Magruder Rangers House

Bitterroot National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: DARBY, ID, ID

Price: From $100 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (12 reviews)

Season: May through October

Magruder Rangers House is one of seven buildings still used by Forest Service trail crews and wilderness rangers. The rental cabin is available from early June to mid-October. It provides visitors with access to two designated wilderness areas, plenty of opportunities for sightseeing and exploration and a comfortably equipped place to stay.

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

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

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/magruder-rangers-house to be notified when sites open up.

Magruder Rangers House offers access to two designated wilderness areas with excellent hiking and fishing opportunities in a historically significant location. Google reviewers praise the beautiful valley setting and amazing views, with one noting it's a great jump-off point for upper Selway exploration.

Wildlife alert: Northern Rubber Boa documented in the area

Insider tips for Magruder Rangers House: Bring bug spray for biting flies Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability Firewood is available for sale on-site

Skip Magruder Rangers House if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available. You plan to visit November through April — seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Magruder Rangers House: June-October — Rental cabin available early June to mid-October; campground operates May through October.

Nearby campgrounds: Horse Heaven Cabin (Darby, ID), Fales Flat Campground (DARBY, MT), Alta Campground (DARBY, MT), Rombo (DARBY, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Magruder Rangers House

Cell signal at Magruder Rangers House (DARBY, 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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Bitterroot National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Magruder Rangers House

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DARBY, ID, ID★ 4.3 (12 reviews)From $100/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Magruder Rangers House is one of seven buildings still used by Forest Service trail crews and wilderness rangers. The rental cabin is available from early June to mid-October. It provides visitors with access to two designated wilderness areas, plenty of opportunities for sightseeing and exploration and a comfortably equipped place to stay.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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
Max RV50 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowers
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFirewood for Sale

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✕ You plan to visit November through April — seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Bring bug spray for biting flies

Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability

Firewood is available for sale on-site

Best: June-October

Rental cabin available early June to mid-October; campground operates May through October

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: Northern Rubber Boa documented in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-821-3269· Bitterroot National Forest
Getting there →

From Darby, Montana, travel south on Highway 93 for 4 miles to West Fork Road/Highway 473. Continue on this road for approximately 14 miles to the Nez Perce Road/Magruder Corridor Road #468 and go another 34 miles on the one-lane gravel, and partially paved road. Just before Deep Creek meets up with the Selway River, turn south at a stone bridge that crosses the creek and continue .5 mile to the rental cabin. High- clearance vehicles are advised on the road from the Montana from June through Sep

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 — Bitterroot National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Bitterroot 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 Magruder Rangers House cost per night?+
Magruder Rangers House costs $100 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Magruder Rangers House open?+
Magruder Rangers House is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Magruder Rangers House have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Magruder Rangers House?+
Magruder Rangers House can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet.
How do I make reservations at Magruder Rangers House?+
Magruder Rangers House 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 Magruder Rangers House?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Magruder Rangers House is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Magruder Rangers House open, and what are check-in times?+
Magruder Rangers House 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.

$100 /night★ 4.3 (12)
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 Magruder Rangers House cost per night?+
What season is Magruder Rangers House open?+
Does Magruder Rangers House have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Horse Heaven Cabin

Darby, ID

From $25/night

Fales Flat Campground

DARBY, MT

From $30/night

Alta Campground

DARBY, MT

From $15/night

Rombo

DARBY, MT

From $15/night

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