Murderers Creek Guard Station

We got there when it was dark and were unable to find the cabin with the directions provided. We had to turn back and go home.

Nice cabin. Well kept and easy to get to. Paved roads all the way to it.

Can you believe there's a refrigerator/freezer there?? That was our favorite thing! How civilized.

We were fascinated/amused/annoyed by all the cows and the constant bellowing. They were noisy!!

This very charming cabin was the perfect base camp for a weekend of exploring nearby lookout towers and trails.

I've been here a few times now. It's a great getaway for a couple of days and the creek is great depending on time is year.

This is a comfortable cabin in a very beautiful area. Nearby creek has plenty of water in June. The bed is comfortable. The heating stove was not operable, however, as it has been troublesome in a past visit also. The pilot was lit, but there was no way to get the stove to operate. I'll be back, as that is just a minor problem.

We would stay again! We stayed two nights in late June and thoroughly enjoyed the solitude, natural beauty, birds, bats, and night sky. The small stream is a short walk behind the cabin and invites visitors to take a cold dip. The cabin is cozy with two functioning windows for cross ventilation. It has a table with two chairs, four metal folding chairs, and two picnic tables. The futon mattress was comfortable for two average sized adults. The nearby vault toilet was well maintained. Be aware. Cell service is iffy even in nearby towns so print or eletronically save driving directions. The kitchen isn't well equipped for typical cooking and dining. The very few pots, pans, and tea kettle have seen better days and there is limited cooking utensils and flatware. Plan on bringing lots of water! You'd be suprised how much you use. The propane appliances, stove, and lighting worked as advertised. If you enjoy an outdoor fire, you are required to have a shovel or shovel like tool and water to douse the fire. The site isn't entirely secluded, there is a road in front of the cabin and prior guests commented on traffic, namely ATVs, and others using the vault toilet. During our stay, the traffic was minimal and noone stopped to use the toilet. We caught and released two yellow jackets but otherwise weren't disturbed by insects or rodents. Lastly, we were fortunate to see four wild horses on the side of the road as we were heading to John Day to go on a guided tour of the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site (https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=5). The nearby Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site is ideal for a picnic, walk along the John Day River, and replenishing your water supply (https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=8). The campground was closed during our visit.

Peaceful and remote but with much needed comforts

Wonderful guard station. Very small, but I expected that. Creek out back that was great for cooling off in. No cell service, which was great. Watched wild horses and lots of birds. Was great to have propane appliances, and the small stash of pots and pans and kitchen stuff was great as we forgot some stuff. Very nice paved road all the way out there.

Nice little cabin in a great spot in the forest. Would definitely return for another visit

Nice rustic cabin. Great location for observing birds, deer, wild horses, and other wildlife - including bears. I observed bear poop and tracks in the area, but had no in person meetings. I did have some up close and personal meetings with deer and wild horses. Cabin has a beautiful view next to Murderer's creek with ducks, quail, and other birds. A great base for hiking/exploring the Malheur Forest. The Cabin is old and well worn so don't expect luxury. Expect lots of bugs including ticks, mosquitos, and wasps/mud daubers. I Recommend bringing a supply of bug spray/repellant, both personal and something like RAID Hornet Spray for outside around the cabin. The gas Stove and refrigerator works great. The mattress has a cover, which had quite a few bugs on it. I covered it with a tarp and used a bit of DEET spray before putting my sleeping bag down. As noted there is no water or electricity, so bring plenty of water and I recommend a battery powered lantern or two. There are propane powered lights, however they produce Carbon Monoxide so it is advised you open the windows when using, which makes it a bit cold at night or early morning. There is a gas "fireplace" that functions as a heater, however it did not work when I was there. It got down to freezing in the early morning so some heat would have been nice. I just had to drink lot of coffee. Note: When you first enter the cabin, when working the combination lock - after you line up the combo PUSH the Hasp IN then PULL. If you line up the combo then pull it doesn't want to release. If you do the "Push - Pull " thing it pops right open. Be sure to bring garbage bags - there is no disposal or garbage cans on site. There is a well maintained vault toilet separate from the cabin, FS keeps it stocked with toilet paper. As everyone has noted there is no cell service. I had to drive down to the main road Highway 26 - about a 30 minute drive, to get ATT service on my phone. Overall a great experience!