OutReserve

Malad Summit Guard Station

Access road to Malad Summit Cabin.
Winter Parking past the cattleguard
Malad Summit Guard Station
Living Room
Malad Guard Station

About Malad Summit Guard Station

Malad Summit Guard Station is located 14 miles north of Malad, Idaho on Malad Pass just off I-15. The rustic one-room cabin is in a forested setting in narrow Mill Creek Drainage, and offers a secluded retreat on fenced acreage surrounded by scenic high country views. The original guard station was established in 1908, but was replaced by the existing cabin in 1934. The cabin is accessible by car when there is no snow. Guests should be prepared in snowy conditions to ski, snowshoe or snowmobile half a mile from the plowed road to reach the cabin. The guard station offers many amenities for a comfortable stay, but fewer conveniences are available in winter.

Number of accommodations: 1

Nearby Activities & Attractions

Hiking

Skiing

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Open year round

This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.

365 Days

01, Loop: MSGS

Price not available
🏠 Cabin Unavailable

Site Details

Up to 15 guests
Shade
Surface: Gravel
Campfire
Pet Friendly
View Site Details

Reviews (20)

What Guests Are Saying

The Malad Summit Guard Station offers a wonderful cabin experience. Guests should prepare to gather or bring their own firewood and toilet paper. Overall, it's a cozy place for a stay.

Review Summary

4.2
20 reviews
5
60.0%
12
4
20.0%
4
3
0.0%
0
2
15.0%
3
1
5.0%
1

Joshua T

Verified

August 25, 2021 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

5

Rick was an awesome host and it was very nice and peaceful to stay there. We were sure to lock the gate so we didn't have the experiences some folks have said about random folks driving in there trying to camp. That would suck.

Annette B

Verified

August 6, 2021 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

2

we arrived before dark ,the water didn't shut off in the kitchen sink and dripped all night ,moved it to the side to dampen the noise, was more run down than last visited in 2015 , kitchen sink faucet needs repaired missing handle ,, though this time it did have underground electricity hooked up and outlets for fans and other things you bring ,floor needs some t.l.c., beds were more comfortable this time but you may want to bring mattress protector covers since the ones on them fall off .out house was clean ,shower was hot and was a bit dirty around it but hard to clean anyways with what was there to clean with ,over all ,was fine for the price ,nothing to write home about .

Jay Sharon S

Verified

July 19, 2021 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

5

Cabin was very clean. Beautiful area. Wildlife every morning & evening. The only problem was other people do not respect the fence/gate. Utah residents came in several times to play on their ATV’s or set up camp 😳 Thank you Forest Service for providing a nice place.

Jay Sharon S

Verified

June 21, 2021 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

5

Very peaceful. A lot cleaner than I thought it would be. The caretaker, Ric, was very nice.

Sheldon M

Verified

June 12, 2021 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

4

Cabin had been cleaned very well and a very nice family experience.

Thomas B

Verified

May 10, 2021 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

1

If I could give this 0 stars, I would.

I recieved an email several days prior to my reservation that informed me that there was no water available, and that the refrigerator was not working.

No problem, I can pack in a water jug and just keep my food in the cooler, right?

Upon arrival, the place was littered with mouse feces. The shower stall, beds, counters, stove, cabinets, pans, etc all had mouse feces on or in them. The water heater was disassembled with pieces laying all over the floor. The electric wall heater would not turn on. I pulled the cover off and got the fan running, but it only blew cold air. No problem, the site says that I can get firewood for the wood stove from the adjacent campground host, that should be fine. But there was no camp host at the adjacent campground, nor any firewood, nor any people at all. We came back from our firewood search and that's when we noticed the smell. And the mice jumping into holes in the walls. There was something dead somewhere in the cabin. The smell of rotting flesh is pretty unmistakable. That was the final straw for us, we left and found somewhere else to stay.

It really looked like no one had been there in a long time. I would think that someone would at least check it out before making it available for reservations for the year.

Daniel B

Verified

January 3, 2021 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

4

Great cabin, lots of space, it was clean, nice beds, and a great big table. We didn't understand where we were supposed to park (winter rental, couldn't get all the way to the cabin) as they logical spot at the end of the plowed road has signs saying "No Overnight Parking/Private Property". It would help to know where we are supposed to park to walk in in the winter. Other than that, it was a great spot and a lot of fun.

Ben M

Verified

July 26, 2020 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

4

The cabin is in bad shape. It has not seen paint in many years. The screens are broken, doors stick, etc. But it has electricity, heat (not that we needed it in July), hot showers, and a functional kitchen. The setting is fantastic and the price is right. As a value proposition, it comes out great. All in all, we loved it.

Adam G

Verified

June 19, 2020 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

4

Great location in between two creeks with great views of the surrounding area.

This cabin now has electricity (including a refrigerator/freezer, wall mounted heating unit, 120v plug-in sockets).

There was no water when we were there, went and talked to the campground host and he was trying to get it fixed but he never did on the night that we stayed.

Firewood selection was poor. It seems that this is a growing trend, ten years ago most cabins were really stocked well with firewood.

Nicole S

Verified

February 24, 2020 Stayed at: 01, Loop: MSGS

5

Only thing I would have liked was more firewood, couldn't find any sort of cash, but someone did leave some on the porch

Location Malad Summit Guard Station

Address:
4350 Cliffs Drive
Pocatello, ID, 83204
United States

Highway access

Malad Summit Guard Station is located approximately 11 miles north of Malad, ID, accessible via I-15 at Exit 22, followed by N. Old Highway 191.

Latitude & Longitude: 42.3511 / -112.264

Elevation: 1829 feet

Policies & Rules

General

  • Malad Summit Guard Station is managed by Pinnacle Parks Llc under a special use permit with the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. For questions please contact 208-757-3999 between the hours of 8am and 9pm.
  • An access code for the gate and door is sent in the reservation confirmation email. 
  • Induction stove heating element will only activate if cookware is placed on the stovetop. Cookware must be made of a magnetic material. 
  • Shower facility, oven and refridgerator are no longer available. Guests should plan on bringing their own coolers for cold food storage. 
  • No water is available at the cabin during winter months beginning late September through May. Winter guests should bring their own water.
  • Forest road 041 is not maintained/plowed in the winter months. When snow accumulation doesn't allow for vehicles to access the cabin via Forest Road 041, cabin renters can park at the overnight winter parking area past the cattleguard at the USFS boundary. Cabin renters should not park on private property before the cattleguard. The overnight parking area is signed and can accommodate up to 4 vehicles. Renters can hike, snowshoe, cross-country ski, or snowmobile to Malad Summit Guard Station.
  • Please leave the cabin clean for the next occupant.
  • This is a pack-it-in/pack-it-out facility.
  • Smoking is prohibited.
  • Pets are allowed, but guests must ensure no damage to furnishings and no harassment of wildlife; guests must clean up after their animals.
  • Please make sure fires in the outside campfire ring are extinguished completely before leaving the cabin. Abandoning campfires during any point in your stay at the cabin can result in a violation. Since water is not available during the off season at the cabin, please bring extra water to help extinguish a campfire.
  • Off-road vehicle stickers are required for ATVs, motorcycles, and snowmobiles using the area
  • Guests should be aware that there is a risk of exposure to hantavirus when visiting remote cabins; click here to learn more
  • Click here for more information about Caribou-Targhee National Forest
  • Don't Move Firewood: Help prevent the spread of tree-killing pests in our national forests by obtaining firewood near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: June 4, 2026

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Managed by USDA Forest Service