Caribou Mountain Guard Station

About

Named after "Cariboo Jack" who discovered gold here in 1870, Caribou Mountain Guard Station offers a unique backcountry lodging experience in the Caribou Range. The historic cabin sits at 7,000 feet elevation near Idaho's second-highest peak (9,803 ft) and overlooks the marshes of Grays Lake below. The station is surrounded by mixed conifer forest and meadows teeming with wildlife including elk, moose, black bear, grizzly bear, wolf, and mountain lion. The cabin accommodates up to 15 guests with one sleeping room containing six single beds. Amenities include a propane cook stove, propane lights, propane space heater, and a dining area with table and chairs. An outdoor vault toilet and picnic table are provided. Guests must bring their own drinking water, bedding, sleeping pads, cooking utensils, and garbage bags for packing out trash. Recreation opportunities abound with hiking, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, and OHV trails including Caribou Mountain ATV Trail and Caribou Mountain Mine Trail. Winter visitors can enjoy snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. Nearby Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge offers excellent bird watching for sandhill cranes, whooping cranes, and trumpeter swans.

Directions

From Soda Springs, take Highway 34 north approximately 33 miles. Turn left onto Greys Lake Road. Drive north about 11.5 miles on Greys Lake Road and turn right onto McCoy Creek Road (Forest Road 087). Follow McCoy Creek Road for 6.5 miles to the guard station.