Egan Basin Guard Station

Caribou-Targhee National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: MONTPELIER, ID, ID

Price: From $35 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (13 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Egan Basin Guard Station is a rustic retreat in the Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest of southeastern Idaho, near the Utah border. The Montpelier area is known for its abundance of year-round recreational opportunities. The guard station is accessible by SUV/4 wheel drive during warmer weather.

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

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

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/egan-basin-guard-station to be notified when sites open up.

Rustic retreat in Caribou-Targhee National Forest with year-round recreational opportunities including fishing, hiking, and winter sports. Google reviewers rate it 4.6/5 stars and praise the beautiful cabin and surroundings.

Wildlife alert: Mosquitoes are abundant (multiple Google reviews report severe mosquito issues). Wildlife in area includes moose (Alces alces shirasi), beavers, red foxes, and ground squirrels.

Insider tips for Egan Basin Guard Station: Access via St. Charles, ID route is preferred over Utah approach due to road conditions Bring heavy-duty insect repellent; multiple reviewers report unbearable mosquito pressure High-clearance or 4WD vehicle recommended; Google reviewers note rough road conditions

Skip Egan Basin Guard Station if: You need electric hookups (none available at this site). You cannot tolerate severe mosquito activity. You do not have a capable 4WD or SUV vehicle. You plan to visit December 1 to April 30 (cabin used as warming hut only, not reservable).

Best time to visit Egan Basin Guard Station: May-November — Guard station cabin is not reservable December 1 to April 30. SUV/4WD accessible during warmer weather; snow conditions exist in fall and spring..

Nearby campgrounds: Cloverleaf Campground (MONTPELIER, ID), North Fork Campground - St. Charles Canyon (DUCK CREEK, ID), Porcupine (Id) (DUCK CREEK, ID), Davis Canyon Campground (DUCK CREEK, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Egan Basin Guard Station

Cell signal at Egan Basin Guard Station (MONTPELIER, 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.

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Caribou-Targhee National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Egan Basin Guard Station

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MONTPELIER, ID, ID★ 4.2 (13 reviews)From $35/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Egan Basin Guard Station is a rustic retreat in the Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest of southeastern Idaho, near the Utah border. The Montpelier area is known for its abundance of year-round recreational opportunities. The guard station is accessible by SUV/4 wheel drive during warmer weather.

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

Verified facts

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

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFirewood for Sale
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

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:✕ You need electric hookups (none available at this site)✕ You cannot tolerate severe mosquito activity✕ You do not have a capable 4WD or SUV vehicle✕ You plan to visit December 1 to April 30 (cabin used as warming hut only, not reservable)

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Access via St. Charles, ID route is preferred over Utah approach due to road conditions

Bring heavy-duty insect repellent; multiple reviewers report unbearable mosquito pressure

High-clearance or 4WD vehicle recommended; Google reviewers note rough road conditions

Best: May-November

Guard station cabin is not reservable December 1 to April 30. SUV/4WD accessible during warmer weather; snow conditions exist in fall and spring.

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: Mosquitoes are abundant (multiple Google reviews report severe mosquito issues). Wildlife in area includes moose (Alces alces shirasi), beavers, red foxes, and ground squirrels.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
208-847-0375· Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Getting there →

Egan Basin Guard Station is located 31 miles southwest of Montpelier, Idaho. Follow Highway 89 south 17 miles to St. Charles. Turn west on 200 North. Continue west 1.5 miles to Forest Road 411 (Green Canyon) and follow 411 west/southwest to Forest Road 415. At this intersection, follow the signs west 5 miles to the guard station sign, turn south for 1/4 mile to the guard station. Maps are available upon request at the district office.

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 — Caribou-Targhee National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Caribou-Targhee National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Egan Basin Guard Station cost per night?+
Egan Basin Guard Station costs $35 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Egan Basin Guard Station open?+
Egan Basin Guard Station is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Egan Basin Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Egan Basin Guard Station?+
Egan Basin Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Egan Basin Guard Station?+
Egan Basin Guard Station 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 Egan Basin Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Egan Basin Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Egan Basin Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Egan Basin Guard Station is open Year-round. 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.

$35 /night★ 4.2 (13)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Egan Basin Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Egan Basin Guard Station open?+
Does Egan Basin Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cloverleaf Campground

MONTPELIER, ID

From $20/night

North Fork Campground - St. Charles Canyon

DUCK CREEK, ID

From $75/night

Porcupine (Id)

DUCK CREEK, ID

From $20/night

Davis Canyon Campground

DUCK CREEK, ID

From $60/night

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Egan Basin Guard Station — Caribou-Targhee | CamperWatch