Decide what type of cabin you and your group are searching for. Options range from rustic -- sometimes without even running water -- to luxurious, with daily towel service and room service. Decide also what part of Idaho your group would like to visit and how much time you will spend there.
Consider whether you want to bring pets with you, what activities or amenities you expect for the children (such as a swimming pool) and what amenities you want for yourself (such as Internet access or a continental breakfast). This will help you narrow the parameters of your search and help you decide more quickly when you compare cabins available in the area you want to visit.
Think though your vacation activities from morning to evening, and write down all the tools or items needed to make these a reality. If you expect to have a quiet night after dinner, you may want cable television, board games or a lending library to facilitate this, especially if you're traveling with kids.
Consider which of your desires are necessities (such as gas heat or a grocery store within 10 miles) and which of your desires are preferences but not essential (such as a cooking area with a coffeemaker and stocked with basic spices such as salt and pepper, versus a bare-bones cooking area with a only a few old pots and pans).
Identifying this will help if you have to decide between two less-than-perfect choices.
Contact the official Idaho Travel and Tourism Center (see Resources), which will mail you a free publication with cabin listings. The Idaho Travel and Tourism Center, which gives free information about the entire state, also provides agents with whom you can speak on the phone to get referrals and contact information for large cabins located in the area that you want to visit.
Look at guidebooks -- such as Frommers, Fodor's and Lonely Planet -- to see if large private cabins are available at your destination. All of these guidebooks have websites where you can instantly see the accommodation size, style and availability (see Resources).
Pose questions on traveler-information forums such as Thorn Tree if you have questions about a specific area or if you need any suggestions. The Thorn Tree forum is organized by destination, so you can pose Idaho-specific questions to other travelers.
Visit Couchsurfing.org, a nonprofit website dedicated to connecting travelers with locals. Send a message to people who live in the part of Idaho you want to visit to see if they have company recommendations. These locals will have a stronger idea of company reputations in their area and will give you an unbiased opinion.
Look for cabin rentals through magazines such as Outside, Backpacking and Budget Travel, which have readerships that search for budget-friendly, outdoorsy accommodation.
Visit the website for the U.S. National Parks Service (see Resources).
Click on the left-hand tab that says "Plan Your Visit." In the drop-down menu, click on the link for "Fees, Reservations and Permits."
Read the instructions for getting permits for every member of your party. (Note that a permit is different than a cabin rental -- a permit is the base requirement for entering the park). Noncommercial groups of 12 or more receive a discount.
At the bottom of the page, click on the link for "Lodging." This will take you to the Yellowstone Cabins website (see Resources). Enter the dates of your stay and the number of people in your party on this website in order to reserve your cabin.
Visit the Idaho State Parks and Recreation website. (See Resources).
Click on the link for "Find a Park" on the left-hand side of the page, then click on the name of the park you want to visit. Then click on the tab that says "Stay Overnight."
Follow the park-specific directions under this tab for booking your cabin. These directions will vary based on your location. The directions will include phone numbers to call to make the booking and -- if it is a popular destination -- a deposit you might need to put down for your reservation. Depending on the park, you may also have to obtain a permit. The number of people you can host in your cabin (the size of your group) also varies by location. Larger parks tend to have more availability for big group cabins.
