USDA Forest Service · Oregon
Fish Lake Remount Depot Cabins
USDA Forest Service · Oregon, United States
- Sites
- 2
- Hookups
- 2 no hookups
- Season
- January 1 to April 30
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- No
- Elevation
- 3,291 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- FISH LAKE CAMP (NFSR 2600780) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Willamette National Forest
- Nearest town
- MCKENZIE BRIDGE
- Address
- 57600 McKenzie Highway, MCKENZIE BRIDGE, OR, 97413
- Phone
- 541-822-3381
- Activities
- Birding, Camping, Cross Country Skiing, Hiking, Historic Sites, Snowmobile Trails, Snowshoeing, Wildlife Viewing
2 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
The Fish Lake Remount Depot Cabins sit at an altitude of 3,200 feet near the Santiam Pass Winter Recreation Area of the Willamette National Forest. These cabins were built in 1924 and are rustic, historic wood structures that include a dispatcher's cabin, a springhouse shed, a garage/woodshed and a fire hose shelter. The commissary cabin and a supervisor's cabin, known as the Hall House, are available as rentals either separately or together.
The compound was once used to house firefighters and corral horses. It is still used as a rest and resupply station by the Forest Service horse packer heading in and out of Wilderness areas.
Guests must walk, cross-country ski or snowshoe approximately one mile to access the cabins from Lava Lake Sno-Park.
Recreation
Seven Sno-Parks are within the Santiam Pass Recreation Area, a 15-minute drive from the the cabins, including Lava Lake Sno-Park and Ray Benson Sno-Park. These Sno-Parks offer access to both motorized and non-motorized trail opportunities.
Facilities
Two cabins are available for rental at this site from winter through early spring. The Hall House is a 3-room cabin featuring 1 bedroom, a shared common room with a hideaway bed, and a kitchen. The Commissary Cabin features a bedroom and kitchen.
Both cabins have the same amenities, which include a full-size bed with mattress, table with chairs, sofa, propane heating and cooking stoves, solar-powered lighting,
basic cookware and kitchen utensils. An outhouse with pit toilet is located nearby.
Neither cabin has water or electricity. Guests must bring their own water for drinking, cooking and washing.
Items such as bedding, lanterns or flashlights, matches, extra toilet paper, first aid supplies, trash bags, dish soap, towels and an ice chest
are not available. Guests are expected to pack out their trash and clean the cabin before leaving.
Natural Features
The compound is accessed by a trail that traverses through dense evergreen forest. From the cabins, guests can enjoy the view of Fish Lake and its forested shoreline.
The lake is shallow in winter, but will dry up and turn into meadow in the late summer.
Willamette National Forest offers prime habitat for such species as Roosevelt elk, black bear, bald eagles, black tail deer and bobcats, among other wildlife.
Nearby Attractions
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 29° | 12° | 55° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 39° | 29° | 7° | 54° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 45° | 30° | 18° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 48° | 33° | 19° | 74° | 9 of 11 |
| May | 57° | 42° | 33° | 78° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 68° | 46° | 36° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 79° | 53° | 44° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 55° | 46° | 99° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 70° | 49° | 39° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 60° | 42° | 28° | 79° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 47° | 35° | 16° | 65° | 7 of 10 |
| December | 40° | 29° | 9° | 60° | 9 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Clear Lake Resort · City, County & Regional Parks · 2 mi
- Cold Water Cove - Willamette NF (OR) · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 41 sites
- Lost Prairie Group Site · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 1 sites
- Ice Cap Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 22 sites
- Lost Lake - Willamette (OR) · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 19 sites
All public campgrounds in Oregon · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.