siskiyou smokejumper base museum

The Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum is the most interesting museum in Southern Oregon. A retired smokejumper gives you a wonderful tour pointing out everything from tools and jumpsuits to parachutes. Each guide is a virtual encyclopedia of stories about jumping, firefighting and heroes of the smokejumper world.You can contact them directly through the website for a private tour it will be well worth your time.It is well worth the time and the donation one gives to help support this wonderful non-profit!

I think I’d spotted this place on the Google map as a possible break on a long drive from Eureka CA to Crater Lake but it was one of most inspiring stops on a 3 week road trip in the South West. Only days earlier we had made a 70 mile detour to get to Yosemite on account of a forest fire, and the previous day a major fire had a fire-fighter's camp set up nearby. At a recent gas stop, the (legally required in Oregon) pump attendant warned us to check the radio for trouble, so the West Coast drought and forest fires were an unfortunate backdrop in Summer 2014 for a British family on the road.This museum tells the story of Smokejumpers - guys who parachute into remote sites to put out fires. Also how they made their own equipment, risked their lives, climbed up and down trees to rescue stranded kit, put out fires with axes and shovels and then walked miles through wilderness with all their kit to reach the nearest road.Awesome story of brave people working to save nature and resources around them, told personally and modestly to us by one of the volunteers who did just that.

This renovated base and museum is well worth the effort to get here. Whether you take the full guided tour, which is free, or you opt to just explore the grounds for 15 or 20 minutes you will be rewarded with insights in to a fascinating world that few people have any knowledge of. From moon trees to gobi stones, you will be amazed.

We were on our way to Crescent City and saw the sign on the highway as we passed and decided to stop. Wes was a former smokejumper and was the Host at this museum. He took so much time with us, showed us around, and told us so many stories. There is no charge for the tour but there is a donation box in the mess hall, as well as books and other things for sale. So glad we stopped and would highly recommend anyone who is in the area to visit the museum!

NICE PLACE.... this museum has been built with donations & a few grants, & most people are volunteers', this place HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE ASHES ...so to speak, the base closed in 1981 or there abouts, & set empty for many years, & someone came up with the idea of bring it back...todays date 8/19/14 we really got a tour from a man that was a jumper based there, we got so much info from him, BIG shout out to Dave, he gave us a detailed tour & explained the all of the helicopters & equipment & men who were on standby waiting to be called out on the fires that were stared by lightening last nite.There is no charge for the tour but there is a donation box in the mess hall, as well as some books & drinks & other things for sale.Within a 20 mile strip on Hwy 199, there is the Smoke Jumper Museum, the Kerbyville Museum, Oregon Caves National Monument turn off in Cave Junction, lots of things to keep you busy all day in So Oregon.

This was an amazing place to visit. There were so many photographs and artifacts about smoke jumping. Staff members were former smokejumpers which made the stories come to life. I highly recommend this for veterans, families with children, and all people in general.

We saw the sign on the highway as we passed and made an unplanned stop here. Despite having not called ahead, we were treated to a wonderful and interesting tour by the former smokejumper who was running the place that day. Very, very interesting: we would highly recommend stopping here!

A nice little stop where you get a glimpse of life for smokejumpers. We got a great tour by a volunteer former smokejumper who was really passionate about it. Bought a book at the end of the tour that has been very interesting reading, filled with anecdotes from the smokejumper of that particular base. I understand that the museum is a work in progress, but already it is a fascinating place.

My wife and I spent a couple of hours here Saturday July 12, 2014 with David Laws a Smokejumper stationed at this base 1973-74. Mr. Laws made what has always been a romantic part of Western United States heritage come to life telling us of the history of smoke jumping, how it was done and who did it. He showed us throughout the base from the rooms where the shoots were packed and stored to the command center and the mess hall. What a treat. The jumpers in the war years were conscientious objectors and after the war many were returning servicemen. We learned what happened when you land in a tree, how you got back to base, what you wore and what you carried. The romance went out of this and recognition of the brutally hard and dangerous work became apparent. Envision jumping into a fire only to land 100 feet up a tree getting down fighting a fire climbing back up to untangle your shoot and then climbing back down and hiking miles back out with all your gear. Thank you for restoring and preserving this site.

Just happened to see the sign while zipping by on the freeway and decided to stop. The museum is not complete, but we had the best time visiting. A gentleman by the name of David Laws who was a smokejumper back in '73 gave up a personal tour of the facilities. His knowledge, insight and experience made the tour extra informative. The old equipment and photographs are a part of history so worth saving.

We happened upon this museum on our way from Grants Pass to Crescent City. Our 9 year old son had said he was interested in becoming a smoke jumper. I wasn't real sure what that really was. After walking away from our tour with Dave, a retired jumper, we had a lot better understanding. He was knowledgable and I could tell he enjoyed sharing their history. It was a hidden gem, well worth the stop, and by no means a waste of time.

I attended an event here, the museum is excellent. Small but informative , lots of great old photos and gear to see...a current smoke jumper chute prep area and gear. This is a worthwhile stop for any pilot, or person interested in the whole Smoke jumper history ..a scary profession for sure!!

We received a personal guided tour of the SmokeJumper base by one of the pilots on the board of directors of the airstrip, Wolf. It was very informative, and makes you wonder how those Smoke Jumpers could jump and land safely with 140 pounds of gear strapped to their bodies. He even let us look at one of the old jump planes. Those Smoke Jumpers had to be incredibly fit! We've been to the area several times and this was our first visit to the Smoke Jumper Museum but definitely not our last!

My husband and I had just entered the Administration Building fully expecting to self-guide ourselves through the smokejumper base but one of the volunteers, a retired smokejumper, offered to give us a personal tour of the base. His knowledge was unbelievable and he gave us a great tour. Unfortunately we didn't get his name. I would love to tell everyone what a great job he did.