Timber Butte Lookout is located in the Fall Creek area of the Willamette National Forest at an elevation of 3.7 ft 19 mi from Lowell, Oregon. The cabin is open
from mid-April through late October, offering the chance to enjoy beautiful scenery and a variety of recreational activities.
The lookout was constructed in 2005 as a replica of the L-4 gabled-style lookout with wooden catwalk commonly built in this region in the 1930s. It was built through
volunteer efforts with a $10,000 grant from Lane County and other contributions by individuals and organizations.
The cabin can be accessed by car, but guests should expect to walk about 300 ft uphill from their parking spot. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended.
Activities & Attractions
Nearby
Hiking
Year-round
Year-round
Hiking
Nearby
Seasonal information
2026
(Current year)
2026 Season availability
Current season
Operating hours and availability for the current season.
Upcoming seasons
Planned operating dates for future seasons to help you plan ahead.
Past seasons
Historical operating dates from previous years for reference.
Closed periods
View dates when this campground is temporarily closed during the season.
Timber Butte Cabin offers a cozy, secluded retreat with beautiful surroundings, including stunning sunsets and a peaceful atmosphere. Guests appreciated the outdoor cook stove, fire pit, and clean environment. However, there were several maintenance issues, such as a malfunctioning gate lock and stove, as well as some cleanliness concerns inside the cabin.
Beautiful little cabin - wonderful to be so secluded but so easy to access. Cabin includes a trundle bed, two small tables and a few chairs, a propane heating stove, and some twinkle lights (if you bring a USB brick). Outside there is a small propane cooktop and a bbq fire ring a short distance away. View has been impeded by a few trees, but still some pretty sunsets with a few volcanoes visible!
Will definitely be back soon :)
Extremely peaceful and beautiful. I love this little cabin, the comfortable bed, easy propane stove outside, great fire pit and stunning trees to hang hammocks from.
1. Gate Lock doesn't work
2. No key for cabin door lock
3. Broken latch on toilet
4. Stove controller in pieces under the stove
5. Stove remote doesn’t work
6. Mold on windowsill by bed
7. NO lights
Cabin was nice and clean. We struggled a bit getting the gas fireplace going, replaced the batteries but still had trouble, turned everything off, waited 30 minutes and got it on. It kept us warm and toasty. Loved cooking with a view. Outhouse was clean. Trail up is steep but short. Follow the forest service directions, not google.
I think I left our baseball hats hanging behind the door. If anyone wants to bring them home to Portland for me I’d be forever grateful (one black avengers hat and one navy oregon hat).
We were only able to stay one night as the forest fire smoke rolled in quite heavy around 4:30 am, and we packed up while the kids were sleeping. It is very remote, but there is intermittent cell coverage. The cabin is nice and clean, but the propane tanks were also out when we arrived. We brought our own fuel so no biggie, but just don't count on it being available. Also the locals know the code, we had a group of four wheelers roll in while we were unpacking, and they live close by on 80 acres, but clearly knew how to bypass the gate. Overall, It is a novel experience, but with all the camping gear we've accumulated we will likely stick to campgrounds and dispersed camping in national forests. Cabin is great though.
Cabin is beautiful, secluded, and clean! Gorgeous views although not 360 views (bring your binoculars!). Had a wonderful experience here, but I will say the directions here had me totally lost. It ended up taking me 2.5 hours to find the cabin once I was on FS land past Lowell. Here are my revised directions based on my experience: Follow directions to Winberry Road. At the end of Winberry Road there's a cattle grate and End County Maintenance sign. Go over this & you'll eventually come to an intersection with the option to go straight, left, or right. The road on the right is marked 150. **Go straight through.** This is where I messed up and turned left because of the ~3 mi thing on the FS directions. DON'T turn left here. Approximately 5-6 mi past this intersection (and about 8 mi past the cattle grate), you'll see a very clearly marked sign pointing to 1821. I so wish I would have seen this, I noticed it on the way out and kicked myself. Would have saved me tons of time & from having to turn around a million times on super tight sketchy roads with steep dropoffs. After you get onto 1821 it's smooth sailing. There are signs marked TB with arrows pointing you all the way to the cabin. After the gate, the road does become a lot steeper with loose rocks. This being said, I made it up in a minivan (older sienna, a bit higher clearance than a car but not technically high clearance) even with getting lost and driving around for hours. I certainly wouldn't try making it up in a sedan though unless you're ok with possibly trashing your car. Outhouse was clean & stocked, heater worked but beeped constantly (only used it for a couple of hours at night), and fire pit was great. Walk up to the cabin from parking is uphill but very short! Loved the outdoor stove. Some coverage with Verizon although pretty spotty. Awesome little spot ♡
Really getting run down. Appears that it has been almost abandoned due to lack of maintenance. Trees have grown to the point most views are gone. Previous guests left their garbage instead of hauling it out.
