Egan Basin Guard Station
Egan Basin Guard Station is a rustic retreat in the Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest of southeastern Idaho, near the Utah border. The Montpelier area is known for its abundance of year-round recreational opportunities. The guard station is accessible by SUV/4 wheel drive during warmer weather. Snow conditions may exist in the Fall and spring. The cabin provides few amenities, so guests should be prepared to haul most of the gear and supplies they'll need to make their stay comfortable.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Gravel | Full | 15 / – |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Amenities & rules
The guard station has a maximum capacity of 15 people. This is a single-room A-frame cabin with a table and chairs, two single beds and a sleeping loft. A wood stove is provided for heat and firewood may be available. A picnic table is just outside the cabin. An outhouse with vault toilet is located on-site. Water and electricity are not available. Guests must provide their own drinking water. A cook stove, light sources, cookware, kitchen utensils, bedding and emergency supplies are not provided. Guests must bring trash bags to pack out their garbage, and are expected to clean the cabin before leaving.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Egan Basin Guard Station is located 31 miles southwest of Montpelier, Idaho. Follow Highway 89 south 17 miles to St. Charles. Turn west on 200 North. Continue west 1.5 miles to Forest Road 411 (Green Canyon) and follow 411 west/southwest to Forest Road 415.
| Nearest town | Montpelier, Idaho |
| Coordinates | 42.0536° N, 111.5708° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- The cabin is used as a warming hut during the winter months and is not reservable (December 1 to April 30).
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Beaver Mountain Rental Shop ↗ | 6.1 mi |
| RV sales & service | RV sales & service ↗ | 15.7 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 16.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 9 miParis Peak Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 11.5 miTony Grove Day Use Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miEgan Basin1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.6 miChurch Hollow2.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 1.2 miCorral Hollow1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.2 miSink Hollow3.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 1.9 miMaple Creek ↗6.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 2 miMiddle Fk. St. Charles2.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
Mount Naomi Wilderness begins about 8.9 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 8.9 miMount Naomi Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 44,572 acres
- 12.1 miBear Lake National Wildlife Refuge ↗National Wildlife Refuge · Fish and Wildlife Service · 18,273 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Anna Nielsen Scofield HouseBuilding · Fish Haven · 9 mi
- Wilhelmina Nelson House and CabinsBuilding · St. Charles · 10.1 mi
- Franklin City HallBuilding · Franklin · 12 mi
Natural features
Egan Basin Guard Station is situated in an open meadow surrounded by mixed conifers and aspens. Wildflowers dot the landscape in the summer. The cabin sits at an elevation of 7,500 feet surrounded by the limestone and dolomite peaks of the Bear River Mountains. Large populations of deer, elk and moose inhabit this rugged backcountry. Pikas and marmots make their home here as well. Beavers are often spotted in the mountain streams.
Recreation
Guests can enjoy nearby trails for hiking, mountain biking and off-road vehicles ( Idaho OHV safety message ). Winter sports include snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. Anglers can fish in nearby Beaver Creek. Hunting areas are located nearby.
Guidebooks for Idaho
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Egan Basin Guard Station?
Sites at Egan Basin Guard Station are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Egan Basin Guard Station?
Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Egan Basin Guard Station have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Egan Basin Guard Station?
Guests can enjoy nearby trails for hiking, mountain biking and off-road vehicles ( Idaho OHV safety message ). The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Egan Basin Guard Station?
Montpelier, Idaho.
Source: Getting there
What if Egan Basin Guard Station is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Beaver Creek Campground (3.2 mi, first-come), Cloverleaf Campground (3.5 mi), and North Fork Campground - St. Charles Canyon (3.5 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby