Cold Springs Peak Cabin - Clearwater NF (ID)

The cabin at Cold Springs Peak measures 12 by 14 feet. Inside are two spring beds, a small table with a couple of chairs, and a modern wood stove, with a pit toilet outhouse outside. There are no linens, cleaning supplies, or toiletries, and there is no water. Guests carry in what they need, and the cabin sleeps two. The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests rent it by reservation through the North Fork Ranger District, about 50 miles northeast of Pierce, Idaho.

A saddle above Ice Lake

The log walls sit in a narrow, rocky saddle directly beside Cold Springs Peak, on top of steep, nearly vertical cliffs. No railings or fences surround the cabin, and the forest asks anyone bringing children to weigh the risks of the location first. The Bitterroot Mountains lie in open view to the east. Directly below are the Elizabeth Creek drainage, Ice Lake, and a small meadow.

According to Recreation.gov, the animals seen most often here are mule deer, mountain lion, black bear, and elk. The birds seen most often are the Mountain Bluebird, Mountain Jay, raven, and tanager. Storms blow through the saddle, and late in the season the fall color stands against peaks capped with advancing snow. The nearest reasonable water is a single stream about a mile off on Trail 169, and it must be treated before drinking. Other mountain lakes in the vicinity hold fishing holes, and nearby trails lead to berry picking and birding.

Road 250 and the trails in

The usual approach leaves the south end of Pierce on French Mountain Road, which is Forest Service Road 250. The last 35 miles are mostly single-lane gravel with large potholes and rocks. The road crosses the North Fork of the Clearwater River at the Historic Bungalow Ranger Station site and climbs to the junction with Road 711 at Cold Springs Creek, about 2 miles west of the Kelly Forks Work Center. Recreation.gov notes that there are no services on the forest.

From that junction the routes divide. Hikers can park at Mush Saddle and walk 6 miles on Pot Mountain Trail 169, turning left at the Trail 176 junction for the last quarter mile.

The other route follows Roads 5295 and 5297, a rutted two-track that the forest calls barely passable for high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles even in the best conditions. It recommends continuing instead by ATV, motorbike, stock, or on foot. That route ends at the Flat Mountain Trailhead, where 2 miles of Trail 176 lead to the cabin. The trail is moderately difficult, with several steep grades. Off-highway vehicles must be under 50 inches wide, and debris or snowpack can block roads and trails early in the season.

A longer approach comes from Superior, Montana, over Hoodoo Pass at the state line. The pass rises to 6,000 feet and is typically snowbound from late October until mid-July.

Built for fire crews in 1931

The cabin went up in 1931 to shelter Forest Service firefighters and other work crews, and it qualifies for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Forest Service personnel and volunteers have since shored up its foundation, re-shingled the roof, and installed the wood heating stove. A broom is provided, and guests sweep out the cabin before they leave, under the policy Recreation.gov states as “Leave it Cleaner than when you arrived.”