USDA Forest Service · Idaho

Copper Basin Guard Station

USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States

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Sites
1
Hookups
1 no hookups
Season
June 11 to September 22
Drinking water
No
Restrooms
Yes
Showers
Yes
Elevation
7,822 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
COPPER BASIN G.S. LOOP (NFSR 40393) · native material · high clearance vehicles
Lake
Salmon-Challis National Forest
Nearest town
Mackay
Address
P.O. Box 507, Mackay, ID, 83251
Phone
208-588-3400
Activities
Biking, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing

1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.

About

Overview

Copper Basin Guard Station is located in Copper Basin, a rugged and beautiful area in the Pioneer Mountains of south-central Idaho.

Recreation

Copper Basin offers many recreational opportunities. These include stream and lake fishing, day hikes to high mountain lakes, mountain bike riding, hiking, horseback riding, camping, photography, hunting, off-highway vehicle (OHV) riding, birding, viewing wildlife, and driving for pleasure.

Facilities

The Copper Basin Guard Station is a 900 square foot, two bedroom log cabin that can sleep up to six adults comfortably, with room for eight people total. The cabin comes furnished with one queen bed with mattress, two full sized bunk beds with mattresses, and a queen sized sleeper couch in the living room. Other amenities include a propane cook stove, propane refrigerator, propane furnace, propane lights, wood stove, table with benches and chairs, table settings for eight, kitchen tools and cleaning supplies. The bathroom has hot and cold running water, a flush toilet, and a shower.

The Copper Basin Guard Station has no electricity, phone service, cell coverage, or internet service. All appliances are powered by propane. Guests need to bring their own food, toiletries, towels, bedding and trash bags. There is no smoking, no candles, and no garbage service. No pets allowed in the cabin. Campfires are allowed only in the metal fire ring that is provided.

Natural Features

Copper Basin is a remote mountain valley with beautiful views, wide open spaces, and mountains in every direction. The Basin is surrounded by both the Pioneer and White Knob mountain ranges, with elevations between 7,500' - 8,000'. Copper Basin has abundant wildlife, numerous streams, and stunning mountain peaks.

Nearby Attractions

Nearby attractions include fishing in the East Fork of the Big Lost River, OHV riding on the Lake Creek Trail, hiking on the Bellas Trail, and horseback riding on the Broad Canyon Trail.

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January25°11°-14°34°11 of 11
February26°10°-12°39°11 of 11
March32°16°5°53°11 of 11
April38°21°4°52°11 of 11
May51°32°21°62°9 of 11
June63°43°28°80°4 of 11
July79°55°36°87°0 of 11
August76°52°41°85°0 of 11
September65°44°31°76°1 of 11
October50°31°8°66°8 of 10
November38°23°-7°53°10 of 10
December26°11°-12°45°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

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.