Fremont Hilltop Hideaway - Oregon
Umatilla National Forest
***(Construction ALERT!)***
In the mid and late 1800s, the North Fork John Day drainage was bustling with gold and silver mining. In the rush, mining towns popped up here and there, only to be left to ruin as the mining dwindled. Granite is one such ghost town, with weathered buildings and the graves of prospectors and pioneers who came to the area to seek their fortunes. Just a short drive from Granite is Fremont Hilltop Hideaway, an old Forest Service cabin and the perfect spot to imagine life here centuries ago.
Larger photos of Fremont Hilltop Hideaway and Vicinity
MORE INFORMATION: History | Description | Area Attractions & Activities | Amenities | Pets | Smoking | Directions
Price & Capacity
$55 per night, with a maximum of four occupants. Fees are used directly for the maintenance and preservation of the cabin.
There is additional space for tent camping.
Nearby Recreation Rentals: This area includes three other cabins, all within a couple hundred feet of each other: Caretakers Cabin, Congo Gulch, and Miner's Retreat. This provides great flexibility for larger groups.
Reservations
www.RECREATION.gov
1-877-444-6777
North Fork John Day Ranger District
PO Box 158, Highway 244
Ukiah, OR 97880
541-427-3231
Other Umatilla National Forest Recreation Rentals
Availability
Fremont Hilltop Hideaway is available for rent year round.
-- The maximum-length stay is fourteen consecutive nights. --
History
Fremont Hilltop Hideaway is one of three cabins located at the historic Fremont Powerhouse site near the town of Granite. The powerhouse was constructed in 1908 and after 59 years of continuous service, generated its last electrical power in October 1967. In 1968, the California - Pacific Utilities Company donated the entire complex to the U.S. Forest Service. The need for economic power surfaced in 1903 when the earnings of some local mines began to decrease. In an effort to operate the mines more economically, local waterpower was piped from nearby Olive Lake though an eight-mile long wood and steel pipeline to generate the much-needed electrical power. Fremont Hilltop Hideaway was constructed in the 1930s and is listed on the National Register as a Historic District.
Description
The cozy little cabin features one bedroom, a bath with hot and cold running water (during the summer months only), a kitchen and a living room. The cabin is fully furnished with a queen over queen bunk bed, dressers, a couch, and a table and chairs. The kitchen is equipped with an electric stove and oven, refrigerator, coffee maker, toaster, and a variety of utensils, such as skillets, glasses, cups, dishes and silverware. Cleaning supplies are also provided. The cabin has electric lights throughout and is heated with an oil heater. A picnic table and briquette grill is provided out back for outdoor barbecuing.
While there is drinking water available June through September, there is no water or indoor plumbing during fall, winter and early spring months. Visitors must bring plenty for drinking, cooking and washing. There is an outhouse near the cabin.
Area Attractions & Activities
The cabins at Fremont Powerhouse are located near the historic town of Granite, OR. Nearby Olive Lake offers many recreational options, including boating, fishing, and swimming. Go hiking on North Fork John Day Wilderness trails and mountain biking on closed forest roads. Take a drive along the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway. Also enjoy berry picking (blackberries and huckleberries), bird watching, photography, wildlife viewing (black bears, elk and deer) and the vast, incredible scenery.
Amenities
- Flush Toilet (summer only)
- Outhouse
- Drinking Water (summer only)
- Shower (summer only)
- Electric Lights
- Refrigerator
- Stove
- Oven
- Oil Heater
There is additional space for tent camping.
Pets
Pets are welcome. Stock animals, such as horses, are not.
Smoking
No smoking.
Directions
From Pendleton, travel south on Highway 395 for 50 miles to the Ukiah exit. Turn left on Highway 244 to Ukiah. Take Forest Service Road (FSR) 52 from Ukiah city center traveling 50 miles to the small town of Granite. From Granite go west on County Road 24 for approximately 6 miles. The main road veers left along the creek bed. At this junction go uphill on FSR 10 and follow the signs to the Fremont Powerhouse.
From Baker City, travel west on Highway 7 20 miles to the junction with FSR 73. Proceed north through Sumpter and another 17 miles to the small town of Granite. From Granite go west on County Road 24 for approximately 6 miles. The main road veers left along the creek bed. At this junction go uphill on FSR 10 and follow the signs to the Fremont Powerhouse.
Forest Service Road 10 is maintained in summer months, but access during the winter months may require snowmobiles, cross country skis, snowshoes or 4 wheel drive, depending on weather conditions. There is limited parking away from the site.