If you’ve ever stayed in a rustic cabin at one of Oregon’s state park campgrounds and thought “you know what, this could be smaller,” then there’s a great new option for you.

Mini rustic cabins have already rolled out at Detroit Lake State Recreation Area and have been so popular that the park has already doubled the number of tiny cabins available for campers.

Other parks could be taking notice. State parks spokesperson Stefanie Knowlton said that while no other parks offer tiny rustic cabins at the moment, campers should “stay tuned for possible additions in the future.”

The cabins themselves aren’t new. The little structures have been used as summertime staff housing, but in the winter, they’ve sat empty. By using them as campground lodging options in the offseason, from Oct. 1 to April 30, Detroit Lake has added a new stream of revenue in the colder months.

Cynthia Reed, park specialist at Detroit Lake, said the recreation area started renting out three mini-cabins in October 2023. They were so popular that the park built three more. The additional cabins will in turn mean more staff housing during the summer, which allows more park rangers to stay onsite, she said.

The tiny rustic cabins aren’t so different from the park department’s regular-sized rustic cabins. The smaller version comes with a full bed underneath a bunked twin bed, as well as a table and chairs, microwave, mini fridge and counter space. There’s heat and electricity, but bathroom facilities are in a shared campground building nearby (Reed promises the showers are hot).

Tiny rustic cabins at Detroit Lake cost $53 per night, which includes a $10 pet deposit that can be refunded on site for campers who didn’t bring their pets.

The biggest difference with the cabins is, obviously, the size. Coming in at about 120 square feet each, the tiny cabins are cozy, to put it generously. If the weather is nice, guests can enjoy a picnic table and fire ring outside, which adds some welcome breathing space.

At Detroit Lake, however, the size does not seem to be an issue. Reed said the popularity of the tiny cabins is not only a validation of the idea, but proof that campers are returning to the fire-ravaged Santiam Canyon, much of which went up in flames in 2020 — though those visitors may not be looking for the same old offseason campground.

“Visitors are looking for something more,” Reed said. “Everyone’s ‘why’ and their needs have changed.”

In addition to opening up the tiny cabins, the park has decided to keep its camper store open through the offseason, where people can buy hot coffee and snacks. Next year, the park plans to open an additional loop of year-round campsites to meet the demand.

Reed, who has stayed in the tiny cabins, said they’re a great option for people who want to visit the park in the winter, offering a dry, warm place to sleep within driving distance of places like Breitenbush Hot Springs, the Hoodoo Ski Area or any number of nearby hiking trails, many of which have reopened since the 2020 wildfires.

“We’ve been able to reach a wider, more diverse group of visitors with these cabins,” Reed said. “The more people that decide to return to the area, see the changes, embrace it — it just shows the resilience of the community and how we continue to evolve.”