Closed
Currently closed for the season. High-elevation location at 5,190 feet typically limits access until roads are clear of snow, usually mid-June to early July. Reservations through Recreation.gov when open.
About
Spyglass Lookout Ground House sits on Spyglass Peak in the heart of the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District, Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Listed on the National Historic Lookout Register, the site served as a fire patrol point starting in 1911 and housed forest fire lookouts from the 1920s through the 1960s. The 1930s gable-roofed ground house underwent extensive restoration from 2012 to 2019 and now operates as a recreation rental. A 53-foot tower support structure and a 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps-built outhouse remain on site.
The cabin provides rustic accommodations for up to four guests in a compact 14x14-foot space. Furnishings include two single mattresses on a bed frame, one floor mattress, a kitchen table with chairs, basic dishes and utensils, and a Jotul woodstove for heating. There is no electricity, running water, or cooking stove. Visitors must bring their own drinking water, propane camp stove, sleeping bags, and other essentials. An outdoor pit toilet with biodegradable toilet paper is located about 150 feet from the cabin.
The surrounding area offers access to several non-motorized hiking trails and fishing streams. The Fearn Creek Trail trailhead is about 1.5 miles from the cabin, and Tepee Creek provides westslope cutthroat trout fishing within 8-10 miles. From vantage points near the cabin, views extend across ridgetops and forested slopes of the North Fork Coeur d'Alene River drainage. Wildlife in the area includes moose, elk, deer, black bear, mountain lion, and various birds.
Directions
From I-90, take Exit 43 (Kingston) and drive 24 miles north on Forest Highway 9 to Prichard Junction. Continue on Forest Road 208 for 28 miles to the end of pavement and the start of Forest Road 6310 (gravel with large rocks and potholes). Travel 7 miles to Magee Ranger's Cabin historic site, then continue approximately 0.25 mile to the junction with Forest Road 422. Turn left on Road 422 for about 0.5 mile, then left on Road 265. Road 265 is a windy single-lane road with ruts and limited turnouts. Continue past Magee Airstrip, cross the bridge over Tepee Creek, and continue on Road 265 toward Spyglass Peak for 6 miles. At an unsigned intersection near the top, turn right and unlock the service road gate with the combination provided in your confirmation email. Drive 0.25 mile to the cabin. Travel time from Coeur d'Alene is approximately 2 hours 35 minutes.
