Openings · last 7 days
2
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 2 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-234091
When Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta reopens
Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
3
Openings · last 90 days
3
Only 3 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 183 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 88 open for online reservation · 83 reserved · 12 closed.
Where the open windows are
51.9% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 88 of 183 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Not open online51.9%
Open site-nights88 / 183
Reserved (of online inventory)83 / 171
Weekday openings65
Weekend openings23
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 65 fall on weekdays and 23 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027March holds the most room. 19 of 19 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 1 site| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 0 | None open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 0 | None open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 0 | None open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: no online availability on any tracked night. Christmas: no online availability on any tracked night. New Year: no online availability on any tracked night.
Availability
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| GMS | 88 |
This site currently has 88 site-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateTue · Sep 22
Next open weekendFri · Feb 26, 2027
The next bookable night is Sep 22; the first open weekend starts Feb 26, 2027. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
88 open site-nights across 1 site at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 15 2-night, 12 3-night, 1 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 30 at site GMS.
All 1 site with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMS | Not recorded | None | 88 | 27 nights | Sep 22, Sep 27, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 13, Oct 14, Oct 15, Oct 18, Oct 19, Oct 20, Oct 21 +76 more |
About Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta
Overview
Nestled in a grove of towering old-growth conifer trees, the Government Mineral Springs Guard Station is a delightful setting for guests seeking relaxation and recreation in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
The Government Mineral Springs area has been a draw to recreation enthusiasts since the early 1900's. In 1910, S.D. Fox and the Star Brewing Company of Portland began construction of a hotel near Trapper Creek, which eventually became known as Government Mineral Springs. The popular resort boasted bath houses, Iron Mike Bubbling Springs, a dance pavilion, store, ice cream parlor, goldfish ponds and flower gardens. Early advertisements for the resort claimed the mineral water spas were capable of curing physical ailments. In 1935, the hotel burned to the ground.
Camping remained popular at the site, and in 1937, the Civilian Conservation Corps significantly expanded and developed the public campground and built the guard station, which was used for Forest Service administration of the campground and other local recreational use. Today, the cabin provides a unique lodging opportunity.
Guests should be aware that during the winter season, the cabin is only accessible via a half-mile trek on skis, snowshoes or snowmobiles from the parking area.
There is no motor vehicle access from the road that leads to the cabin when snow is present on the road. Parking at the snow park is required, and requires a snow park pass. This pass can be purchased at local vendors.
Recreation
Many recreational opportunities are within close proximity of the Guard Station, including fishing, hiking, biking, mushroom and huckleberry picking, hunting, skiing and snowshoeing.
Nearby fishing opportunities include spring chinook fishing on the Wind River and lake fishing for brown and brook trout in Soda Peaks Lake, in Trapper Creek Wilderness.
A short drive from the cabin is the Falls Creek Falls Trail, a 3.5-mile round-trip hike for the whole family. Accessible year round, the trail follows a forested creek before crossing a suspension bridge, then traverses a side slope which offers views of the creek and interesting rock formations. At the end of the trail is lower Falls Creek Falls, a three-tiered waterfall which drops nearly 250 feet into a pool below the viewpoint.
Facilities
The two-story cabin can accommodate up to nine guests. The lower floor has a large kitchen with a propane stove, dining room and living room with a table and chairs, fireplace and two futon couches that fold out into double beds. Two upstairs bedrooms can accommodate five guests, with two single beds in one bedroom, and one bunk-bed that sleeps three in a second bedroom. Propane heat, lights and a cooking stove are provided along with wood for the fireplace. Pots, pans, dishes and cooking utensils are provided. A vault toilet is located on site.
There is no potable water at the cabin, and guests are encouraged to bring plenty for drinking, cooking and washing. A stream within 300 feet of the guard station may be used as a water source; however, the water must be treated or boiled before drinking. Melted snow can be used for washing, but is not safe for drinking.
Although the cabin has several amenities, guests do need to provide their own sleeping bags, linens, towels, dish soap, matches, first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags. Bringing an additional light source in case of emergencies is also advised.
Natural Features
Trapper Creek Wilderness is within walking distance of the guard station, boasting 6,050 acres of diverse habitat. Cascading streams and waterfalls are plentiful throughout the steep slopes at the lower elevations, while huckleberry fields occur higher near Observation Peak.
Wildlife abounds in the area. Animals commonly seen include black tail deer, Roosevelt elk and black bear. The more elusive cougar, bobcat and pine marten are seen occasionally. Spotted owls, barred owls, pileated woodpeckers and goshawks inhabit the forest treetops.
Nearby Attractions
The guard station is located between Mt. St Helens National Volcanic Monument and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, convenient for day trips.
1 monitored siteNo hookups1 shadedMax party 9
Getting there
From Portland take Interstate 84 east, take Cascade Locks Exit 44 and cross the Bridge of the Gods (toll bridge) to Highway 14 in Washington State. Turn east (right) on Highway 14 and drive 5 miles to the Carson junction with the Wind River Highway. Follow the Wind River Highway through Carson and northwest approximately 14 miles to the Carson National Fish Hatchery. Continue northwest for 1 mile on Forest Road 3065 to the entrance for Government Mineral Springs recreation site. From approximately April 15 to November 1, the cabin is usually accessible by vehicle. During the winter season, the cabin is a half-mile trek by skis, snowshoes or snowmobiles from the parking area. Sno-Park permits are required from December 1 through April 1 for each vehicle. Washington Sno-Park passes are required for Washington State vehicles.
2455 Hwy 141, Trout Lake, WA 98650509-395-3400
BikingBoatingCampingFish HatcheryFishingHikingHuntingSwimming SiteWater SportsWildlife ViewingWinter Sports
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234091 · facility
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234091 · Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta · Trout Lake WA6 frames · facility
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta?
Reservations for Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta are made through Recreation.gov. 88 of 183 tracked site-nights are currently open (48.1%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 3 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta?
Campsite Sniper detected 2 site-date openings at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta in the last 7 days, 3 over 30 days and 3 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta?
12 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Oct 13 at site GMS. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which month has the most availability at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta?
March 2027, with 19 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 19.
When is the next open date at Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Tue, Sep 22 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Feb 26, 2027. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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