Benson Hut is six miles south of Donner Pass Road and about three miles south of Mt. Lincoln and the Sugar Bowl ski resort. It was built in 1947-49 by friends and members of the Sierra Club as a memorial to John P. Benson, Jr., who was killed in action in Italy during World War II.
The main room on the ground floor has a wood-burning stove, table, and kitchen area; six fold-down bunks can be used when the main room is not too congested. Side rooms hold firewood (west) and maintenance supplies (east). The upstairs sleeping loft can accommodate a dozen people (total overnight hut capacity is taken to be 12 to prevent overcrowding). A two-story outhouse is 100' west of the cabin.
