Spyglass Ground House

About this campsite

Overview

Spyglass Lookout Ground House is located on Spyglass Peak, in the heart of the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District, Idaho Panhandle National Forests. It's approximately 2.5 miles east and slightly south, as the crow flies, of the Magee Historic Site.

The Spyglass Lookout site is listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. It was first used as a patrol point in 1911 and by the 1920s supported a tower and housing for forest fire lookouts. It was an operational lookout until the mid- to late 60s and then abandoned in the 1970s. Current structures on the site include a 53-foot tower support structure (the hipped roof L-4 cab having been removed in 2014), a 1930s gable roofed ground house used as a residence for lookouts when the site was operational, and a 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed outhouse. Extensive restoration of the ground house for use as a recreation rental cabin began in 2012 and was completed in 2019.

Recreation

The cabin provides access to several non-motorized hiking trails and a popular fishing stream for day excursions in the surrounding area. The trailhead for Fearn Creek (Trail #407) is about 1 1/2 miles from the cabin and the upper trailhead for Halsey Creek (Trail #451) is about 2 miles from the site. Within 8-10 miles of the cabin are trailheads for Boundary Peak (Trail #325), the lower end of Halsey Creek Trail, and the lower end of Little Elk Creek (Trail #32). Also within this range is Tepee Creek, a favorite fly fishing stream with a westslope cutthroat trout fishery. Slightly further, but still within range of a day outing is Independence Creek National Recreation Trail (Trail #22). This trail offers opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and motorcycle riding.

Facilities

The ground house measures 14 x 14 feet and offers a dry cabin camping experience for 4 guests; there is no water or electricity. There are two new single mattresses and one bedframe to provide sleeping accommodations for two, with one mattress on the floor. Additional guests may need to provide their own sleeping pads or cots. There are kitchen table and chairs, a Jotul woodstove, wood box, and storage cabinet with basic dishes and eating utensils. There is no refrigerator or cooking stove. Outside the cabin is a picnic table and fire pit. The outdoor pit toilet is located about 150 feet from the cabin and is supplied with biodegradable toilet paper. Visitors should bring plenty of water for drinking and washing up, sleeping bags, matches or lighter, newspaper, garbage bags, flashlight, an ice chest for food storage, battery or propane lanterns, a propane cook stove, dish soap, towels and wash cloth, toiletries, insect repellent, first aid kit, extra toilet paper (just in case), and warm clothes.

Natural Features

Spyglass Peak is situated at 5,190 feet in elevation and is surrounded by the Coeur d' Alene Mountains. From vantage points near the cabin, vistas of ridgetops, forested slopes, and drainages of the North Fork Coeur d'Alene River and tibutaries extend as far as the eye can see. Wildlife in the area include moose, elk, whitetail deer, mule deer, wolf, black bear, mountain lion, fisher, ground squirrels, grouse, and goshawks, as well as other birds and many small mammals.

Nearby Attractions

Fishing streams, non-motorized hiking trails, motorcycle trail, Magee Historic Site

Location

Spyglass Ground House•ID

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Common questions about Spyglass Ground House

Is Spyglass Ground House free to camp at?

Yes. Spyglass Ground House in ID is a free camp, so there is no nightly fee to stay. There is no booking system for it, so plan on first in, best dressed, especially on long weekends. We hold no facilities list for it, so go in self sufficient with your own water and a way to deal with rubbish.

Can you book Spyglass Ground House online?

We hold no online booking link for Spyglass Ground House, so it is not bookable through this page. For sites like this, turning up early in the day is the surest way to get a spot, particularly in peak season.

Where is Spyglass Ground House?

Spyglass Ground House sits in ID. The map on this page shows the exact spot, and the coordinates travel straight into your navigation app. Check road conditions before you set out if you are towing, since access tracks can change with the weather.

Nearby Campsites

within 50km

4.1 km away

MAGEE RANGERS CABIN

Overview The Magee Ranger's Cabin is a fully furnished 2-story cabin in the center of the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District. Guests can imagine themselves as forest rangers when sleeping in the old ranger's quarters, and enjoying the superb views and convenient access to prime recreation trails. The Magee Cabin was constructed in 1922 as living quarters for the Magee District Ranger. The cabin along with several buildings at the site are on the National Register of Historic Places. These buildings may occasionally be occupied as temporary housing for Forest Service employees working in the vicinity. Recreation Nearby trails include the Independence Creek Trail System, with 34 miles of trails suitable for hiking, motorcycle riding, horseback riding and mountain biking. Teepee Creek is a tributary of Idaho's South Fork Salmon River and is open to fly fishing with popular catches including cutthroat trout and brook trout. Facilities The log cabin has a front porch and is located near a public picnic area. It sleeps six guests, with a full-size bed downstairs and four single beds upstairs. Amenities include drinking water, propane stove, refrigerator and heater. Two portable propane lanterns are available, but guests should bring their own propane. Items to bring include propane for lanterns, bedding, flashlights, food, a first aid kit, matches, insect repellent, towels, dish soap, dish towels and washcloths. Visitors should also bring a splitting maul, axe or bow saw for collecting firewood, plus charcoal and lighter fluid to start campfires. There is an UNHEATED shower and toilet available in the warehouse that is approximately 200 ft. from the rental. A detailed walking map is available in the cabin. Natural Features Magee sits at an elevation of 3,000 feet along the Teepee Creek in the heart of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. Nearby Attractions The nearest telephone is about 25 miles away and the nearest grocery store is about 32 miles away in Prichard, ID.

