Overview
Old Condon Ranger Station is open year-round, providing access to great recreation opportunities in every season. Visitors to the area enjoy fishing in the nearby Swan River, as well as hiking and exploring areas surrounding the cabin. Varieties of birds and wildlife make their home in the area.
The cabin provides modern amenities and can be reached by vehicle. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring some of their own supplies to ensure a comfortable stay.
Recreation
Guests at the house enjoy fishing in the nearby creek and river, as well as viewing wildlife. The facility affords scenic views of the Mission Mountains.
A variety of trails are available nearby for hiking and backpacking. The same trails serve as popular areas for cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter.
Facilities
The two-story cabin greets guests with a screened porch and a green painted front door. It has a living and dining room with a propane furnace, as well as electricity and a full kitchen. The kitchen includes a refrigerator with freezer and a modern gas range and oven. Cabinets are stocked with basic cookware, plates, cups, bowls and utensils.
Upstairs are three bedrooms with a mix of two double and four single beds (two sets of bunkbeds). The couch in the living room also folds flat for use as a bed. Old Condon can comfortably sleep up to eight people. An indoor bathroom features running water and a flush toilet. Guests should bring bedding, food and personal toiletries. Binoculars are recommended for bird and wildlife watching. Click here for more cabin details. Guests must clean the cabin and carry out all trash before leaving.
Natural Features
The cabin is nestled in Swan Valley just west of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. It sits about five miles east of the Swan River. From the front porch, guests can see views of the Mission Mountains across an open field. Behind the cabin is a stand of towering mixed pine trees and Simpson Creek flows nearby.
Part of a historic Forest Service compound, the ranger's residence was constructed in the early 1920s and later restored for public use. Historically, the site was used year round to operate the Condon Ranger District, which has been renamed as the Swan Lake Ranger District. The work center was relocated in the 1960s, but some structures remain to remind visitors of the old Forest Service days.
Nearby Attractions
Limited supplies are sold at a general store in Condon, about 20 minutes from the cabin.
The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
US Forest Service (USFS)
National Park Service (NPS)
US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
Department Of Defense (DOD)
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Other Federal
State
Local
Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
Alaska Native Allotment
Road
Primitive Road
Road
Primitive Road
Trail
Roads open to all Vehicles, Yearlong
Roads open to all Vehicles, Seasonal
Roads open to highway legal vehicles only, Yearlong
Roads open to highway legal vehicles only, Seasonal
Special Designation, Yearlong
Special Designation, Seasonal
Trails open to all vehicles, Yearlong
Trails open to all vehicles, Seasonal
Trails open to vehicles 50" or less in width, Yearlong
Trails open to vehicles 50" or less in width, Seasonal
Trails open to motorcycles, Yearlong
Trails open to motorcycles, Seasonal
Special Designation, Seasonal
Trails Open to Wheeled Vehicles Only < 50" in Width, Yearlong
Trails Open to Wheeled Vehicles Only < 50" or Less in Width, Seasonal
Wilderness Area
Wilderness Study Area