attention. The wind howled the whole night. The fridge and the coffee pot were a surprise but we really enjoyed it! We will do it again!

RENT NOW! Price increase and MISLED about cabin!

Price: Starting next year the price is going from $20 to $65 a night + any $8 reservation fee. A HUGE jump.

Misled: In one place this cabin is stated as electric. Another "Cabin Nonelectric" although a electric cook stove is mentioned. Folks this is a FULLY ELECTRIC cabin with lights, lamp, outlets, coffee pot, stove/oven and even a full size fridge! How can this not be accurately described for over 10+ years? It even mentions propane lighting but there is NONE. Why is nobody fixing this?

The bake/broil switch on the Whirlpool unit is broke making the oven not work. A simple replacement may get the oven going again if anybody has that.

Has a sink but drains into bucket that must be emptied by hand. No water this year for some reason.

Wood heater in bedroom with wood Monarch cook stove/oven in kitchen.

2 sets of bunk beds with very NICE vinyl wrapped mattresses with raised headrests.

Many games in closet.

Nice fire pit by creek with lots of wood.

Nice trail called Birch Bender Loop Trail across bridge in front to right. Map on post on other side of road. Goes to small pond and loops behind cabin by toilet and up to CCC camp.

1 Bar Verizon 3G by CCC camp on hill. 2 Bar Verizon 4G on scrub brush hill if needed.

Only USFS location I have been at that has a flagpole. A US flag is above the fire extinguisher by front door.

Nice big porch with logs that makes you feel you are at at a real woodsy lodge.

Horse coral by toilet.

Very nice ADA vault toilet that has a cool bamboo looking covered entry for privacy.

Some ATV and vehicle traffic as there are two roads in front of the cabin. Bring some air freshener as there is a heavy cooking grease smell in the cabin.

We would stay again for SURE especially at a mere $20 a night for a fully electric cabin and wish we were closer. This is a wonderful place. Rent before the price more than TRIPLES! -- RENT NOW for $20 while you can!