Horse Heaven Cabin
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.
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 | Water / sewer | People / vehicles | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C01 | Gravel | Partial | No / – | 4 / 2 | Yes |
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
| Pets | Allowed |
| Fees | The cabin rental fee is $25 per night, for up to five consecutive nights. Golden age/access discounts do not apply at this site. The cabin can be reserved up to 180 days in advance. |
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.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Elk City, Idaho, travel southeast on Highway 14 and Forest Road 222. Continue east on Forest Road 468 for about 36 miles, turn south at the Trail 28 sign and travel 1/4 mile to cabin. From Darby, head south for 4 miles on Highway 93.
| Nearest town | Darby, Idaho |
| Coordinates | 45.6350° N, 114.9128° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx D4 Piquett Creek
37 mi from the campground · 2,210 acres
- PrescribedScf Nz Pile Burn Rx
48 mi from the campground · 34 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| RV sales & service | Hamilton RV Sales Of Montana ↗ | 57.1 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
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.
- 3.4 miSalmon Base Camp Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 10.4 miBeaver Point Day Use Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- under 0.1 miSabe Creek ↗6.8 mi trail
- 2 miLodgepole Hump ↗8 mi trail
- 2.4 miSalamander Creek ↗7.9 mi trail
- 3.4 miShoup-Elk City ↗22.7 mi trail
- 3.8 miHells Half-Salmon Mountain ↗15.9 mi trail
- 3.9 miSalmon Mtn Lookout1.2 mi trail
Trailheads within three miles
- 0.1 miHorse Heaven Trailhead ↗Bitterroot 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 Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest.
- inNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 4,072,795 acres
- 4.1 miSalmon-Challis National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 4,396,382 acres
- 5.2 miFrank Church-River of No Return Wilderness ↗Wilderness · BLM/FS · 2,358,886 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
- Salmon Mountain LookoutBuilding · Darby (MT) · 3.9 mi
- Blacky Foster HouseBuilding · Shoup · 10.7 mi
- Arctic Point Fire LookoutStructure · Big Creek · 12.7 mi
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.
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.
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 Horse Heaven Cabin?
Sites at Horse Heaven Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Horse Heaven Cabin?
The cabin rental fee is $25 per night, for up to five consecutive nights. Golden age/access discounts do not apply at this site. The cabin can be reserved up to 180 days in advance.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Horse Heaven Cabin?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Horse Heaven Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are pets allowed at Horse Heaven Cabin?
Yes, pets are allowed at Horse Heaven Cabin. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Horse Heaven Cabin?
Visitors to the area enjoy big and small game hunting. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Horse Heaven Cabin?
Darby, Idaho. 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.
Source: Getting there
What if Horse Heaven Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Magruder Crossing Campground (10.2 mi, first-come), Wendover Campground (10.7 mi, first-come), and Granite Springs Campground (12.2 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby