Deadwood Lookout Rec Cabin

Fire lookouts are part of Idaho's mountain culture and legacy, and the Deadwood lookout is a wonderful way to experience it. The accommodations are simple but sufficient, but Scott Mountain Road is rough and visitors should plan on taking a rugged vehicle.

The views, of course, are the main attraction and are worth it! Sawtooth's to the East, Frank Church and Salmon River Mountains to the North East, West Mountains to the West and the Boise Front to the South. Keep an eye out for Steel Mountain to the South East, appearing prominent and huge not far to the right of the Sawtooth and Builder peaks but sitting on its own. Steel Mountain is the highest peak in the Boise National Forest.

Things to be aware of: bugs but mostly harmless. Sun exposure from being on top of a mountain can get overwhelming, but if there is shade on one side of the building, there is usually a breeze to keep cool. Hang out on the catwalk and enjoy the views as you follow the shade throughout the day.

T his was a great "guys" camping trip. The view's were amazing (minus the smoke) and the the temperature so great most slept outside on cots on the all-around concrete patio. We will definitely go again.

As always, we loved the gorgeous views, the rustic feel, the initial solitude we experienced.

We did NOT love the group of visitors who went around the locked gate around 7.15 PM and past the sign asking them to "respect the privacy of the renters". When we asked them to... respect our privacy, they chose to unlock the gate (how did they have the code?!) and then send a dirt biker up the road to do donuts in front of the lookout, to create a dusty mess and intimidate us (a woman + her 5-year old). As a result, we decided to leave the lookout, as spending the night close to these individuals was too scary a thought :-( Idaho campers, we can do much better than this.

We had a great time. It was a little hard to find the initial lock to put the code in at the gate (look UNDERNEATH the bar). I would recommend bringing more water than you think you need. My only concern is that my sense of smell is really sensitive and the place kind of smelled like Pinesol. It was also A LOT hotter than I expected it to be in the mountains as well. Only two of the windows have screens. Bring extra clothes, linens, pillows, slippers, etc. We have T-Mobile. We did not have service.

The lookout was fantastic! Gorgeous 360 views, peaceful, quiet, and entertaining with the lightening storm on night 2 of our stay. The lightening started in the Northwest corner and ended in the Southeast; it took 45 minutes to make it around and it was neat! The lookout itself is small, you'll likely spend more time outdoors anyway.
Bring everything you need, as if you were tent camping! Cookware, bedding, etc., everything is needed. Also, if you have a party of 3-4, it might be beneficial to bring along extra cots; there is one king size bed (two twins together).
Outhouse is the cleanest I've ever been in. No shade near the fire pit/sitting area, but if you bring a shade canopy, watch the wind! Surprisingly (and a little regrettably, lol), we had full phone service. Verizon is our carrier; we had phone and internet service once we got to the lookout (not so much on the drive up).
Well worth the expense and we'll definitely be back again in the future!

Amazing views! Great outhouse and well maintained. Host was accommodating with any questions and contacted us prior to our visit ensuring everything was set up. Gorgeous thunderstorm kept us up and wanting more. This is a beautiful public treasure that hopefully will be visited by all! THANK YOU to everyone who visits and keeps this lookout nice for the next person as well as the volunteers and employees of the National Forest Service for preserving this wonderful place!

My visit at Deadwood Lookout was a fiasco. The passcode given to me for the gate and the door ( verified three times) was incorrect. I was unable to drive past the gate up to the lookout and after walking there, I could not get in the door. It was late in the afternoon, no cell service, so I crawled in through a window. I had to walk back and forth from the lookout to my car to get my gear and food. Afterwards, I called the managers who said they had given me the wrong passcode and to call a fellow in Utah for a refund. I called and left a message describing the problem and he called back and left a message saying, so you did stay there...not a lot of empathy. I was hugely disappointed and never received a refund or credit.