Overview With a history that dates back to 1907, Big Elk Guard Station is the oldest continuously used administrative site within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, and a delightful setting for guests seeking a unique getaway. For many decades the guard station served as summer headquarters for solitary forest "guards" who built trails, fought forest fires and patrolled the land on horseback. Most recently the site was used to house Forest Service seasonal fire crews. The cabin is one of the few remaining examples of Forest Service log construction in the Forest and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Recreation Nearby Fish Lake offers biking, fishing, swimming, paddle / motor boating and hiking opportunities. Fish Lake Trail, High Lakes Trail, Brown Mountain Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, Sky Lakes Wilderness and Mount McLoughlin Trail system are all less than an hour drive away. Facilities Big Elk Guard Station is a rustic log cabin with a main room and a kitchen on the ground floor and two upper-story bunkrooms with one king bed and two twin beds, reached by a double landing stairway.
Source: rec_gov · last verified 2026-05-19