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-234630
When Big Elk Guard Station reopens
Big Elk Guard Station's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
2
Openings · last 90 days
2
Only 2 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 1, 2026 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 45 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Nov 1, 2026): 20 open for online reservation · 25 reserved.
Where the open windows are
55.6% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 20 of 45 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Nov 1, 2026Not open online55.6%
Open site-nights20 / 45
Reserved (of online inventory)25 / 45
Weekday openings14
Weekend openings6
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 14 fall on weekdays and 6 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Nov 2026October holds the most room. 12 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 |
|---|---|
| 001 | 20 |
This site currently has 20 site-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateSun · Sep 20
Next open weekendSat · Oct 24
The next bookable night is Sep 20; the first open weekend starts Oct 24. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
20 open site-nights across 1 site at Big Elk Guard Station, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 4 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 001.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 40 ft. 1 site takes 25 ft, 1 site takes 35 ft, 1 site takes 40 ft.
All 1 site with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | 40 ft | None | 20 | 9 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 6, Oct 12, Oct 13, Oct 14, Oct 24 +8 more |
About Big Elk Guard Station
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. The first floor rooms include a large, comfortable living room with a mortared-rock fireplace and a loveseat sofa. The kitchen has a table and chairs, a dry sink, an electric range and refrigerator. The original fir flooring remains intact. There are electric lights throughout the cabin. The cabin is heated with a wood stove and there are no guarantees of firewood . The supply may run low and what is there may have to be split by the visitor with the tools provided. No water is available at the facility. Visitors must bring plenty of their own water for drinking, cooking and washing. A picnic table and fire ring are available for outdoor dining, and an outbuilding, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, acts as a storage shed for firewood. A vault toilet is located near the cabin, as well as additional space for tent camping.
Natural Features
Big Elk Guard Station sits on the fringe of Big Elk Meadow, a grassy expanse that floods in spring and dries out in the summer.
Just a short stroll across the meadow, guests are treated to views of Mt. McLoughlin and the edge of a 20,000 year old lava flow from Brown Mountain. The surrounding forest includes lodgepole pine, quaking aspen, Shasta red fir and Douglas fir.
A variety of wildlife ranging from blacktail deer, elk, mountain lion, black bear, bald eagle and other bird species can be found in the area.
Nearby Attractions
Campgrounds nearby includes Fish Lake Campground, Doe Point Campground and North Fork Campground.
Fish lake Resort is 5 miles from the cabin and provides dining, boat rentals, firewood sales, small store and boat launch.
the south entrance to Crater Lake National Park is 57 miles north of Big Elk Cabin.
1 monitored siteRVs up to 40 ftNo hookups1 shadedFire pitsMax party 10
Getting there
Drive east from Butte Falls on the Butte Falls-Fish Lake Highway (County Road #821) for approximately 19 miles to the junction with State Highway #140. Turn right, go .08 miles on Highway #140 to the junction with Forest Service Road #37. Turn left, and travel approximately 4 miles to the junction with the guard station driveway. The station is visible on the left from this location. Turn left, travel through the gate to the guard station. From White City, OR, for an alternative route to Big Elk Guard Station that bypasses the town of Butte Falls, take State Highway 140 traveling east to the Junction with Forest Road 37, or take State Highway 140 traveling west from Klamath Falls, OR to the Junction with Forest Road 37. Turning onto Forest Road 37 traveling south, follow directions as above to the guard station.
Po Box 227, Butte Falls, OR 97522541-865-2700
CampingHiking
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234630 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234630 · Big Elk Guard Station · Butte Falls OR8 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Big Elk Guard Station?
Reservations for Big Elk Guard Station are made through Recreation.gov. 20 of 45 tracked site-nights are currently open (44.4%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 2 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 13:18 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 Big Elk Guard Station?
Campsite Sniper detected 2 site-date openings at Big Elk Guard Station in the last 7 days, 2 over 30 days and 2 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Big Elk 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 001. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Big Elk Guard Station fit a 35-foot RV?
1 of the 1 site that support RV analysis has a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 40 ft.
Which month has the most availability at Big Elk Guard Station?
October 2026, with 12 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 31.
When is the next open date at Big Elk Guard Station?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Sun, Sep 20 and the next open weekend starts Sat, Oct 24. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
Stop refreshing. Let the app watch it.
Filter
Lakefront, hookups, your RV length, weekends only - set it as picky as you want.
Watch
We run paced availability checks for Big Elk Guard Station. One watch covers every matching site.
Get the ping
When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.