Cabin rental · U.S. Forest Service · Caribou-Targhee National Forest · Montpelier, ID

Cub River Guard Station

Cub River Guard Station was established in 1907, and the first cabin was built in 1909 about a mile from the current site. This cabin was short-lived, and a second structure was built in 1922 and used until 1934. A third structure occupied this area after that until it burned down in 1957. The current cabin was built 2 years later. The cabin is open year-round and can be accessed by car in warmer months. Guests must snowmobile or ski to the cabin on groomed trails in the winter. Many modern conveniences are provided at the guard station, but some are seasonal and not guaranteed, so guests should be prepared to bring much of their own equipment and supplies.

Cabin rentalReservable · Recreation.gov1 site
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
CUB RIVER GUARD STATIONCUB RIVER GUARD STATIONCUB RIVER GUARD STATIONCUB RIVER GUARD STATION
Photos courtesy of US Forest Service · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Cabins1
This cabin is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfaceShadePeople / vehicles
001GravelFull75 / 20

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 cabin can sleep eight people on the four bunk beds provided; there are no mattresses. Renters will need to provide sleeping pads and bedding. Two bunk beds are in one bedroom and can sleep four people and the other two bunk beds are in the second bedroom, sleeping four more people. Total capacity for the site is 75 people and 20 vehicles. Outside the cabin is a large grassy area for tents. A table, chairs and four-burner range with oven are supplied in the kitchen. Log furniture, a wood-burning stove, and propane space heater are located in the living room. The cabin is equipped with propane lighting. Propane is provided for the lighting, range and space heater. A flush toilet and shower may be used in the summer if water is available. The vault toilet outside the cabin must be used from approximately mid-September to early June. There is an outdoor dining/entertainment pavilion with picnic tables as well as a fire ring with benches. Firewood may be provided but must be chopped. Water isn't guaranteed even in warmer months, so guests should bring their own.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Cub River Guard Station20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 1.66 inches of precipitation, 13.5 inches of snowFebruary: 1.40 inches of precipitation, 10.8 inches of snowMarch: 1.50 inches of precipitation, 5.1 inches of snowApril: 1.89 inches of precipitation, 3.0 inches of snowMay: 2.24 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJune: 1.24 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.74 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.81 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.48 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.59 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowNovember: 1.18 inches of precipitation, 4.9 inches of snowDecember: 1.57 inches of precipitation, 14.1 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 23.8°F averageFebruary: 28.0°F averageMarch: 38.8°F averageApril: 46.0°F averageMay: 54.8°F averageJune: 63.1°F averageJuly: 71.4°F averageAugust: 69.9°F averageSeptember: 59.9°F averageOctober: 48.0°F averageNovember: 35.3°F averageDecember: 25.0°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Preston, 11 miles from the campground at 4,719 feet, station USC00107346 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 52 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Preston, Idaho, head approximately 3 miles south on U.S. Highway 91. Turn east on Cub River Road/Forest Road 406. Proceed about 10 miles to the guard station. This road is heavily traveled throughout the summer with other recreationists, so please travel slowly and use caution.

Nearest townMontpelier, Idaho
Coordinates42.1392° N, 111.6753° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗11.5 mi
Outdoor gearBeaver Mountain Rental Shop ↗13.7 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗22.7 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Cub River Alt A
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 0.2 mi
    Cub River Alt B
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 0.6 mi
    Cub River Alt C
    0.07 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 0.9 mi
    Lowline ↗
    4.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 1 mi
    Thorne Spring ↗
    4.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 1 mi
    Cub River Trail ↗
    4.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

Mount Naomi Wilderness begins about 12.8 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Cub River Guard Station is situated near the banks of the Cub River at an elevation of 6,000 feet. The grounds are partially shaded by mixed hardwood, pine and cottonwood trees. Wildflowers dot the landscape in warmer months. Dense thickets of willow around Cub River attract local moose, but elk and deer are also seen in the area.

Recreation

Numerous hiking, biking, horse and off-road vehicle trails crisscross the area, offering great opportunities to get out and explore. The area becomes a playground for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter months. Nearby trailheads lead to several multi-use trails, including the Highline National Recreation Trail. Anglers can fly-fish for cutthroat and rainbow trout in the Cub River. Hunting areas are nearby.

Guidebooks for Idaho

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Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Cub River Guard Station?

Sites at Cub River 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 Cub River Guard Station?

Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Cub River Guard Station have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Cub River Guard Station?

A flush toilet and shower may be used in the summer if water is available.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Cub River Guard Station?

Numerous hiking, biking, horse and off-road vehicle trails crisscross the area, offering great opportunities to get out and explore. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Cub River Guard Station?

Montpelier, Idaho.

Source: Getting there

What if Cub River Guard Station is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Albert Moser (1 mi), Willow Flat Campground (2.6 mi), and Redpoint Campground (7.8 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby