Gotchen Guard Station

Federal campground in Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Location: Trout Lake, WA, WA

Price: From $100 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (13 reviews)

Season: May through October

Built in 1909, the Gotchen Creek Guard Station is the oldest historic structure on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, and the only building constructed during the administration of Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service and an early conservation leader. Within the state of Washington, only a few ranger stations of this age survive.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/gotchen-guard-station to be notified when sites open up.

Historic 1909 Gotchen Creek Guard Station, the oldest structure on Gifford Pinchot National Forest and only building from Gifford Pinchot's administration. Located in aspen grove near Mt. Adams Wilderness with comfortable porch for resting during cross-country skiing, hiking, biking, or snowshoeing.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear present in area. Also verified: Redhead, Greater White-fronted Goose, American Goldfinch, House Wren, Valley Garter Snake, Western Skink, Northwestern Garter Snake.

Insider tips for Gotchen Guard Station: Book early — federal campground with high demand Only 1 tent site available Treat the historic cabin respectfully as a day-use rest stop during winter activities when accessible by ski, snowshoe, or foot

Skip Gotchen Guard Station if: Expecting RV/vehicle hookups — none available. Need year-round access — seasonal May through October operation. Planning winter vehicle access — automobile routes typically blocked by snow November-April.

Best time to visit Gotchen Guard Station: May-October — Official operating season. Winter access by snow only; automobile access typically blocked November/December through April..

Nearby campgrounds: Mt. Adams Hc (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf (Trout Lake, WA), Trout Lake Creek Cg (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf (Trout Lake, WA), Atkisson Group Camp (CARSON, WA), Peterson Prairie Cabin (TROUT LAKE, WA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Gotchen Guard Station

Cell signal at Gotchen Guard Station (Trout Lake, WA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›WA›Gotchen Guard Station
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Federal campground in Gifford Pinchot National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Gotchen Guard Station

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Trout Lake, WA, WA★ 4.4 (13 reviews)From $100/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Built in 1909, the Gotchen Creek Guard Station is the oldest historic structure on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, and the only building constructed during the administration of Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service and an early conservation leader. Within the state of Washington, only a few ranger stations of this age survive.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
CampfiresNot permitted
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ Expecting RV/vehicle hookups — none available✕ Need year-round access — seasonal May through October operation✕ Planning winter vehicle access — automobile routes typically blocked by snow November-April

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

federal campground with high demand

Only 1 tent site available

Treat the historic cabin respectfully as a day-use rest stop during winter activities when accessible by ski, snowshoe, or foot

Best: May-October

Official operating season. Winter access by snow only; automobile access typically blocked November/December through April.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear present in area. Also verified: Redhead, Greater White-fronted Goose, American Goldfinch, House Wren, Valley Garter Snake, Western Skink, Northwestern Garter Snake.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
509-395-3400· Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Getting there →

SUMMER ACCESS Automobile Access to the cabin is over snow in the winter. Guests will not be able to drive to the cabin after snow has fallen typically in November or December through April. The cabin is located about 20 minutes outside of Trout Lake, WA when road is not impassable by snow. From Trout Lake head towards Pineside Sno-Park on Mt. Adams Recreation Highway. Once you get to Pineside Sno-Park take Forest Road 8225 to the junction with Forest Road 8225060. Turn right and the cabin is 150

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Gifford Pinchot National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Gifford Pinchot National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Gotchen Guard Station cost per night?+
Gotchen Guard Station costs $100 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Gotchen Guard Station open?+
Gotchen Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Gotchen Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Gotchen Guard Station?+
Gotchen Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Gotchen Guard Station?+
Gotchen Guard Station is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Gotchen Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Gotchen Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Gotchen Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Gotchen Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$100 /night★ 4.4 (13)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Gotchen Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Gotchen Guard Station open?+
Does Gotchen Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Mt. Adams Hc (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf

Trout Lake, WA

From $5/night

Trout Lake Creek Cg (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf

Trout Lake, WA

From $5/night

Atkisson Group Camp

CARSON, WA

From $115/night

Peterson Prairie Cabin

TROUT LAKE, WA

From $100/night

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