Return to the Old West and live the life of a cowboy, holing up in a rustic log cabin and riding the extensive trails through the forest on horseback.
Willow Prairie Cabin is located in the southwest portion of the magnificent volcanic Cascade Mountain Range at the foot of Mt. McLoughlin, at an elevation of 4,300 feet. The one-room cabin can accommodate up to four people; however, it is furnished with only two sleeping cots. It has two shutter-style windows without glass, a wood stove for heat, and rustic furnishings, including a table and chairs. There is counter space for meal preparation and places to hang lanterns. Water is available at the campground. Outside amenities include a campfire ring and picnic table for outdoor dining. Firewood is often available and is intended for indoor use only. However, the supply cannot be guaranteed. The supply may run low and what is there may have to be split by the visitor with the tools provided. Guests are encouraged to bring their own. A vault toilet is located in the adjacent campground near the cabin. Guests must supply their own camp stove, cookware, utensils and dishes, sleeping bags, towels, dish soap, matches, first aid kit, light source, toilet paper and garbage bags. There is a picnic table and rock fire ring outside the cabin for campfires.
Amenities for horses: There are four 12 x 12 foot paddocks and water troughs near the cabin for up to four horses.
The cabin is adjacent to the Willow Prairie Campground , and is surrounded by more than 19 miles of horse trails. In addition to horseback riding, enjoy camping, hunting and winter sports, such as crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.The wetlands adjacent to the cabin provide an excellent area for birding enthusiasts to watch for sandhill cranes, great blue herons, Canada geese, ducks and red-tailed hawks.
History
Willow Prairie Cabin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1924 by the road crew constructing the Butte Falls/Fish Lake Highway, they used it as a base-camp while they completed their task during 1924-1926. Willow Prairie was very remote in those days, so the crew could not travel to their homes at the end of the day. Over the years the Forest Service preserved the cabin, and built the Willow Prairie Campground adjacent to the cabin site. In 1991 the campground was converted to a horse camp, and the cabin is considered a premium site for equestrians. However, the cabin is definitely also available for rent by people without horses.
