Spyglass Ground House

Idaho Panhandle National Forests — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: SMELTERVILLE, ID, ID

Price: From $45 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (9 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Electric Hookups, Bear Boxes, Fishing

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

Historic Spyglass Lookout site on Spyglass Peak offering camping, fishing, and hiking in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Campers report it's very green, lush, quiet, and not crowded with well-maintained facilities.

Wildlife alert: Moose, Elk, White-tailed Deer, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake present in area; also Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Common Merganser, and Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Insider tips for Spyglass Ground House: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site Plan for minimal cell signal according to camper reports Bring earplugs if noise-sensitive — trains pass through hourly with horns

Skip Spyglass Ground House if: Expecting hookups — no hookups available at sites. Need reliable camp host support — campers report host was unavailable. Seeking river access — no river access available.

Best time to visit Spyglass Ground House: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Magee Rangers Cabin (COEUR D’ALENE, ID), Big Hank (Prichard, ID), Little Guard Lookout (SMELTERVILLE, ID), Berlin Flats (Prichard, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Spyglass Ground House

Cell signal at Spyglass Ground House (SMELTERVILLE, 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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Idaho Panhandle National Forests — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Spyglass Ground House

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SMELTERVILLE, ID, ID★ 4.4 (9 reviews)From $45/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.

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
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsBear Boxes
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Electric Hookups

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:✕ Expecting hookups — no hookups available at sites✕ Need reliable camp host support — campers report host was unavailable✕ Seeking river access — no river access available

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site

Plan for minimal cell signal according to camper reports

Bring earplugs if noise-sensitive

trains pass through hourly with horns

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

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, Elk, White-tailed Deer, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake present in area; also Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Common Merganser, and Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
208-783-2363· Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Getting there →

From I-90 take Exit #43 (Kingston) and drive 24 miles north on Forest Highway 9 (2-lane and paved) to Prichard Junction. Continue on Forest Road 208 for 28 miles to the end of the pavement and the start of Forest Road 6310 (a gravel road with large rocks and potholes). Travel 7 miles to Magee Ranger's Cabin historic site, then continue approx. 1/4/ mi. to the junction with Forest Road 422. Turn left on Road 422 for about 1/2 mile, then left on Road 265. Road 265 is a windy, single lane road with

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 — Idaho Panhandle National Forests fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Idaho Panhandle National Forests 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 Spyglass Ground House cost per night?+
Spyglass Ground House costs $45 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Spyglass Ground House open?+
Spyglass Ground House is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Spyglass Ground House have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Spyglass Ground House?+
Spyglass Ground House is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Spyglass Ground House?+
Spyglass Ground 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 Spyglass Ground House?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Spyglass Ground House is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Spyglass Ground House open, and what are check-in times?+
Spyglass Ground House is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●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.

$45 /night★ 4.4 (9)
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 Spyglass Ground House cost per night?+
What season is Spyglass Ground House open?+
Does Spyglass Ground House have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Magee Rangers Cabin

COEUR D’ALENE, ID

From $100/night

Big Hank

Prichard, ID

From $24/night

Little Guard Lookout

SMELTERVILLE, ID

From $55/night

Berlin Flats

Prichard, ID

From $123/night

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Spyglass Ground House — Idaho Panhandle National | CamperWatch