Observation Point Campground

About this campsite

Campground: Observation Point Campground.

Location

Observation Point Campground•ID

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TODAY☁️

19° / 8°

💧 1%

TUE☁️

18° / 8°

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WED☀️

19° / 5°

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THU🌤️

18° / 5°

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FRI☁️

18° / 5°

💧 2%

Nearby Campsites

within 50km

8.3 km away

MAGRUDER RANGERS HOUSE

Overview Magruder Rangers House is one of seven buildings still used by Forest Service trail crews and wilderness rangers. The rental cabin is available from early June to mid-October. It provides visitors with access to two designated wilderness areas, plenty of opportunities for sightseeing and exploration and a comfortably equipped place to stay. The Ranger Station is open to the general public and the main entrance/exit road runs by the rental cabin. There are several trails which leave from the Ranger Station area so you can choose your destination and come back to relax in a cozy cabin. Recreation Hunting, fishing and hiking are popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the area. The adjacent Scenic and Wild Selway River and a variety of nearby mountain streams are well known for trout fishing. Anglers might see bullhead, rainbow, steelhead and cutthroat trout, as well as mountain whitefish. There are a variety of trails that traverse the area. They are open to hiking and horseback riding. Bicycles and motorized travel are not allowed within wilderness boundaries but are allowed on roads. Facilities The Magruder Ranger House is a historical cabin and along with six other buildings which were at one time part of the Deep Creek Ranger Station and later the Magruder Ranger Station. The two-story, five-room log cabin has two bedrooms, a living area, a kitchen and an indoor bathroom. It has beds with mattresses, as well as futons, to sleep up to 10 people. A wood stove for heat is available in the basement of the cabin and firewood is provided. The kitchen is equipped with a table and chairs, propane refrigerator, stove and propane lights. Cooking and eating utensils are available, as well as various cleaning equipment. During the summer, hot and cold running water is available for the kitchen and bathroom, which has a flush toilet and a shower. The water system is turned off for fall and winter. Water is turned on from June through September 30. An outdoor vault toilet is provided. Guests will need to bring their own bedding, towels, food, matches, garbage bags and toilet paper, among other necessities. It is required that guests replenish the cut kindling supply and clean the cabin prior to leaving. The cabin is accessible by four-wheel drive and high-clearance vehicles. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety. Please be aware the access is through a forested area where trees may fall across roads and trails anytime and there is no cell phone coverage. Livestock are not permitted at the Magruder Cabin compound. Natural Features The house is located on the Selway River, between the 1.2-million-acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and the 2.3-million-acre Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness areas, at an elevation of about 4,000 feet. It was once the residence of the district ranger and his family. Most of the area is covered by coniferous forests, with open meadows near the river. Because of its size, the wilderness provides a secluded habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Populations of mountain lions and grey wolves live in the area, as well as coyote, fox, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, moose, deer and black bears (learn about outdoor safety ). Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (406) 821-3269. Nearby Attractions The adjacent Magruder Road provides drivers with a unique experience in the back country of Idaho. The road was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and remains much the same now as it did then. The "Deep Creek Ranger Station" as it was once known, now called the Magruder Ranger Station is a step back in time. Explore the Selway River Road to Indian Creek where you will find interpretiv

8.7 km away

HORSE HEAVEN CABIN

Overview The Horse Heaven Cabin is a historic cabin that sits between two scenic wilderness areas in central Idaho. It provides access to a variety of trails and recreational opportunities unique to the area. Recreation Visitors to the area enjoy big and small game hunting. Proper licenses are required to hunt within the Idaho and neighboring Montana. There are a variety of hiking and horseback riding trails in the area. Bicycles and motorized travel are not allowed within wilderness boundaries. Facilities The one-room, 16-by-18 cabin is equipped with two built-in bunk beds that can accommodate up to four people. It has a table and chairs, wooden bench, a propane cook stove, propane lantern and a wood stove for heat. Basic cooking and eating utensils are provided, as well as cooking pots, pans and a coffee pot. Firewood for the stove is also available outside the cabin. A splitting maul is located inside the cabin. A small stream may provide water during the summer, but it should be boiled or treated before it is used for drinking or cooking purposes. A vault toilet is provided in an outhouse near the cabin. Sleeping pads are provided for the bunks. Guests will need to bring their own sleeping bags or bedding, as well as propane fuel for cooking and lighting. Guests will also need to bring water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. Food, matches, flashlights and garbage bags are not provided. Guests must clean, dry and store dishes used and carry out all trash and clean the cabin prior to their departure. The cabin is accessible by four-wheel drive and high-clearance vehicles. The last 300 yards from the main corridor road into the cabin is rough and rocky. Guests are encouraged to bring a saw, as trees fall along the wilderness corridor road frequently. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety. Livestock are not allowed at this facility. Natural Features The cabin was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps for use as a fireman's cabin. It is situated at an elevation of 7,100 feet on a road that divides the 1.2 million-acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and the 2.3 million-acre Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness areas. While the cabin is on the edge of an open meadow, most of the area is covered by coniferous forests. Wildland fires have burned around the cabin in recent and in years past. The vast wilderness provides a secluded habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Populations of mountain lions and grey wolves live in the area, as well as coyote, fox, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, moose, deer and black bears. Nearby Attractions The cabin lies near the southern Nez Perce Trail, which was used by Native American tribes as a seasonal migration and subsistence route between eastern Oregon and Idaho and the buffalo country in eastern Montana. Today, the dramatic winding road serves as a boundary between the heart of thousands of square miles of two designated wilderness areas, the Frank Church - River of No Return and the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness areas. The area is some of the wildest land in the country and is well worth the time to explore. Salmon Mountain Lookout is an historic and active fire lookout on the Bitterroot National Forest. The less than 2 mile hike offers spectacular views of the Frank Church- River of No Return Wilderness areas, along with high mountain larch, white barked pine and abundant wildlife.