Clearwater Big House

Enjoyed our stay in this quiet and peaceful place. Such amazing sunsets and sunrises. To mop before we left we ended up going to get water from one of the natural springs just down the road - worked great, and didn't have to waste any more drinking water. It gets very dark at night, so flashlights or little lanterns work great.

Great place, very spacious. Heater worked really well. We just camped out by the fire since there was 2 of us. Such a beautiful location! We had a great time!

We always enjoy staying at the Clearwater Guard Station. Back porch could use a bit of work, inner door doesn't lock. Grounds looked good, but the cabin itself needs some TLC.

Overall, we enjoyed our experience and achieved our goal of finding a place with solitude. We were able to hike without any crowded parking lots or others on the trails. For us, late May is the perfect time of year to head to this rustic cabin. Be aware that you are at altitude and it is going to be colder and, even snow despite being late May. To note, only two weeks before the roads had snow on them and there was a question on passibility. We have nothing but high praises for the Ranger staff, they were all great. The cabin itself is some what dated and could use a bit of upkeep. The propane fireplace worked with no issues and kept the place heated to about 60 degrees F (15.5 C) with the outside temps in 50's during the day and high 30's at night. I think it would have been colder if we didn't place a tarp over the doorway leading upstairs and used some paper to fill in the gaps at the front door. The range worked well but cook times with the oven were pretty slow. The downstairs beds were comfortable. The living room had plenty of chairs for a family. Excursions: Sunset Point (On NF 40) was phenomenal viewpoint. You can watch clouds & snow migrate up the valley. The Tucannon Trail was a great hike (prepare for ticks though). The Devils Eyebrow (off of NF 41) was a meadow area with pine trees & full of wildflowers. Our recommendations -Bring a few flashlights & a bright lamp because the propane powered lights only cover a small space. -Spring water is available if you go down NF 40 (from the cabin, make a left at the lookout tower intersection). About 2.5 miles down the road is Spruce Spring. We brought a water Filtration set-up with us. -Bring TP just in case as the vault toilet can be used by others recreating in the area. -We brought supplies such as Clorox wipes & a spray mop to make cleaning easier. -Verizon service was found near the lookout tower location w/o extra gear (we were able to use a cell router & yagi set-up to get service at the cabin).

So helpful to have giant snow melting pots! Loved the ambiance with the gas fireplace! Beds were comfortable. House was cozy. Our stay was late in the season, so the trail had stopped being groomed, making the (beautiful) 6-inches of fresh powder a little tough for some of the beginner xc-skiers. However, there were enough snowmobile tracks to follow (without much traffic), so we still had a great time. Can't wait for more cross-country adventures to the Clearwater Big House in the Blue Mountains.

Keeping in mind this is a camping experience - not a hotel: Clearwater Big House exceeded expectations. Things included such as dishes, cleaning supplies (mop, broom, etc). Gas fridge/freezer, stove and lights. Pack your own water (get it fresh down the road at Big Springs), food and bedding. The only part that felt like roughing it was walking to the outhouse, which was kept clean. Peaceful, relaxing experience! Will definitely do again! Thank you.