USDA Forest Service · Idaho
Cape Horn Winter Rental
USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 electric
- Season
- December 15 to March 15
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- No
- Elevation
- 6,654 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
- CAPE HORN GS (NFSR 40344) · native material · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Salmon-Challis National Forest
- Nearest town
- CHALLIS
- Address
- Cape Horn Winter Rental (ID) 311 North U.S. Highway 93, CHALLIS, ID, 83226
- Phone
- 208-879-4100
- Activities
- Camping, Snowmobile Trails
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
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.
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. Click here for an Idaho OHV safety message.
Facilities
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.
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 16° | -4° | 41° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 30° | 16° | -12° | 45° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 37° | 20° | 7° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 40° | 24° | 9° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 50° | 31° | 19° | 65° | 11 of 11 |
| June | 66° | 40° | 26° | 80° | 6 of 11 |
| July | 79° | 52° | 37° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 78° | 51° | 37° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 66° | 42° | 30° | 80° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 52° | 31° | 9° | 68° | 9 of 10 |
| November | 41° | 18° | -14° | 58° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 30° | 13° | 0° | 42° | 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
- Thatcher Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Beaver Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Lola Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi
- Trap Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 1 sites
- Banner Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi
All public campgrounds in Idaho · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.