Hamma Hamma Guard Station and Lookout

In 1936, plans were being made to build a combined Forest Guard Station and Lookout. According to a Forest L(O) – Improvement letter on May 23, 1936, the guard station was located on a bench overlooking the territory several miles up and down the valley. The letter described the area as BLIND, so the proposed design on the building projected the living room out toward the brow of the bench to provide visibility with the increased window space. During this time period, the Hamma Hamma watershed would be restricted during fire season by a gate below the guard station. If someone had a permit to enter the watershed, the guard would have to leave his patrol duty and go down to unlock the gate, loosing valuable detection away from his station says the document.

The Guard Station is still standing today and is used as a vacation rental by the Forest Service. But what was forgotten was that the Hamma Hamma Guard Station was built as a “combination Guard Station and Fire Lookout”. The documents and images on this page were found in the National Archives in Seattle during November 2019.

If visiting, remember this is a vacation rental and the people renting it for the night don’t want visitors. It would be best to visit by renting the cabin or visit on a cleaning day, likely a Thursday. A short gated road leads up to the structure, guests are given the gate access so it may or may not be open.

The hike up

Guard Station sign at the guard station

Parking area

First view

2020 during Covid.....no maintenance being done.

May 23, 1936 letter

February 13, 1937 letter referencing the 1936 letter

Showing Guard and Lookout Cabin

Looking in the observation room windows

Rockwork done by the CCC

Firepit in the back

Flagpole