BISHOP MOUNTAIN CABIN
Address: Island Park, Idaho
Cost: Free
About
OVERVIEW
Bishop Mountain Cabin was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938. The one-room cabin formerly housed Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management employees who stayed there to watch for forest fires. A historic fire lookout tower is nearby. The cabin was used for lookout workers until the early 1980s.
Guests can drive to the cabin from mid-May through mid-November, although about 13 miles of the trip are on gravel roads. During winter months access to the cabin is accessible by snowmobile on an ungroomed portion of the road for the remainder of the year. The cabin provides several conveniences, but guests should be prepared to bring some of their own supplies and gear for a comfortable stay.
RECREATION
Guests at Bishop Mountain Cabin can participate in numerous recreational activities. Nearby logging roads are suitable for mountain biking. Hiking, snowmobiling and horseback riding trails are nearby. This area is also popular with hunters and berry pickers.
FACILITIES
Guests will find two sets of bunkbeds with mattresses, a dining table and chairs, cooking pots, dishes and tableware. A wood stove is available for cooking and heating, and firewood is provided. A vault toilet is located in a separate building. Running water and electricity are not available. Guests must bring their own water supply as well as trash bags for packing out garbage. Bedding, matches, lighting and first aid supplies are not provided.
NATURAL FEATURES
The cabin sits at 7,800 feet on the summit of Bishop Mountain, which is covered by pine trees. This mountain sits on the western border of Henry's Fork Caldera, an 18-mile long, 23-mile wide caldera located just west of Yellowstone National Park. Visitors are awarded scenic views of the surrounding mountains. Wildlife in this area includes black bear, wolf, elk, moose, mule deer, and grizzly bears.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
Harriman State Park is approximately 14 miles east of Bishop Mountain and open year-round. It lies within a wildlife refuge that's part of the Yellowstone Ecosystem. Visitors often see moose, elk, sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans. Anglers can find some of the best fly-fishing in the nation, and there are numerous multi-use trails.