USDA Forest Service · Idaho
Egan Basin Guard Station
USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- May 1 to November 30
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 8,455 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- EGAN BASIN GS (NFSR 30385) · native material · high clearance vehicles
- Lake
- Caribou-Targhee National Forest
- Nearest town
- MONTPELIER
- Address
- 322 N 4TH ST, MONTPELIER, ID, 83254
- Phone
- 208-847-0375
- Activities
- Camping, Cross Country Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Mountain Biking
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
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 is used as a warming hut during the winter months and is not reservable (December 1 to April 30). 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.
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.
Facilities
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.
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 10° | -15° | 36° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 26° | 12° | -15° | 39° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 33° | 16° | 1° | 50° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 37° | 20° | 7° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 50° | 29° | 16° | 61° | 11 of 11 |
| June | 64° | 41° | 28° | 80° | 4 of 11 |
| July | 76° | 52° | 35° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 73° | 50° | 39° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 64° | 42° | 25° | 73° | 2 of 11 |
| October | 50° | 29° | 8° | 65° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 37° | 20° | -5° | 51° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 25° | 11° | -4° | 37° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Beaver Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- NORTH FORK CAMPGROUND - St. CHARLES CANYON · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 1 sites
- Porcupine (Id) · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 17 sites
- Cloverleaf Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 19 sites
- Davis Canyon Campground · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 1 sites
All public campgrounds in Idaho · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-05-22. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.