A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Lunch Peak Lookout

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Bonner County, Idaho. 9.8 miles from Hope.

Managed by
Forest Service Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Sites
1 1 cabin non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Bonner County

Overview

Lunch Peak lookout offers breathtaking views of Cabinet Mountain Wilderness, the Selkirk Mountains and Lake Pend Oreille. Located in the Cabinet Mountains, 35 miles northeast of Sandpoint, Idaho, the lookout sits at 6,414 ft. Guests can enjoy easy access to Pend Oreille Divide Trail #67. The lookout is remote and rustic with no heat, furnishings, water or cooking facilities. This basic structure lets visitors experience the feeling of "roughing it" while enjoying the cozy shelter and incredible views of the mountains and valleys below.

Recreation

The Pend Oreille Divide Trail #67 starts just below the lookout and is suitable for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking. It follows ridge lines for much of its length and offers great views in all directions. A nice day hike is out to Mt. Pend Oreille and back. 8 miles roundtrip.

Facilities

The 15'x15' cabin was remodeled in 2002 and sits atop a 15' high cinder block foundation. No water or heat is provided. The lookout has limited furnishings which include a sleeping platform, table and cabinet. A modern vault toilet is located at the Pend Oreille Divide trailhead, 300 feet away. The last four miles of the access road is rough in spots and high clearance vehicles are necessary.

Natural Features

The lookout is located northeast of Sandpoint, Idaho and Lake Pend Oreille at an elevation of 6,414 feet. Bear, deer, elk, and cougar are among the wildlife native to the area. Visitors are cautioned to be aware of and practice bear safety while staying at Lunch Peak Lookout.

Nearby Attractions

The closest convenience store and fuel is located in Hope, Idaho, approximately 20 miles or a one hour drive.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Lunch Peak Lookout

The ringed pin is this cabin or lookout; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in. The federal record’s point for it sits at a very different height from the one the agency describes, so the pin may be off: trust the directions above over the map.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.