Johnny Sack Cabin, Historic log cabin in Island Park, United States
Johnny Sack Cabin is a log bungalow built in 1932–34 at Big Springs, near Island Park, Idaho. It measures about 20 by 27 feet in plan, with porches as extensions, and is noted for split-bark ornamentation on the cabin and its handcrafted furnishings.
A German immigrant named Johnny Sack built this log cabin between 1932 and 1934 using traditional hand tools and methods. The structure was completed during a period when many people were settling remote areas in America and living self-sufficiently.
The cabin shows how early settlers and craftspeople lived and worked in this remote part of Idaho. The handmade furniture inside reveals the patience and skill people needed to create their own furnishings.
The cabin stands at Big Springs in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, reached via the Ashton/Island Park Ranger District road network near Island Park. The site is maintained by the U.S. Forest Service together with Fremont County, whose parks department helps care for the cabin and its waterwheel. Visitors should plan for a short walk from the parking area and check current conditions with the ranger district before setting out.
Near the cabin stands a water wheel that once generated electricity from the flowing springs, which produce enormous amounts of water daily. This small piece of engineering reveals how early residents harnessed natural resources to become energy self-sufficient.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,785 contributors worldwide.