Meadow Creek Station

About

Meadow Creek Cabin is a historic Forest Service guard station originally built in the early 1920s, located deep in the Selway-Bitterroot backcountry. The property consists of five buildings including the main cabin, a bunkhouse with loft, tack shed, woodshed, and outhouse. The cabin sits in a dramatic steep-sided canyon along Meadow Creek, surrounded by pines and accessible only by non-motorized trail or motorcycle. The main cabin features a sleeping area with six beds and mattresses, a living room with wood heat, and kitchen facilities including a wood cook stove, propane refrigerator, propane stove, and propane lights. A Coleman lantern is provided but guests must bring their own fuel. Basic kitchenware is available. There is no electricity, running water, or modern bathroom facilities. Water must be obtained from Meadow Creek and filtered or boiled for at least five minutes due to untested quality. Access requires a 15-mile hike or horseback ride on National Recreation Trail #726 from Slim's Camp trailhead, or a 14-mile motorcycle route from Elk City via Kirk's Fork Trail #830 to Anderson Butte, then Butte Creek Trail #809. Guests must pick up the cabin key at Moose Creek Ranger Station before arrival. Several trails in the area offer hiking and horseback riding opportunities, and fly fishing for trout in Meadow Creek opens after July 1.

Directions

Travel to Lowell, Idaho, located midway between Lewiston, Idaho and Missoula, Montana on Highway 12 at milepost 97. Cross the bridge and drive 20 miles up the Selway River. Cross the Selway Falls Bridge on the right and travel about a mile to the trailhead at Slim's Camp. From there, it's a 15-mile hike or horseback ride on National Recreation Trail #726 to the cabin. An alternate route from Elk City follows Kirk's Fork Trail #830 to Anderson Butte, then Butte Creek Trail #809 to Meadow Creek Trail #726. This 14-mile route is open to motorcycles.