West Fork Cabin

By Pat Hart

April 11, 2025

West Fork cabin was built in the 1930s as a smoke chaser cabin. It served as a home-away-from home for trail crews, fire crews, snow surveyors and wildlife crews.

It was always open to the public and became a popular recreation destination in the 1960s. It was on the National Register of Historic Places.

The cabin burned to the ground in June of 1998.

Local and national volunteers, representing all walks of life, joined forces to re-build this much-loved cabin. It is an exact replica of the original cabin, with the addition of a block foundation.

It represents the early days of the Forest Service, and is an example of what many different people can do when they work together.

The cabin sits in a meadow located in a Natural Research area north of Bonners Ferry.

The work project will include cabin and stove cleaning, trash pick-up and carry-out, wall oiling, and general maintenance.