0
Pull-thru
USFSSalmon-Challis National Forest · Idaho
Copper Basin Guard Station
Overview Copper Basin Guard Station is located in Copper Basin, a rugged and beautiful area in the Pioneer Mountains of south-central Idaho.
Sites1all reservable
Elev.7,822ft
Comf.Jun-Sep4 months
Max rig35 ft
Electricnonesites
From Idaho Falls3h22real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 7,822 ft, Copper Basin Guard Station has a 4-month comfortable window (Jun-Sep). Winter nights average around 9°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 1 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Within about 4 miles: 3 peaks.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and quiet. Softest on shade.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
Jun-Sep
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
86%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Jun 20
Last spring frost; first fall frost Sep 20.
51°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Idaho Falls
125 mi
3h22
02
Boise
194 mi
5h06
03
Coeur d'Alene
427 mi
9h28
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 12.8 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 1 SITES
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
1
Prime
1
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Peaks
3
Water & Access
To nearest major road
12.8 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.