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

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Meadow Creek Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Idaho County, Idaho. 1,283 feet. 0.3 miles from Kooskia.

Managed by
Forest Service Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
Elevation
1,283 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 cabin non-electric
Hookups
Water
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Idaho County

Overview

Meadow Creek Cabin was originally built in the early 1920s and used as a guard station, which consists of five buildings. The main cabin contains the office, a sleeping area and the kitchen. The bunkhouse contains a main room and loft. There is also a tack shed, woodshed and outhouse. Since 1932, Meadow Creek has served as a workstation, with field crews occasionally utilizing the bunkhouse.

The cabin is nestled among the pines on a steep-sided canyon along Meadow Creek. Plan on a 15-mile hike or horseback ride to this remote backcountry cabin, which is typically available from May 1 to September 15.

Recreation

Several trails are available in the area to explore by foot or horseback, including the Meadow Creek National Recreation Trail and the Butte Creek Trail. Anglers can enjoy fly fishing for trout in Meadow Creek after July 1st each year.

Facilities

The rustic cabin has six beds with mattresses, a living room with wood heat, and kitchen facilities with a wood cook stove. A propane refrigerator, dishes, cookware, kitchen utensils, Coleman lantern (no fuel provided), mop, bucket, broom, fire extinguisher and lights are provided.

Modern bathroom facilities and electricity are not available. An outhouse is located near the cabin. An indoor but untested water system is available; all water should be filtered or boiled for five minutes. The propane tank is located on the back porch.

A corral is provided for stock use and any grazing should take place beyond the grassy area in front of the cabins. Visitors must being weed-free feed for their stock.

Visitors should bring garbage bags for packing out trash. The cabin does not have matches, bedding, flashlights, first aid supplies or Coleman fuel. Click here for more information about this cabin.

Natural Features

Meadow Creek is a major tributary of the Selway River and is known for its clean, cold water and unspoiled beauty. Big game species found in the area include black bear, elk, moose, mule deer, whitetail deer and cougar. Visitors may also spot the Coeur d'Alene Salamander, which is only found in areas near the Selway River and Meadow Creek. Beaver, mink and otter may also be seen.

Nearby Attractions

Indian Hill Lookout is near the cabin and just outside the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The present tower was built in 1951 and the cabin is occupied by staff during the summer months.

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

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • swimming site
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Meadow Creek Cabin

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.

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.