Cape Horn Winter Rental

Federal campground in Salmon-Challis National Forest

Location: CHALLIS, ID, ID

Price: From $40 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (18 reviews)

Season: May through October

Cape Horn Winter Rental is located in beautiful Elk Meadow, approximately 16 miles northwest of Stanley, in central Idaho. It sits at an elevation of 6,660 feet. Guests enjoy the area for its endless winter recreation opportunities, including cross-country skiing, back country downhill skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.The cabin is situated in a stand of lodgepole pines.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Electric Hookups, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cape-horn-winter-rental to be notified when sites open up.

Cape Horn Winter Rental offers unlimited cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling opportunities in beautiful Elk Meadow at 6,660 feet elevation, approximately 16 miles northwest of Stanley in central Idaho.

Wildlife alert: Mule Deer, Wapiti, American Pika, Great Gray Owl, and American Three-toed Woodpecker present in area

Insider tips for Cape Horn Winter Rental: Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand Access via State Highway 21 is less than two miles by cross-country skiing or approximately four miles via Stanley-Landmark Snowmobile Trail Firewood is available for purchase on-site

Skip Cape Horn Winter Rental if: Seeking RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites. Traveling outside May-October season - campground has seasonal operations only. Need standard road access - winter access requires skiing or snowmobiling.

Best time to visit Cape Horn Winter Rental: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only. Winter — RIDB description emphasizes endless winter recreation including cross-country skiing, backcountry downhill skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

Nearby campgrounds: Trap Creek Campground (Stanley, ID), Sheep Trail Campground (Stanley, ID), Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) (Stanley, ID), Bull Trout (Lowman, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cape Horn Winter Rental

Cell signal at Cape Horn Winter Rental (CHALLIS, ID): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
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Federal campground in Salmon-Challis National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cape Horn Winter Rental

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CHALLIS, ID, ID★ 4.7 (18 reviews)From $40/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Cape Horn Winter Rental is located in beautiful Elk Meadow, approximately 16 miles northwest of Stanley, in central Idaho. It sits at an elevation of 6,660 feet. Guests enjoy the area for its endless winter recreation opportunities, including cross-country skiing, back country downhill skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.The cabin is situated in a stand of lodgepole pines.

Best for:FamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFirewood for Sale
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ Seeking RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites✕ Traveling outside May-October season - campground has seasonal operations only✕ Need standard road access - winter access requires skiing or snowmobiling

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand

Access via State Highway 21 is less than two miles by cross-country skiing or approximately four miles via Stanley-Landmark Snowmobile Trail

Firewood is available for purchase on-site

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Best: Winter

RIDB description emphasizes endless winter recreation including cross-country skiing, backcountry downhill skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mule Deer, Wapiti, American Pika, Great Gray Owl, and American Three-toed Woodpecker present in area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
208-879-4100· Salmon-Challis National Forest
Getting there →

The guard station it is less than two miles by skiing cross-country from State Highway 21 or approximately four miles by following the Stanley-Landmark Snowmobile Trail. If you are a first time renter, it is important to get detailed directions. To obtain these, click here or call the district office at (208) 879-4100.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Salmon-Challis National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Salmon-Challis National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cape Horn Winter Rental cost per night?+
Cape Horn Winter Rental costs $40 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Cape Horn Winter Rental open?+
Cape Horn Winter Rental is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cape Horn Winter Rental have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Cape Horn Winter Rental?+
Cape Horn Winter Rental is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Cape Horn Winter Rental?+
Cape Horn Winter Rental is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Cape Horn Winter Rental?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cape Horn Winter Rental is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cape Horn Winter Rental open, and what are check-in times?+
Cape Horn Winter Rental is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$40 /night★ 4.7 (18)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cape Horn Winter Rental cost per night?+
What season is Cape Horn Winter Rental open?+
Does Cape Horn Winter Rental have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Trap Creek Campground

Stanley, ID

From $100/night

Sheep Trail Campground

Stanley, ID

From $150/night

Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf)

Stanley, ID

From $75/night

Bull Trout

Lowman, ID

From $20/night

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