Indian Henry's Patrol Cabin

Indian Henry's Patrol Cabin

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground on the Wonderland Trail, accessible via Kautz Creek or Longmire

Significance:

Historic Structure

Season: Summer 

Built in 1915-16, this historic cabin was the first backcountry patrol station in the park. It is located at Indian Henry's Hunting Ground on the edge of a subalpine meadow at an elevation of 5300 feet. The meadows of Indian Henry's Hunting Ground were visited often by the Nisqually and Cowlitz tribes in the mid-19th century. A mountain guide named Indian Henry, or Soo-Too-Lick, hunted a great deal in the meadow that bear his name. From there he guided James Longmire and other explorers in their search for routes through the Cascades.  

By the turn of the century, tourist visitation to Indian Henry's had increased. This resulted in the construction of a tent "hotel" known as Wigwam Camp. Built in 1908 by George Hall and Sue Longmire, the camp was the third tourist facility established in the park after the Longmire Hotel and Reese’s Camp of the Clouds at Paradise. However, the camp was abandoned in 1918 as were other plans for developing tourist facilities at Indian Henry’s. Nevertheless, there was still a need for the presence of backcountry patrols which resulted in the construction in 1915-16 of a ranger station at Indian Henry’s.  

Major alterations to the cabin occurred between 1970-79, when the rear shed was removed, a new front porch constructed, new base logs installed, roof re-shingled, new window frames and doors installed, and the log and wood post foundation was replaced with stone infill and concrete piers. The cabin is elevated off the ground which allows for ventilation during spring snow melt that deters log deterioration.