Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-234124
When Murderers Creek Guard Station reopens
Murderers Creek Guard Station's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
6
Openings · last 90 days
6
Only 6 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 – Nov 15, 2026 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 59 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Nov 15, 2026): 45 open for online reservation · 14 reserved.
Where the open windows are
23.7% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 45 of 59 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Nov 15, 2026Not open online23.7%
Open site-nights45 / 59
Reserved (of online inventory)14 / 59
Weekday openings26
Weekend openings19
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 26 fall on weekdays and 19 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Nov 2026October holds the most room. 30 of 31 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 |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: no online availability on any tracked night.
Availability
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 01 | 45 |
This site currently has 45 site-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateSun · Sep 20
Next open weekendFri · Sep 25
The next bookable night is Sep 20; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
45 open site-nights across 1 site at Murderers Creek Guard Station, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 3 2-night, 3 3-night, 1 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 20 at site 01.
All 1 site with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Not recorded | None | 45 | 34 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 2, Oct 3 +33 more |
About Murderers Creek Guard Station
Overview
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.
Recreation
Viewing wildlife and birds is popular in the area, as is hunting not far from the facility. Guests can hike area trails, explore the Cedar Grove Botanical Area and fish Murderer's Creek and South Fork John Day, though area creeks run dry toward summer's end.
Facilities
The one-room "studio" cabin is equipped with a futon that folds down into a full (double) bed. It has a table and chairs, a propane cook stove, propane refrigerator and propane heater inside the cabin. Basic cooking pots, utensils and tableware are also provided.
There is a garage building and room to park an RV in the adjacent driveway. A newer style vault toilet is located outside.
Guests will need to bring water for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes, as well as bedding, flashlights or a lantern for emergencies, a first aid kit, towels, garbage bags and dish soap, among other necessities. Guests will need to clean the cabin and carry out all trash before leaving.
No pets allowed in the Guard Station.
Natural Features
The guard station is located approximately 32 miles from the town of John Day. It sits at an elevation of about 5,000 feet. The facility was built in 1913 and was originally used as a fire guard station. It was in use by Forest Service officials until the late 1990s. Murderer's Creek, a small creek that runs east and west along the southern base of Aldrich Mountain, is nearby the cabin. The guard station is surrounded by open meadows and timbered areas of ponderosa pine and mixed conifer. Abundant wildflowers dot the Cedar Grove Botanical Area, a 26-acre cedar grove on the northeast slope of Aldrich Mountain. The area is known for its wild horses, which coexist with mule deer, elk, antelope, bighorn sheep, bear, cougar, and myriad smaller forest animals.
1 monitored siteNo hookups1 shadedMax party 2
Getting there
From Burns, travel North on Highway 395 approximately 55 miles to County Road 63. Turn left on County Road 63 to the junction of Forest Service Road 21. Take a right onto Forest Service Road 21 and travel approximately 16 miles to the guard station. From John Day, OR., travel approximately 18 miles west on US Highway 26 to the junction with Forest Road 21. Turn south (left) on Forest Road 21, travel 12 miles to the guard station.
431 Patterson Bridge Rd, John Day, OR 97845541-820-3800
BirdingCampingFishingHikingHistoric & Cultural SiteHuntingWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234124 · facility
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234124 · Murderers Creek Guard Station · John Day OR8 frames · facility
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Murderers Creek Guard Station?
Reservations for Murderers Creek Guard Station are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 45 of 59 tracked site-nights are open (76.3%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 6 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 Murderers Creek Guard Station?
Campsite Sniper detected 6 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Murderers Creek Guard Station?
3 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 20 at site 01. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which month has the most availability at Murderers Creek Guard Station?
October 2026, with 30 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 31.
When is the next open date at Murderers Creek Guard Station?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Sun, Sep 20 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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