Short Creek Guard Station

Malheur National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Prairie City, OR, OR

Price: From $60 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (12 reviews)

Season: May through October

Short Creek Guard Station is a great place to stay to enjoy the nearby Monument Rock and Strawberry Mountain wilderness areas, as well as the North Fork of the Malheur Scenic River. The cabin offers access to a variety of recreational activities, including hiking, hunting, fishing and viewing wildlife. The cabin provides all the comforts of a home, including drinking water during the summer months.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Fishing

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

Short Creek Guard Station offers access to Monument Rock and Strawberry Mountain wilderness areas plus the North Fork of the Malheur Scenic River. The cabin provides full amenities including flush toilets, showers, drinking water, and propane-powered kitchen facilities.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear present in area; also Northern Flicker, Red Crossbill, and Ruffed Grouse documented within 8km

Insider tips for Short Creek Guard Station: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 1 site Propane powers cookstove, refrigerator, heater, and lamps; plan accordingly Access to hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and mountain biking in nearby wilderness

Skip Short Creek Guard Station if: Need RV hookups—no hookups available. Traveling outside May-October season. Prefer traditional tent camping to cabin stays.

Best time to visit Short Creek Guard Station: May-October — Official operating season; drinking water available during summer months.

Nearby campgrounds: Trout Farm Campground (Prairie City, OR), South Fork Campground (Wallowa-Whitman) (Baker City, OR), Big Creek Campground (Prairie City, OR), Murray Campground (Prairie City, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Short Creek Guard Station

Cell signal at Short Creek Guard Station (Prairie City, OR): 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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Malheur National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Short Creek Guard Station

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Prairie City, OR, OR★ 4.8 (12 reviews)From $60/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Short Creek Guard Station is a great place to stay to enjoy the nearby Monument Rock and Strawberry Mountain wilderness areas, as well as the North Fork of the Malheur Scenic River. The cabin offers access to a variety of recreational activities, including hiking, hunting, fishing and viewing wildlife. The cabin provides all the comforts of a home, including drinking water during the summer months.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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
Max RV60 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsNot allowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowers
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsFishing

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:✕ Need RV hookups—no hookups available✕ Traveling outside May-October season✕ Prefer traditional tent camping to cabin stays

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 site

Propane powers cookstove, refrigerator, heater, and lamps; plan accordingly

Access to hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and mountain biking in nearby wilderness

Best: May-October

Official operating season; drinking water available during summer months

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 Northern Flicker, Red Crossbill, and Ruffed Grouse documented within 8km

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
541-820-3800· Malheur National Forest
Getting there →

From the town of Prairie City, OR., turn South (right) onto South Main Street. Follow South Main Street to the junction with Bridge Street, turn left onto Bridge Street. Follow Bridge Street past the local cemetery, the road then changes to County Road 62. Continue on County Road 62 approximately 7 miles to the junction with Forest Road 13. Turn left and follow Forest Road 13 East approximately 16.5 miles, the guard station will be on the right at the junction of Forest Road 13 and Forest Road 1

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 — Malheur National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Malheur National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Short Creek Guard Station cost per night?+
Short Creek Guard Station costs $60 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Short Creek Guard Station open?+
Short Creek Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Short Creek Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Short Creek Guard Station?+
Short Creek Guard Station can accommodate RVs up to 60 feet.
How do I make reservations at Short Creek Guard Station?+
Short Creek 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 Short Creek Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Short Creek Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Short Creek Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Short Creek 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.

$60 /night★ 4.8 (12)
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 Short Creek Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Short Creek Guard Station open?+
Does Short Creek Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Trout Farm Campground

Prairie City, OR

From $8/night

Forest campground camping

South Fork Campground (Wallowa-Whitman)

Baker City, OR

From $15/night

Big Creek Campground

Prairie City, OR

From $8/night

Murray Campground

Prairie City, OR

From $8/night

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