Cape Horn Winter Rental
Cape Horn Winter Rental is located in beautiful Elk Meadow, approximately 16 miles northwest of Stanley, in central Idaho. It sits at an elevation of 6,660 feet. Guests enjoy the area for its endless winter recreation opportunities, including cross-country skiing, back country downhill skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗



Site mix
| Cabins with electric | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | People / vehicles |
|---|---|
| 001 | 10 / – |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
The cabin is open for reservations during the winter only. In the summer, it is used by Forest Service employees as a guard station. The cabin can comfortably accommodate four people on one double bed and one single bed, each with mattresses, and one couch. More people can use sleeping bags on the floor, but due to the cabin's size, group size is limited to eight people. Guests need to bring their own food, toiletries, towels, bedding and trash bags. The cabin is equipped with electricity, which powers the lights and a standard four-burner stove and oven, but due to heavy snowfall on power lines, electricity cannot be guaranteed at all times. Be prepared to cook meals on the wood stove if the power is out. Firewood is provided, though it may need to be split. A table and chairs and additional seating is provided, along with a battery powered lantern and a wooden rack for drying clothes. The water system is turned off during the winter season so the indoor flush toilet and running water are not available. A vault toilet is located behind the station.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
The guard station it is less than two miles by skiing cross-country from State Highway 21 or approximately four miles by following the Stanley-Landmark Snowmobile Trail. If you are a first time renter, it is important to get detailed directions.
| Nearest town | Challis, Idaho |
| Coordinates | 44.3727° N, 115.1190° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx Lowman Wui
25 mi from the campground
- PrescribedParadise Rx
47 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 1.9 mi
- 3.2 mi
Trails nearby
- under 0.1 miCape Horn Trail, to Guard Stat1.6 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
- 1.7 miSwamp Creek ↗4.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 2.4 miCape Horn Lakes1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
- 2.7 miHay-Knapp Creek ↗29.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more · national_recreation_or_other
- 3.1 miBeaver Creek / Seafoam Road (W ↗13.5 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
- 3.1 miTrap Creek0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
Trailheads within three miles
- 1.9 miAsher Knapp Transfer Camp Trailhead ↗Salmon-Challis National Forest
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
This campground sits inside Boise National Forest.
- inBoise National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,526,862 acres
- 6 miSalmon-Challis National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 4,396,382 acres
- 7.4 miSawtooth National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,190,139 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
- Ivan W. Day HouseBuilding · Stanley · 11 mi
- Stanley Ranger StationBuilding · Stanley · 13.8 mi
- Niece Brothers' StoreBuilding · Stanley · 14 mi
Natural features
The cabin is situated in a stand of lodgepole pines. On clear days, the cabin's front porch affords breathtaking views of the rugged Sawtooth Mountain Range to the south.
Recreation
The Cape Horn area offers unlimited cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling opportunities in the surrounding meadows, and downhill skiing is available on the slopes behind the cabin.
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 Cape Horn Winter Rental?
Sites at Cape Horn Winter Rental are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Cape Horn Winter Rental?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Cape Horn Winter Rental have?
1 site, including 1 cabin with power.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there showers or a dump station at Cape Horn Winter Rental?
The water system is turned off during the winter season so the indoor flush toilet and running water are not available.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is the nearest town to Cape Horn Winter Rental?
Challis, Idaho.
Source: Getting there
What if Cape Horn Winter Rental is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Thatcher Campground (1.3 mi, first-come), Beaver Creek Campground (3.3 mi, first-come), and Lola Creek Campground (3.8 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby


