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

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.

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 Nov 15

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?

01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

🏠 Cabin
  • 2 guests

Site Details

Up to 2 guests
Shade
Surface: Gravel
View Site Details

Reviews

32 reviews

Summary

AI generated

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.

Based on guest feedback

4.1

Overall rating

Based on 32 reviews

Write a review
5 stars 53.1% (17)
4 stars 31.3% (10)
3 stars 0.0% (0)
2 stars 6.3% (2)
1 star 9.4% (3)

Showing 32 reviews

Becky D

Verified

July 23, 2024 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

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.

Helpful

Traci B

Verified

July 3, 2025 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

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.

Helpful

Joseph L

Verified

July 10, 2025 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

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.

Helpful

Jason C

Verified

July 13, 2025 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

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.

Helpful

Melinda M

Verified

July 22, 2025 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

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.

Helpful

Markie P

Verified

November 19, 2025 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

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.

Helpful

Theresa C

Verified

May 16, 2026 Stayed at: 01, Loop: AREA MURDERERS CREEK WORK CENTER

There was an outhouse provided for the cabin and neighboring people camping used it non stop coming into our space with their dogs popping in the lawn and 4 omelets went wet we're trying to enjoy some peace. There's should be a posted sign for paying customers use outhouse not 1 million people. Very disappointing

Helpful

Location & Directions for Murderers Creek Guard Station

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

Elevation: 1,340 ft

Nearest town

John Day, OR - 33 mi

About 52 min to downtown

Highway access

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

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: October 24, 2026

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Population: 1,609

Elevation: 3,087 ft

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