Historic Buckhorn Ranger Station Restored for Public Stays

Nearly century-old Larimer County site gets new life after years of deterioration

By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com

LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — A nearly century-old ranger station west of Fort Collins has been restored after years of vacancy, deterioration and vandalism, preserving a piece of Northern Colorado history while opening the property to overnight public use.

The Buckhorn Ranger Station, also known as the Buckhorn Work Center, is located along Buckhorn Road in the Roosevelt National Forest. The historic compound was developed primarily between 1933 and 1941, with Civilian Conservation Corps crews helping construct its early buildings.

The property includes a ranger dwelling, assistant ranger dwelling, office, garage and other facilities. The Buckhorn Ranger Cabin dates to 1933.

The station served the Forest Service for decades before radon was discovered and the facility was closed in 2010. The High Park Fire burned more than 87,000 acres in the surrounding area in 2012, and the vacant compound subsequently experienced broken windows and other damage.

Destructive vandalism in 2017 helped spur efforts to preserve the property. Initial repair money was followed by a larger opportunity when the Great American Outdoors Act provided funding that helped move the station toward full rehabilitation.

Preservation work has involved numerous partners and volunteers over several years, with projects ranging from structural stabilization and exterior wood repairs to window rehabilitation, painting and restoration of the buildings’ historic features.

The site’s historical importance received formal recognition in August 2022, when the Buckhorn Work Center was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Now, the historic buildings are taking on another purpose.

Three cabins at the station are being offered for overnight use: the Buckhorn Ranger Cabin, Assistant Ranger Cabin and Bunkhouse.

The main Ranger Cabin is a furnished two-bedroom cabin accommodating up to six people, with indoor plumbing, electricity, a kitchen and woodstove. The Assistant Ranger Cabin has one bedroom, a kitchen, bathroom and space for up to four guests. The Bunkhouse is an efficiency-style cabin planned with wheelchair accessibility.

The surrounding area offers access to hiking, biking, hunting, scenic drives and off-highway vehicle trails. The station sits in Buckhorn Canyon about 22 miles west of Masonville, surrounded by foothills and mountain terrain.

The rehabilitation is the result of years of work involving the Forest Service and partners including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Forest Service Office of Sustainability and Climate Change, Colorado State Historical Fund, Colorado Preservation Inc., HistoriCorps, local businesses and community members.

Future plans also include installing an off-grid solar system to help power the facilities and continuing restoration of historic structures for seasonal use.

After serving generations of Forest Service employees — and surviving more than a decade of uncertainty — Buckhorn Ranger Station is once again being put to use while retaining the character that has defined the property for nearly 100 years.

Source: U.S. Forest Service, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland

More information: U.S. Forest Service — Preserving a Legacy: Restoration of Buckhorn Ranger Station