USDA Forest Service · Idaho
Bishop Mountain Cabin
USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- June 1 to November 3
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 7,805 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · Verizon weak · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- BISHOP MTN (NFSR 20120) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Caribou-Targhee National Forest
- Nearest town
- ASHTON
- Address
- ASHTON/ISLAND PARK RANGER DISTRICT, ASHTON, ID, 83420
- Phone
- 208-652-7442
- Activities
- Berry Picking, Camping, Hiking, Hunting, Mountain Biking, Star Gazing, Wildlife Viewing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Bishop Mountain Cabin was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938. The one-room cabin formerly housed Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management employees who stayed there to watch for forest fires. A historic fire lookout tower is nearby. The cabin was used for lookout workers until the early 1980s.
Guests can drive to the cabin from early June through mid-November, weather permitting, although about 16 miles of the trip are on high-clearance gravel roads. Four wheel drive pick-up trucks are required for cabin access.
During winter months November through May, access to the cabin is accessible by snowmobile or other snow means, on an ungroomed portion of the road. The cabin provides several conveniences, but guests should be prepared to bring most of their own supplies and gear for a comfortable stay.
Recreation
Guests at Bishop Mountain Cabin can participate in numerous recreational activities. Nearby logging roads are suitable for mountain biking. Hiking, snowmobiling and horseback riding trails are nearby. This area is also popular with hunters and berry pickers.
Facilities
Guests will find two sets of bunkbeds with mattress pads, a dining table and chairs. A wood cook stove is available for cooking and heating, and firewood is provided. A vault toilet is located in a separate building.
Running water and electricity are not available. Guests must bring their own water supply as well as trash bags for packing out garbage. Bedding, matches, lighting and first aid supplies are not provided.
Natural Features
The cabin sits at 7,800 feet on the summit of Bishop Mountain, which is covered by pine trees. This mountain sits on the western border of Henry's Fork Caldera, an 18-mile long, 23-mile wide caldera located just west of Yellowstone National Park. Visitors are awarded scenic views of the surrounding mountains.
Wildlife in this area includes black bear, wolf, elk, moose, mule deer, and grizzly bears.
Nearby Attractions
Harriman State Park is approximately 14 miles east of Bishop Mountain and open year-round. It lies within a wildlife refuge that's part of the Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Visitors often see moose, elk, sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans. Anglers can find some of the best fly-fishing in the nation, and there are numerous multi-use trails.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19° | 4° | -22° | 30° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 21° | 8° | -19° | 38° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 31° | 15° | 0° | 48° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 37° | 18° | -4° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 53° | 28° | 19° | 64° | 11 of 11 |
| June | 63° | 38° | 24° | 78° | 6 of 11 |
| July | 76° | 47° | 34° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 74° | 46° | 40° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 63° | 38° | 27° | 73° | 4 of 11 |
| October | 46° | 25° | 8° | 65° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 31° | 14° | -12° | 49° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 20° | 4° | -10° | 35° | 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
- Riverside (Id - Targhee) · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 58 sites
- Box Canyon Campground · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi
- Buttermilk · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 56 sites
- Buffalo (Idaho) · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 50 sites
- Mccrea Bridge · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 25 sites
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.