Surveyors Lookout

Idaho Panhandle National Forests — riverside, hiking

Location: AVERY, ID, ID

Price: From $55 per night

Rating: 3.4 out of 5 (14 reviews)

Season: May through October

Located near the Mallard-Larkins Pioneer Area Attractions, Surveyors Lookout is perched atop a 30 foot tower, providing phenomenal views of Snow Peak and the surrounding mountains. The cabin is listed on the National Historic Register for Lookouts and offers visitors a unique camping experience in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. The original pole structure lookout was built in 1931 as part of a network of lookouts used to spot fires in the Upper St.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water

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

Surveyors Lookout offers a unique historic fire lookout tower experience perched 30 feet high with phenomenal views of Snow Peak and surrounding mountains in Idaho Panhandle National Forest. Real campers rate it 5/5 stars, calling it an unforgettable experience with rustic charm.

Wildlife alert: American Pika, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Dusky Grouse, Greater Yellowlegs, and Valley Garter Snake verified in area

Insider tips for Surveyors Lookout: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site and high demand Access requires 29 miles east on St. Joe River Road (FH50) then 8 miles south on Red Ives Road 218 to Beaver Creek Road 303 Historic 1931 fire lookout tower listed on National Historic Register for Lookouts

Skip Surveyors Lookout if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at this site. You prefer standard campground facilities — only fire rings, picnic tables, and drinking water provided.

Best time to visit Surveyors Lookout: May-October — Seasonal operations limited to May through October per verified campground data.

Nearby campgrounds: Beaver Creek A-Frame Cabin (Id) (ST. MARIE’S , ID), Line Creek Stock Campground (Avery, ID), Red Ives Cabin (Saint Maries, ID), Cold Springs Peak Cabin - Clearwater Nf (Id) (OROFINO, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Surveyors Lookout

Cell signal at Surveyors Lookout (AVERY, 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, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Surveyors Lookout

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AVERY, ID, ID★ 3.4 (14 reviews)From $55/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Located near the Mallard-Larkins Pioneer Area Attractions, Surveyors Lookout is perched atop a 30 foot tower, providing phenomenal views of Snow Peak and the surrounding mountains. The cabin is listed on the National Historic Register for Lookouts and offers visitors a unique camping experience in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. The original pole structure lookout was built in 1931 as part of a network of lookouts used to spot fires in the Upper St.

Best for:HikersFamiliesSites: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 Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

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 prefer standard campground facilities — only fire rings, picnic tables, and drinking water provided

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site and high demand

Access requires 29 miles east on St. Joe River Road (FH50) then 8 miles south on Red Ives Road 218 to Beaver Creek Road 303

Historic 1931 fire lookout tower listed on National Historic Register for Lookouts

Best: May-October

Seasonal operations limited to May through October per verified campground data

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: American Pika, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Dusky Grouse, Greater Yellowlegs, and Valley Garter Snake verified in area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
208-245-4517· Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Getting there →

From the St. Joe River Road (FH50) to Beaver Creek, drive 29 miles east of Avery to the junction of the Red Ives Road 218. Turn south (right) and drive 8 miles to the junction of Beaver Creek Road 303 (just past Beaver Creek Campground). Drive about 7.5 miles to Road 201. Turn south (left) toward Sawtooth Saddle. Drive 13 miles to access road to Surveyors Lookout (Road 395A). From St. Regis, take Little Joe Road 282 about 14.5 miles to the top of Gold Summit. Stay on the same road which changes

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.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Surveyors Lookout cost per night?+
Surveyors Lookout costs $55 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Surveyors Lookout open?+
Surveyors Lookout is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Surveyors Lookout have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Surveyors Lookout?+
Surveyors Lookout is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Surveyors Lookout?+
Surveyors Lookout 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 Surveyors Lookout?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Surveyors Lookout is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Surveyors Lookout open, and what are check-in times?+
Surveyors Lookout 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.

$55 /night★ 3.4 (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 Surveyors Lookout cost per night?+
What season is Surveyors Lookout open?+
Does Surveyors Lookout have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Beaver Creek A-Frame Cabin (Id)

ST. MARIE’S , ID

From $55/night

Line Creek Stock Campground

Avery, ID

From $10/night

Red Ives Cabin

Saint Maries, ID

From $100/night

Cold Springs Peak Cabin - Clearwater Nf (Id)

OROFINO, ID

From $35/night

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