Yellowjacket Guard Station

Salmon-Challis National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: SALMON, ID, ID

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (8 reviews)

Season: May through October

Yellowjacket Guard Station is a historic Forest Service Ranger Station and Work Center. Originally constructed in 1925 and remodeled in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the structure is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.The guard station sits in the Yellowjacket Mountains within the Salmon-Challis National Forest in Idaho. The sizable front porch awards views of the scenic mountain meadow surrounding the station.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Fishing

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

Historic 1925 Forest Service Ranger Station with excellent access to trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and off-road vehicle use. Gateway location to Middle Fork and Frank Church Wilderness areas.

Wildlife alert: Mule Deer and Franklin's Grouse present in surrounding area

Insider tips for Yellowjacket Guard Station: Book early — federal campground with only 1 tent site Prepare for remote location — 44.5 miles from Highway 93 on Forest Road 021 Outhouse facilities only — bathroom is closed per camper review

Skip Yellowjacket Guard Station if: Expecting hookups — no hookups available. Need modern bathroom facilities — outhouse only. Visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations. Seeking developed amenities — very remote location.

Best time to visit Yellowjacket Guard Station: May-October — Campground operating season per verified data.

Nearby campgrounds: Williams Lake Campground (Salmon, ID), Shoup Bridge Campground (Salmon, ID), Morgan Bar Campground (Salmon, ID), Tower Rock Campground (Salmon, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Yellowjacket Guard Station

Cell signal at Yellowjacket Guard Station (SALMON, 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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Salmon-Challis National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Yellowjacket Guard Station

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SALMON, ID, ID★ 4.2 (8 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Yellowjacket Guard Station is a historic Forest Service Ranger Station and Work Center. Originally constructed in 1925 and remodeled in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the structure is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.The guard station sits in the Yellowjacket Mountains within the Salmon-Challis National Forest in Idaho. The sizable front porch awards views of the scenic mountain meadow surrounding the station.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesBackpackersSites: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 RingsFishing
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:✕ Expecting hookups — no hookups available✕ Need modern bathroom facilities — outhouse only✕ Visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations✕ Seeking developed amenities — very remote location

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

federal campground with only 1 tent site

Prepare for remote location

44.5 miles from Highway 93 on Forest Road 021

Outhouse facilities only

bathroom is closed per camper review

Best: May-October

Campground operating season per verified 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: Mule Deer and Franklin's Grouse present in surrounding area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
208-756-5209· Salmon-Challis National Forest
Getting there →

From Salmon, Idaho, take Highway 93 south 5 miles, to a right turn at Shoup Bridge onto Forest Road 021 and travel 44.5 miles to Cobalt Work Center facility on Panther Creek Road 055. Continue 8 miles south on Panther Creek Road, where you will come to Porphury Creek turnoff to the right, heading west. Continue approximately 11 miles along Porphury Creek Road/Forest Road 112 to Yellowjacket Guard Station. From Challis, Idaho, take Highway 93 north 8 miles, to a left turn on Morgan Creek Rd. Trav

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 — Salmon-Challis National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Salmon-Challis National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Yellowjacket Guard Station cost per night?+
Yellowjacket Guard Station costs $75 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Yellowjacket Guard Station open?+
Yellowjacket Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Yellowjacket Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Yellowjacket Guard Station?+
Yellowjacket Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Yellowjacket Guard Station?+
Yellowjacket 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 Yellowjacket Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Yellowjacket Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Yellowjacket Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Yellowjacket 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.

$75 /night★ 4.2 (8)
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 Yellowjacket Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Yellowjacket Guard Station open?+
Does Yellowjacket Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Williams Lake Campground

Salmon, ID

From $2/night

Shoup Bridge Campground

Salmon, ID

From $2/night

Morgan Bar Campground

Salmon, ID

From $2/night

Tower Rock Campground

Salmon, ID

From $2/night

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