Coconino County

General Springs Cabin

 

General Springs Cabin is a historic Forest Service cabin on the Mogollon Rim. It is accessible via the Cabin Loop hiking trail and is also located near both Rim Road (F.R. 300) and Cabin Loop off-road trails featured here on our website.

The area of the cabin has long been used by early travelers and ranchers in the Rim area. General George Crook first used General Spring (located in front of the cabin) when traveling the historic Fort Apache-Camp Verde Military Road. This road connected the territorial forts of Fort Apache in the White Mountains and Camp Verde near the present day town of Camp Verde.

 About seven miles north of the spring, was the site of the infamous clash of U.S. Troops and Apache Indians in what is known as the Battle of Big Dry Wash. After a band of Apache Indians attacked local ranches and settlers, troops and scouts from the territorial fort were dispatched to the area. On July 17, 1882, the five groups of cavalry and one group of scouts converged on the Apaches. After four hours of fighting, the Apaches were defeated with more than twenty casualties. The U.S. troops suffered only two casualties.

General Springs Cabin.

Between 1914 and 1915, a cabin was constructed at the site of the spring by Louis Fisher. Fisher and other early rangers used this and other cabins in the area as a fire guard stations. At this time, the Forest Service was still in its infancy and was just establishing forest management techniques.

General Springs Cabin was used up until the 1960s. It sat abandoned for over 20 years. In 1989, the Forest Service refurbished the cabin to its present state, which appears to include a new roof. Today, the cabin stands as a testament to the early days of the forest service and those who traveled along the Mogollon Rim. Use of the cabin is prohibited although you can still enter the structure and explore the surrounding area. To get to the cabin, take F.R. 705 off of F.R. 300 (Rim Road) north about 1 mile. A Battle of Big Dry Wash can be found at the intersection of F.R. 300 and F.R. 705.

 

The view from the porch. The cement base around the original spring can be seen in the meadow on the left.

Inside of the cabin today.

 
 
 

Sources:

Informational signs at General Springs Cabin & Battle of Big Dry Wash historical marker.