Copper Basin Guard Station

The Copper Basin Guard Station is a 900-square-foot log cabin on the right-hand side where Forest Roads 135 and 138 meet. From Mackay the way runs north about 17 miles on Highway 93, then left onto the Trail Creek Road, which turns from pavement to gravel at about 12 miles. About 15 miles in, it turns left at the Wildhorse/Copper Basin turnoff, goes about 2 miles, and bears left onto Road 135 for about 14 more. From Ketchum the Trail Creek Road, #208, reaches the same turnoff in about 23 miles. The basin lies between 7,500 and 8,000 feet, ringed by the Pioneer and White Knob ranges, with streams running through it.

Two bedrooms hold one queen bed and two full-sized bunk beds, and a queen sleeper couch stands in the living room. The cabin sleeps six adults comfortably and eight in all. The stove, refrigerator, furnace, and lights all run on propane, and there is also a wood stove. A table with benches and chairs is set for eight. There is no electricity, phone, cell coverage, or internet. Guests bring their own food, bedding, towels, and trash bags, and the door combination arrives in the confirmation letter. Fires are allowed only in the metal ring outside. Recreation.gov lists a bathroom with hot and cold running water, a flush toilet, and a shower. The Salmon-Challis National Forest’s page states that potable water is not available at the site.

The two pages also disagree on length of stay. The Forest Service gives a three-night minimum, and Recreation.gov gives two. Both cap a stay at six nights. Within a drive are fishing on the East Fork of the Big Lost River, hiking on the Bellas Trail, horseback riding on the Broad Canyon Trail, and OHV riding on the Lake Creek Trail.

Renting the cabin out began as a proposal. On March 5, 2015, the Federal Register carried a notice, signed by Forest Supervisor Charles A. Mark, that the forest meant to charge $100 a night and rent the cabin from June 1 to September 30. The fees would pay for upkeep and improvements, and the new fees would begin in May 2016. Comments were open through August 1, 2015. The notice was later filed among the Forest Service’s 2015 notices that did not receive any public submissions. The nightly rate today is $100.