Overview
Caretaker's Cabin allows guests to relax in the outdoors at the historic Fremont Powerhouse site. As one of four cabins located at the site, the cabin offers flexibility for large groups, like weddings or reunions. Guests can rent all cabins (see Congo Gulch, Hilltop Hideaway, and Miner's Retreat) and also pitch tents in the grassy yard. Caretaker’s Cabin sits on a hill beside Miner’s Retreat and has parking access beside it. The cabin can accommodate up to 10 guests. Winter access may require skis, snowshoes or snowmobiles.
In the 1800s, the North Fork John Day drainage was bustling with gold and silver mining. Around 1903, local mines began to notice a decline in earnings and promoted construction of a cheaper power source in an effort to operate the mines more economically. As a result, the Fremont Powerhouse was constructed and began operation in 1908. Two dams were constructed at Olive Lake and water from the lake was piped through an eight-mile-long wood and steel pipeline to the powerhouse to generate the much-needed electrical power. The Caretaker’s Cabin house was constructed in the 1930s to shelter workers who monitored the pipeline for leaks and kept the powerhouse operating. The entire site and pipeline are listed as an historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
Recreation
Guests can hike on North Fork John Day Wilderness trails or go mountain biking on forest roads. A drive along the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway is a treat, as are activities like huckleberry and mushroom picking, bird watching, wildlife viewing and photographing the vast landscape. Nearby Olive Lake offers boating, fishing and swimming.
Facilities
Guests can hike on North Fork John Day Wilderness trails or go mountain biking on forest roads. A drive along the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway is a treat, as are activities like huckleberry and mushroom picking, bird watching, wildlife viewing and photographing the vast landscape. Nearby Olive Lake offers boating, fishing and swimming.
Natural Features
Perched on a small rise at about 5,000 feet in elevation, the cabin is set on a hillside under a large spruce tree. A grassy lawn in front spreads to the three other cabins in the area. The forest lies in the Blue Mountains and is home to Ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, larch and Douglas-fir.
Birds in the area include the black-backed woodpecker, American kestrel and the boreal owl. Black bear, cougar, wolves, elk and deer are among the native land mammals. Click here to learn about bear safety.
Nearby Attractions
The cabin is located less than 6 miles from Granite, Oregon, a ghost town that once bustled with prospectors and pioneers. The town provides groceries and fuel. Opportunities for horseback riding are within 10 miles of the cabin.
Activities
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hunting
- Hiking
- Camping
- Historic & Cultural Site
- Birding
- Berry Picking
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