A Remarkable Place with A Remarkable History

Many years ago, slightly East of The Village of Government Camp was the site for the Mt. Hood National Forest Summit District Ranger Station, elevation approx 4,000 ft. On a small crest between Still Creek and Camp Creek is the ‘Summit Campus’ located in the Historic Summit Ranger Station– also known as the Summit Compound, and the Summit Guard Station. The site is directly next to the Barlow Road section of The Oregon Trail. The road primarily followed original native trails across the Cascades and was first cleared and used in 1845. A trace of that road is still used as a popular hiking, Mountain biking, and cross-country ski trail.  Forest Service administrative functions located at Summit Meadow were relocated to this area in the 1930’s to be on the Mt. Hood Loop Highway and near the Timberline Road construction in 1930. Construction began in 1936, and the Mt Hood Forest Supervisor offered the largest residence in the newly constructed Summit Station to Tim Turner, Forest Service supervising architect on the Timberline Lodge project.