It is very secluded which is great but needs some love to get back to being worth the price.
Total mileage from Lowell to Timber Butte Cabin is 17.4 mi. From Interstate 5 (I-5), take Highway 58 East (Exit 188) and travel for 13 mi toward Oakridge. Turn left off of Highway 58 at the Lowell covered bridge (milepost 13) and proceed toward th...
Total mileage from Lowell to Timber Butte Cabin is 17.4 mi. From Interstate 5 (I-5), take Highway 58 East (Exit 188) and travel for 13 mi toward Oakridge. Turn left off of Highway 58 at the Lowell covered bridge (milepost 13) and proceed toward the town of Lowell. After 0.7 mi, at the 4-way junction in Lowell, turn left onto Boundary Road. In 0.1 mi take the next right (Moss Street) for 1.7 mi to the crossroads of Unity, where you'll see another covered bridge. Turn right (east) onto Big Fall Creek Road (18) and proceed 0.4 mi to the next right turn (Winberry Creek Road). You will be on this road for 8.5 total miles. After 4.2 mi the road appears to come to a T intersection, but bearing to the right will keep you on Winberry Creek Road. After an additional 1.2 mi you will cross a small cattleguard. In another 3.1 mi it appears that the road reaches a four way intersection, but you should continue straight to stay on the same road. From this point forward, all turns should be marked with a white "TB" sign that has an arrow pointing in the correct direction, but these signs can get damaged so plan on refering to them but not relying on them. Drive 3.7 mi further on the 1802 before taking a left onto the 1821. You will be on the 1821 for a total of 1.5 mi. The signage for this turn can be hidden in shadows due to how brushy the road edge can get, so be on the lookout. In 0.2 mi the 1821 bears to the right, then in 1 mi it bears to the left. In 0.2 mi the road appears to T and you should again turn left onto the 1821-168 spur. Take the next right after driving 0.9 mi onto the 1816-175 spur, then after 50 yards the next left will be the 1816-131 (gated entrance road to the cabin).
The first mile of the 1802 and last mile of the 1816-131 are brushy and road conditions make a high clearance vehicle necessary. Look for the signs that say TB, the arrows will direct you to the cabin. GPS navigation cannot be relied on. If you need help with directions, call or visit the Middle Fork Ranger Station before starting your trip and we will be happy to assist you.
Cabin parking is located about 1 mi up FSR 1816-131, adjacent to the outhouse.
Timber Butte Cabin is accessible from Interstate 5 (I-5) via Highway 58 East, approximately 13 miles from the exit. The cabin is located off of several forest roads that branch from these major highways.
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
12PM
Check out time
11AM
General
THE HEATING STOVE INSIDE THE CABIN IS A PROPANE GAS STOVE, ATTEMPTING TO BURN FIREWOOD INSIDE THE STOVE WILL RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY, EXPLOSION OR WORSE, ABSOLUTELY NO BURNING FIREWOOD IN STOVE!
No drinking water is available at the cabin
Entry to the cabin is by combination lock; guests must contact the Middle Fork Ranger District Office (541) 782-2283 at least several days prior to arrival for the combination. Call for the combination weekdays only; the site administrator is not available on weekends. It is very important that you relock the gate behind you after passing through to prohibit others from interrupting your stay.
During periods of severe fire danger, open campfires may be prohibited
There is no tent, trailer or RV camping at the site
Guests must bring their own trash bags and pack out all trash
Guests must clean out the cabin before departure
Pets are not allowed
Smoking is not permitted
Guests should contact the Ranger District prior to arriving to check on any restrictions or conditions, such as fire, road closures or weather, that may affect their visit
Learn more about the Willamette National Forest
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.
