Lookout rental · U.S. Forest Service · Idaho Panhandle National Forests · Sandpoint, ID

Lunch Peak Lookout

Lunch Peak lookout offers breathtaking views of Cabinet Mountain Wilderness, the Selkirk Mountains and Lake Pend Oreille. Located in the Cabinet Mountains, 35 miles northeast of Sandpoint, Idaho, the lookout sits at 6,414 ft. Guests can enjoy easy access to Pend Oreille Divide Trail #67. The lookout is remote and rustic with no heat, furnishings, water or cooking facilities. This basic structure lets visitors experience the feeling of "roughing it" while enjoying the cozy shelter and incredible views of the mountains and valleys below.

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Lunch Peak Lookout
Photo via Recreation.gov

Site mix

Cabins1
This lookout 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
001GravelPartial4 / 2

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed

The 15'x15' cabin was remodeled in 2002 and sits atop a 15' high cinder block foundation. No water or heat is provided. The lookout has limited furnishings which include a sleeping platform, table and cabinet. A modern vault toilet is located at the Pend Oreille Divide trailhead, 300 feet away. The last four miles of the access road is rough in spots and high clearance vehicles are necessary.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Lunch Peak Lookout20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.63 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.85 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.44 inches of precipitationApril: 1.65 inches of precipitationMay: 1.79 inches of precipitationJune: 2.52 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.88 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.71 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.21 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.42 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.50 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.79 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 27.8°F averageFebruary: 31.3°F averageMarch: 38.9°F averageApril: 46.0°F averageMay: 54.9°F averageJune: 61.0°F averageJuly: 68.1°F averageAugust: 66.8°F averageSeptember: 58.3°F averageOctober: 45.6°F averageNovember: 34.9°F averageDecember: 27.9°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Troy, 15 miles from the campground at 1,929 feet, station USC00248390 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 24 inches a year.

Getting there

From Sandpoint take Hwy 200 east 12 miles to Trestle Creek Road; turn left onto Trestle Creek Road #275 and go 12 miles to Lunch Peak Road #1091; turn left onto Road 1091 and go 4 miles to the lookout.

Nearest townSandpoint, Idaho
Coordinates48.3681° N, 116.1850° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Silver

    28 mi from the campground · 2,593 acres · 30% contained

  • Wildfire
    Parker Lake

    40 mi from the campground · 1,531 acres · 1% contained

  • Wildfire
    Upper Smith

    43 mi from the campground · 4,848 acres · 41% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearNorth 40 ↗17 mi
RV sales & serviceEverything RV ↗29.2 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗33.5 mi

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

Explore

  • 0.6 mi
    Char Falls
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.7 mi
    Pend Oreille Divide ↗
    13 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.6 mi
    Lake Darling ↗
    4.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, snowmobile
  • 1.7 mi
    Gem Lake
    1.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.8 mi
    Gordon Creek
    1.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.9 mi
    Trestle Ridge ↗
    5.4 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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Kootenai National Forest, which overlaps Idaho Panhandle National Forests.

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.

Natural features

The lookout is located northeast of Sandpoint, Idaho and Lake Pend Oreille at an elevation of 6,414 feet. Bear, deer, elk, and cougar are among the wildlife native to the area. Visitors are cautioned to be aware of and practice bear safety while staying at Lunch Peak Lookout.

Recreation

The Pend Oreille Divide Trail #67 starts just below the lookout and is suitable for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking. It follows ridge lines for much of its length and offers great views in all directions. A nice day hike is out to Mt. Pend Oreille and back. 8 miles roundtrip.

Nearby

The closest convenience store and fuel is located in Hope, Idaho, approximately 20 miles or a one hour drive.

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 Lunch Peak Lookout?

Sites at Lunch Peak Lookout are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Lunch Peak Lookout?

Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Lunch Peak Lookout have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Lunch Peak Lookout?

Yes, pets are allowed at Lunch Peak Lookout. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Lunch Peak Lookout?

The Pend Oreille Divide Trail #67 starts just below the lookout and is suitable for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Lunch Peak Lookout?

Sandpoint, Idaho. The closest convenience store and fuel is located in Hope, Idaho, approximately 20 miles or a one hour drive.

Source: Getting there

What if Lunch Peak Lookout is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Sam Owen (11.4 mi), Spar Lake Campground (12.6 mi, first-come), and Yaak River Campground (16.4 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby