USDA Forest Service · Idaho
Walker Cabin
USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Drinking water
- No
- Elevation
- 4,505 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)
- Lake
- Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
- Nearest town
- ELK CITY
- Address
- 416 USFS DRIVE, ELK CITY, ID, 83525
- Phone
- 208-842-2245
- Activities
- Biking, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Walker Cabin is nestled among trees just off Crooked River Road #233, which leads into the Gospel-Hump Wilderness Area, in the Nez Perce National Forest.
The cabin was originally built around 1930 as a summer home. Jerry and Helen Walker purchased the cabin in 1967, then donated it to the U.S. Forest Service in the 1980s. It is now available for public recreational use. The cabin must be reserved in advanced; there are no walk-ups.
Recreation
Crooked River is a popular area for many recreational opportunities, including hiking, trout fishing, hunting, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. A nice hiking trail
is located behind the cabin.
Nearby trails lead to the Orogrande Summit, Buffalo Hump and Gospel Hump. Snowshoes may be required on the trails in winter. There are several lakes within a 3-mile
radius that are easily accessible by foot or off-road vehicle.
Facilities
The rustic cabin has two bedrooms with two single beds each, a living room with a wood insert in the fireplace, several chairs, a table, a broom
and a kitchen with a wood cook stove. A vault toilet is located in a separate building. Guests can find firewood in a shed behind the cabin.
Running water and electricity are not available. Guests should bring their own water supply and garbage bags to pack out their trash. Cookware, kitchen utensils,
bedding and blankets are not provided. A lantern or flashlight and extra batteries are recommended
(click here for more details about this cabin).
Natural Features
Walker Cabin sits at an elevation of 4,500 feet near the northern part of Gospel-Hump Wilderness, an area that is moist and densely forested. Big game species like
elk, mule and whitetail deer, black bear, cougar, moose, mountain goat and mountain sheep live within the Wilderness. Chukar, grouse, squirrels and songbirds make
their home here as well.
Nearby Attractions
The cabin is less than a mile from Orogrande, a historic mining site that is now a ghost town. The closest town, Elk City, Idaho, is a remote community with
limited facilities that include a grocery store, restaurant, bar, laundromat, convenience store and gas stations.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35° | 21° | -5° | 44° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 35° | 21° | -4° | 48° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 43° | 27° | 15° | 59° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 45° | 30° | 13° | 68° | 10 of 11 |
| May | 55° | 35° | 28° | 78° | 5 of 11 |
| June | 69° | 45° | 34° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 82° | 57° | 40° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 82° | 57° | 46° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 71° | 48° | 35° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 56° | 36° | 15° | 75° | 7 of 10 |
| November | 43° | 27° | -3° | 65° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 32° | 17° | 4° | 46° | 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
- Five Mile Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Orogrande Campground #1 and #2 · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi
- Crooked River · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi
- Orogrande Summit Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi
- Wildhorse Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 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.