Historic Suiattle Guard Station Re-Opens
Darrington, Wash., 7/28/2025— The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, in partnership with the Darrington Historical Society, has opened the Suiattle Guard Station for public rental. This historic cabin has been restored to its former glory after years of work and is once again ready to host forest visitors. The primitive cabin can accommodate up to four people with amenities including two beds, table with benches, cookware, and a wood stove.
The Suiattle (pronounced "Sue-attle") Guard Station is located in the Suiattle River drainage, a 23-mile drive east of Darrington, Wash. Originally constructed in 1913, this three-room log cabin is one of the oldest buildings on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The cabin was built by Assistant Ranger Tommy Thompson at a time when the Forest Service asked rangers to construct their own station. The Guard Station was used to house Forest Service staff into the 1990’s for patrols and fire response in the area. As the need to staff the Guard Station decreased, the cabin began a second life as a rental for the public to enjoy.
Floods in the early 2000’s washed out the Suiattle River Road. With repairs taking a decade to complete, the Guard Station fell into disrepair. The Darrington Historical Society partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to restore the structure and return the cabin to the rental program. Work included replacing the cedar roof with hand split shakes, replacing the floor, and refurbishing the kitchen. For anyone looking to enjoy the Suiattle River drainage and a piece of history, the cabin is available to rent for $125 per night through the recreation.gov website.
Due to dry conditions and high fire danger, campfire restrictions are in effect. For more information visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mbs/alerts.
Call 911 to report the illegal use of fireworks or unsafe fire use. Additional campfire and wildfire safety information can be found at www.smokeybear.com.
About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
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