Ranger describes ‘Uncle Sam’s Cabins’

Les Joslin of Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District relived the 100-year-old story of early ranger stations in the western United States with his Friends of Black Butte Ranch (BBR) audience last week.

At the BBR fire hall, Joslin described the “first” ranger station at Bitterroot National Forest, Montana. It was called Alta Ranger Station and was built in the spring of 1899.

“The small log cabin was located deep in the forest about 30 miles south of Darby, Montana,” said Joslin.

Joslin has made it a goal to visit as many of the existing historic ranger stations as possible. He has also published a book, “Uncle Sam’s Cabins” (1995), which describes the stations and gives the history and directions to view on-site 75 of these stations.

Closer to home, Joslin described the nearby Fish Lake Ranger Station and Guard Station (1921), located just off Highway 126, two miles north of Clear Lake heading toward Eugene.

There is a small campground there and a lake during spring and early summer (see story in The Nugget, April 7, 2004, p. 19).

“The lake drains naturally through its porous lava-rock bottom during the summer,” said Joslin. “The fish survive by swimming up Hackleman Creek to the west.”

The Hackleman trout species are only found at Fish Lake and Hackleman Creek.

“In the early days of the National Forest system, the forest guards were sometimes posted at guard stations and were the forest rangers’ right-hand men in the field,” Joslin said. “Guard stations were satellites of ranger stations.”

Today, two rustic cabins at Fish Lake Guard Station may be rented for overnight stays by contacting the McKenzie Ranger Station. The old Santiam Wagon Road winds through the scenic area (see The Nugget, October 25, 2000, p. 9).

Another nearby site is located along the Cascade Lakes highway at Elk Lake.

The station was rededicated in August 2001.

Copies of Joslin’s book are available at all Deschutes Public Libraries.

It may be purchased from Wilderness Associates, P.O. Box 5822, Bend, Oregon, 97708.