Eight Mile Guard Station

Caribou-Targhee National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: MONTPELIER, ID, ID

Price: From $60 per night

Rating: 3.9 out of 5 (14 reviews)

Season: May through October

Eight Mile Guard Station is a short drive from Soda Springs, Idaho. It was established as early as 1908. Several buildings have appeared on this site, although most were replaced or relocated.

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

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

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

Eight Mile Guard Station is a historic Forest Service cabin established in 1908 with modern conveniences including showers, electric hookups, and a kitchen. Campers consistently praise the property's outdoor recreation opportunities and dry firewood availability, with a 4.8/5 rating from verified reviews.

Wildlife alert: Moose, American Red Squirrel, Black-billed Magpie, Great Horned Owl, Ruffed Grouse, and Broad-tailed Hummingbird documented in the area.

Insider tips for Eight Mile Guard Station: Book early — this is a popular federal campground with only 1 site. Verify firewood condition before arrival; one reviewer reported unsplit green wood without an ax provided. Located 11 miles southwest of Soda Springs via Bailey Creek 8 Mile Road for easy resupply access.

Skip Eight Mile Guard Station if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at this site.. You visit November-April — only accessible by snowmobile in winter.. You're on a tight budget — at $100/night, reviewers note this is pricier than comparable Forest Service cabins..

Best time to visit Eight Mile Guard Station: May-October — Campground operates May through October; winter access requires snowmobile and guest-arranged transportation..

Nearby campgrounds: Emigration Campground (MONTPELIER, ID), Summit View Campground (DUCK CREEK, ID), Clear Creek Guard Station (MONTPELIER, ID), Blackfoot Reservoir Campground (Soda Springs, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Eight Mile Guard Station

Cell signal at Eight Mile 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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›ID›Eight Mile Guard Station
Eight Mile Guard Station — photo 1
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Caribou-Targhee National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Eight Mile Guard Station

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MONTPELIER, ID, ID★ 3.9 (14 reviews)From $60/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Eight Mile Guard Station is a short drive from Soda Springs, Idaho. It was established as early as 1908. Several buildings have appeared on this site, although most were replaced or relocated.

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
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowersFirewood 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 RV hookups — no hookups available at this site.✕ You visit November-April — only accessible by snowmobile in winter.✕ You're on a tight budget — at $100/night, reviewers note this is pricier than comparable Forest Service cabins.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 1 site.

Verify firewood condition before arrival; one reviewer reported unsplit green wood without an ax provided.

Located 11 miles southwest of Soda Springs via Bailey Creek 8 Mile Road for easy resupply access.

Best: May-October

Campground operates May through October; winter access requires snowmobile and guest-arranged transportation.

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: Moose, American Red Squirrel, Black-billed Magpie, Great Horned Owl, Ruffed Grouse, and Broad-tailed Hummingbird documented in the area.

Location

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

Eight Mile Guard Station is located 11 miles southwest of Soda Springs. Head east on Main Street in Soda Springs. Turn right onto South 3rd Street E for 1 mile. Continue onto Bailey Creek 8 Mile Road for 3.5 miles. Turn left onto 8 Mile Road for half a mile. Continue onto Nounan Road for 1.5 miles. Turn right onto Road 425/8 Mile Canyon Road/8 Mile Creek Road. Eight Mile Guard Station will be on the right in about 3.7 miles. 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 Eight Mile Guard Station cost per night?+
Eight Mile Guard Station costs $60 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Eight Mile Guard Station open?+
Eight Mile Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Eight Mile Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Eight Mile Guard Station?+
Eight Mile Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Eight Mile Guard Station?+
Eight Mile 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 Eight Mile Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Eight Mile Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Eight Mile Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Eight Mile Guard Station 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.

$60 /night★ 3.9 (14)
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 Eight Mile Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Eight Mile Guard Station open?+
Does Eight Mile Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Emigration Campground

MONTPELIER, ID

From $20/night

Summit View Campground

DUCK CREEK, ID

From $17/night

Clear Creek Guard Station

MONTPELIER, ID

From $35/night

Blackfoot Reservoir Campground

Soda Springs, ID

From $10/night

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