Idaho / Idaho County / Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests

Walde Lookout Cabin

Closed — Available for rental from approximately mid-December through late March. The adjacent fire lookout is operational during summer and fall. Guests must travel 17 miles by snowmobile, skis, or snowshoes. Active logging operations may occur along access routes during winter.

About

Walde Lookout Cabin was built in 1941 to house employees who worked in the adjacent fire lookout, constructed in 1939. The fire lookout remains operational during summer and fall, so the cabin is exclusively available for winter rental from approximately mid-December through late March. This charming 14x16-foot log cabin has been restored to its original character and provides a remote winter retreat in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. The cabin accommodates four people with two mattresses in a loft area and two cots on the main floor. A wood stove provides heat, and the cabin is equipped with a propane cook stove, propane lights, table and four chairs, basic cooking and eating utensils, and outdoor firewood storage. An outhouse with a pit toilet is located outside. There is no electricity or running water, and guests must bring their own drinking water or boil natural sources. Situated at 5,220 feet elevation on the watershed divide between the Lochsa and Clearwater Rivers, the cabin offers spectacular views of the western slopes of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and the Selway Crags. The surrounding dense evergreen forest and deep winter snow create excellent conditions for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding. Wildlife in the area includes mule and white-tailed deer, elk, moose, gray wolf, and cougar.

Directions

From Kooskia, take Highway 12 East to Kamiah. Turn left onto Woodland Road for half a mile, then take the second right onto Glenwood Road (Road 100). Stay on this paved road until reaching the junction with Yakus Creek Road (Road 519). Park here, avoiding traffic from potential logging operations. Travel by snowmobile along Road 519 about 1 mile where it turns into Road 514. Travel approx. 9 miles to the intersection with Road 101 at Fan Saddle. Continue on Road 101 for 5 miles to Mystery Saddle and turn right on Road 486A. At the junction of Road 486D, stay right and follow Road 486A for 2 miles to Walde Cabin.

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