What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
The History
Built in 1934, the log cabin-like Big Creek Hotel attracted generations to this outdoor wonderland. Until, in 2008, a fire burned this piece of Idaho history to the ground. Many thought this unforgettable destination was lost to the past. Until we gave it a new future.
Back in the Day »
The IAF
Basically, the Idaho Aviation Foundation exists so aviation destinations that often fly under the radar keep existing, too. This dedication is exemplified in Big Creek-a remote, rare gem in Idaho's rich aviation heritage.
The Area
Big Creek lies on the lip of a vast 2.4 million acres of untamed land known as the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. By and large, it's pretty epic out here.
The Place to Be »
The Crew
Go behind the scenes to see who makes the magic happen. Our fabulous crew is here to help you.
News & Happenings
Just today, then last July![]()
Fire protected view on high...![]()
Beautiful places; Dave and Sue![]()
Thankful now for ALL OF YOU!![]()
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Happy Thanksgiving Big Creek Lovers!!
THIS JUST IN! Newsletter from Jim Davies, President of the Idaho Aviation Foundation: ![]()
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BIG CREEK LODGE 2024![]()
WOW, what a season we had at the Big Creek Lodge in 2024. I thought we had seen it all and hopefully now we have!![]()
The year started off in good form with the lodge fully staffed, good weather and reservations well above past years. We had not opened the doors for the first guests yet when our two married employees decided they couldn’t take the work and quit. We spent the next two months keeping the lodge operating with temporary workers who came on board for a week or two at a time. Also, providing invaluable help were supportive Edwardsburg residents. Eventually, Sally’s sister Sue and her husband Dave arrived to finish out the season for us with hard work and Sue’s famous cartwheel farewells. ![]()
As the summer went on, our reservations stayed at a high level, but Idaho was cursed with multiple forest fires causing smoke limiting flight visibility and road closures resulted in many cancellations. We have always maintained that safety and unforeseeable personal issues justify reservation refunds, and we honored that policy. We hope any of you who had to cancel either rescheduled or will try us again next year. ![]()
As the saying goes, where there’s smoke there’s fire and early September brought the fire to our valley. A small fire of a few hundred acres was started by lightning up Logan Creek. The Forest Service fire crews were spread thin across the west, but they contained that fire and maintained a watch. ![]()
We cancelled the rest of the season due to the fires, but we were happy to feed and board most of the fire crews for several weeks. As feared, the Logan Fire started up again and despite heroic levels of work by the crews, an evening of 60 knot winds stoked the fire into a huge, cataclysmic fire storm that roared down the Big Creek drainage. The whole valley was evacuated, but all the preparations by the fire crews paid off and the lodge as well as the village of Edwardsburg was saved. Unfortunately, we lost the historic log duplex that housed our lodge workers. Various agency crews used the lodge as an operations center for several more weeks until the seasonal rains and snow made it safe for them to leave.![]()
What started out to be another successful season had gone from optimism to one of survival and reflection, but we came out of it. We are grateful for the heroic efforts of the USFS firefighters’ dedication and professionalism. We can rebuild the duplex, and no one was seriously hurt, so we are moving forward.![]()
Looking to the future:![]()
We are so fortunate to have Sally returning as the steadfast and talented chef, musician and site manager. She even completed EMT training last winter. We are, however, concerned about everyone’s emotional burnout and the constant turnover of employees. To that end, next summer the lodge will be closed on Wednesdays and there will be no overnight guests on Tuesday or Wednesday nights. Hopefully, having a true day off weekly will make life better for all. ![]()
The view to the east from the front porch is still green and the mountains are still majestic. We look forward to a better season and hope you will be a part of it.
It was my privilege to cook for these folks while I could! Thank you to the FS pilots and logistics coordinators for keeping these guys fed well!
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