Murderers Creek Guard Station

Murderers Creek Guard Station - West Side View
Murderers Creek Guard Station - Kitchen Nook
Murderers Creek Guard Station - Side View
Futon
Murderers Creek Guard Station - Back Yard

Featured amenities

Parking Parking
Kitchen Kitchen

Sites & Rates

Average nightly rates

1 total site

Cabins

1 site

About Murderers Creek Guard Station

Murderer's Creek Guard Station is in the heart of the Malheur National Forest, in central Oregon. It makes an excellent base camp for back country recreating, and is a cozy retreat for a couple and a fun opportunity to imagine the life of the early day forest rangers. The historic guard station is one of the oldest standing buildings in the forest. The cabin contains some modern amenities and can be accessed by vehicle. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Number of accommodations: 1

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - May 8 to Oct 31

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Parking Parking
Kitchen Kitchen
Parking and Transport

Parking and Transport

  • Parking
On Site Services

On Site Services

  • Propane

Cabin Interior

  • Toilet Type
  • Kitchen
  • Heating
Missing information? Let us know

01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

Price not available
🏠 Cabin Unavailable

Site Details

Up to 2 guests
Shade
Surface: Gravel
View Site Details

Reviews (31)

What Guests Are Saying

Murderers Creek Guard Station is a charming and well-maintained cabin, perfect for a weekend getaway surrounded by natural beauty. Guests appreciate the comfortable accommodations, including a refrigerator/freezer, and enjoy the tranquility of the nearby creek and wildlife. While some visitors experienced minor issues like difficult directions and limited kitchen supplies, the overall experience is positive, highlighting the cabin's cozy atmosphere and scenic location.

Review Summary

4.1
31 reviews
5
54.8%
17
4
29.0%
9
3
0.0%
0
2
6.5%
2
1
9.7%
3

Michael D

Verified

July 16, 2024 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

5

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

James S

Verified

June 2, 2024 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

4

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!

Mario M

Verified

September 21, 2023 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

5

This was a cool little cabin in the middle of the forest. It was a fun stay. The cabin was equipped with eating supplies and the bed was comfortable.

Victoria h

Verified

August 28, 2023 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

2

The cabin was amazing. The location was great. The lack of cell service was exactly what my mind needed. The refrig and stove worked perfectly. The bed wasn't too uncomfortable. The front porch was perfect for enjoying the sun, until the afternoon, when it was almost swarmed with bees. The worst part of the whole thing was the mice or other critters in the walls that woke me up at 3am every day. I also didn't care for whatever critter decided they needed to wander across the kitchen counters at night, pooping all over :-) Would I stay there again? Maybe, but only after I knew for sure the wall critters were gone!

David H

Verified

August 14, 2023 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

4

Very quiet location with dark skies and varied wildlife. The cabin was well furnished and comfortable with its propane powered appliances and lights.

If you come in from HWY 26 along Fields Creek Road, be sure to go all the way to the end of the road at the T intersection, then turn left, not toward the campsite that the sign points to.
There are a lot of bees, wasps and flies. Screens on the windows work well, but if you are allergic be aware. The building is the home of many rodents, which will wake you from time to time at night.

We were not able to make unlock the cabin with the supplied combination. We tried both locks many times forward, backwards, and all ways we could think of, but in the end had to remove the hasp in order to enter. Bring a phillips screwdriver in case this happens to you. This issue wasn’t mentioned in the guestbook by previous users so we may have been doing something wrong.. We replaced the hasp when we left.

Laura R

Verified

June 24, 2023 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

4

We spent 3 nights with our two dogs. It was beautiful and quiet. We had six cars drive by but none stopped to use the vault toilet. The kitchen was well stocked for cooking /eating. My gift was to organize the drawers with the miscellaneous goods piled in them. We had hoped to see the wild horses but had to make do with their hoof prints. Fishing in the creek was good. Bring a cover sheet or blanket for the futon. There is a waterproof mattress cover on but it is soiled. The CO device wasn't working and the smoke detector was wonky. Both were reported. We would definitely come again.

James S

Verified

May 27, 2023 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

4

Cabin is cozy and has a surprising amount of amenities. There is a propane powered stove/oven, Refrigerator, and Propane lights. The refrigerator is full sized and has a freezer and refrigerator section and works very well. The Stove oven and burners lights easily and works very well. And the lights keep the place well illuminated at night, however they do produce a bit of heat. There is a sink - as noted on the website NO running water, But if you bring you own water you can wash etc. with the sink. There is also a nice gas fireplace if you need heat. And there is a bed, although be sure to bring a tarp or something to cover the mattress before you put down your bedding or sleeping bag, because it is a bit dirty. Outside there is a "vault" toilet with toilet paper stocked. and there is a small shed if you need to stow something. In addition there is a drive way on one side well suited for an RV. There is also a fire pit with grill and two very sturdy picnic tables. It is about 100 feet from the creek which is peaceful and great to listen to. Also lots of animals and birds around and I heard animals at night including rodents under the floor, and deer or horse in the driveway walking on the gravel. Great place to get away and enjoy nature.

Bobbi M

Verified

October 9, 2022 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

5

Beautiful scenery. Peaceful, quiet, and private. Exactly what I was looking for.

Joel V

Verified

September 28, 2022 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

5

We expected less and were pleasantly surprised!

Brent J

Verified

September 5, 2022 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

4

What a stellar location. Fantastic scenery, very few other people, extremely quiet and serene. Beautiful area, great hikes, lots of wildlife. Super awesome location for stargazing. The little field mice inside the cabin kept me up at night though, so the stay wasn't near as restful as I would have liked. Tip: being double the water you think you'll need.

Location Murderers Creek Guard Station

Address:
431 Patterson Bridge Rd
John Day, OR, 97845
United States

Highway access

Murderers Creek Guard Station is accessible via Oregon State Highway 395, which is located approximately 20 miles to the west.

Elevation: 1340 feet

Distance to downtown

33 mi drive to downtown John Day (about 52 min)

Policies & Rules

General

  • There is no water at the guard station; guests must bring their own water for drinking, cooking and cleaning
  • Bears may frequent the area; use appropriate containers for food and garbage (learn more about bear safety)
  • The cabin remains locked; a combination code will be contained in the reservation confirmation letter
  • Guests should contact the Ranger Station before arrival to confirm that road closures or weather conditions won't affect a visit
  • Learn more about the Malheur National Forest here 
  • Don't Move Firewood: Please protect Pacific Northwest forests by preventing the spread of invasive species. Firewood can carry insects and diseases that can threaten the health of our western forests. You can make a difference by obtaining and burning your firewood near your camping destination. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.
  • Murderer's Creek Guard Station is in a remote forest location with no mobile phone coverage

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: September 6, 2026

USDA Forest Service Logo
Managed by USDA Forest Service