7.7 km away

BIG HANK

Overview Big Hank Campground is located along the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River in Idaho Panhandle National Forest. Shore fishing is a large draw, along with local hiking and biking trails. The campground also provides an excellent base camp for hunters during season. Wildlife like mule deer, moose, osprey and calliope hummingbirds are often spotted. Recreation Tubing on the river is a popular summertime activity, as is cutthroat fishing. Whitewater rafting enthusiasts enjoy the class I-III rapids down the river. Hiking, biking and horseback riding trails are a short drive away. Highlights include trails to Centennial Falls, Shadow Falls and Settler's Grove of Ancient Cedars. Facilities Big Hank Campground offers about 30 spacious campsites for tent camping. Drinking water from hand pumps, vault toilets, picnic tables and established fire rings are among the conveniences offered. Roads and campsite parking spurs are paved. Natural Features Big Hank is in a heavily wooded area on the banks of the Couer D' Alene River and Big Hank Creek. At 2,800 feet elevation, the campground sits on the Big Hank Meadow.

14.6 km away

Devil's Elbow Campground

Campground: Devil's Elbow Campground.

14.7 km away

LITTLE GUARD LOOKOUT

Overview Little Guard Lookout, located about 9 miles north of Shoshone Camp, was one of the last remaining fire lookouts used in the Coeur d'Alene River area and has only just recently become inactive. The structure standing today on Little Guard Peak is the third in a series of lookout buildings that originated back to 1919. In October 1990, Little Guard Lookout was accepted for listing in the National Historic Lookout Register and the first for Idaho. Recreation Hiking is a great way to explore and take in the scenery of the grand mountains. The lookout provides access to the Shoshone Ridge Trail #81, a very nice day hike for visitors to the lookout. The trail provides many scenic viewpoints, but there is no source of water along the way, so hikers must bring plenty of their own. Facilities The fully furnished two-story fire lookout has dimensions of 14 x 14 feet, an external cat walk, and a gabled roof. It sleeps four guests, with one single bed and three fold-up cots available. Quarters are tight and at least two cots will need to be set up downstairs in the kitchen area. The kitchen is on the ground floor and is equipped with a small propane refrigerator, propane cook stove, table, chairs and basic cooking utensils. Propane for the stove and refrigerator is also provided. The outdoor pit toilet is within 200 feet of the lookout. It comes with biodegradable toilet paper. Other amenities include a propane heater upstairs and propane lanterns, but renters will need to bring their own propane for these. No water or electricity is available. Visitors should bring plenty of water. A mountain spring is within a half-mile by footpath, and can be boiled and treated for consumption. In addition to water, guests should bring food, propane for lanterns and heater, matches or lighters, warm clothing, garbage bags, insect repellent, towels and washcloths, toiletries, dish soap and a first aid kit. Air mattresses or sleeping pads are also recommended. Natural Features At an elevation of 6,031 feet, the lookout boasts spectacular views overlooking the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River and the Bitterroot Mountains, with views of nearby Downey Peak to the northwest. Wildlife in the area includes mule deer, moose, osprey and calliope hummingbirds. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (208) 664-2318.

15.9 km away

DEVILS ELBOW

Overview Devil's Elbow Campground is perched on the banks of the North Fork Coeur d'Alene River, providing a perfect escape for a warm summer weekend. Here, visitors can camp in tents or RVs and spend their days fishing or floating the river. Recreation Rafting, swimming and kayaking are favorite activities on the river. Rafters will find class I-III rapids further down the river. Catch-and-release cutthroat trout fishing is also popular. Visitors also enjoy explore the river valley on foot to see nearby Downey Creek or Valitons Creek. Facilities Devil's Elbow Campground has 20 campsites including one host site and a group site. The group site can accommodate up to 50 people. Amenities include hand-pump drinking water and vault toilets. Campground roads are paved and parking spurs are short but wide enough for parking two vehicles alongside a trailer. Natural Features The campground sits among lodgepole and other mixed pines along the river at an elevation of 2,600 feet. The area is located in the Coeur d'ALene Mountains, 69 miles from popular Coeur d'Alene Lake. Wildlife watchers and photographers have the chance to see mule deer, moose, osprey and calliope hummingbirds.