Redfish Cabin

A stay at the historic Redfish Cabin is like having your own private Idaho. Nestled in the trees above the northern shore of Redfish Lake at an elevation of 6,570 feet, the Civilian Conservation Corps cabin from the 1930s offers a perfect getaway for a small family or group of friends. The cabin is warm and cozy, the views are breathtaking, recreation opportunities abound and starry nights provide a gateway to heaven — and you can share it all with your canine family member. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area was established in 1972 for its natural, scenic, historic, pastoral, and fish and wildlife values, and Redfish Lake is by far the most popular location in it; the cabin is available only in the fall and winter, a special time of year when few visitors come and the beauty and solitude of the lake and surrounding peaks feel nothing like the "Coney Island" atmosphere of summer. In the fall, trailheads to Bench Lakes, Redfish Creek, Fishhook Creek and Marshall Lake, all within half a mile of the cabin, offer fabulous hiking or horseback riding. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on un-groomed trails near the lake offer excellent winter recreation, and quick access to the groomed Stanley to Smiley Creek snowmobile route affords motorized options. Whether it is photography, bird watching, climbing a mountain or sitting by the fire with a book, there is an activity for all. The cabin accommodates three people on a log bunk bed/futon (single mattress above, double below); more can sleep on the floor in sleeping bags — bring your own bags and pads — for a maximum of six. Winter access after November 30 is a 2.25-mile snowmobile, snowshoe or ski along the gently climbing Forest Road 214. The cabin has electric lights, a gas fireplace in the living room and electric wall heaters. The kitchen features an electric stove, refrigerator, microwave, coffee pot, pots and pans, dishes and utensils. There is no running water, and an outhouse stands 50 feet from the cabin. Picnic tables and a fire ring are provided, though these might be buried under the snow in winter. The front porch offers stunning views of the Sawtooth Wilderness and Redfish Lake. Named for the brilliant sockeye salmon that return each year after a 900-mile journey from the sea, Redfish Lake is the largest lake in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area; these fish were once in such numbers that it is said the lake would shimmer red. Now endangered, most of the sockeye returning to the lake are bred in the nearby Sawtooth Fish Hatchery. The 217,000-acre Sawtooth Wilderness provides the backdrop, including the peaks that frame the lake at its south end: Mount Heyburn at 10,229 feet and Grand Mogul at 9,733 feet. Known for clear air, clean water and classic alpine beauty, the wilderness is home to bald eagles, osprey, elk and deer, gray wolf, mountain goat, and the elusive wolverine. The small town of Stanley, five miles north, provides a rural western atmosphere with limited amenities including lodging, dining, fuel and groceries in winter. Popular activities in the Sawtooth Valley this time of year include hunting, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and hot springing along the Salmon River.