Fire lookouts and Forest Service cabins for rent in Montana
Fire lookouts and Forest Service cabins for rent in Montana, each compiled from its own sources: season, road access, water, and what to bring. No ratings; every entry carries its status.
Point at a dot to see the place.Tap a dot to see the place. Road map of Montana.
- Antone CabinDillon · Log cabinA one-room 1929 log guard station at 8,100 feet on the Snowcrest Range southeast of Dillon, Montana, rented by the Forest Service at the end of a gravel road.
- Bar Gulch CabinTownsend · CabinA one-room rental cabin in the Big Belt Mountains near Townsend, built in the 1930s for mining but kept for recreation, with an antique cook stove and no running water.
- Bear Creek Cabin (Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, MT)Ennis · Cabin rentalA Forest Service rental cabin at the historic Bear Creek Ranger Station east of Cameron, Montana, where each May busloads of schoolchildren come to pan for rocks.
- Beaver Creek Cabin (MT)West Yellowstone · Primitive, rustic cabinA primitive Forest Service rental cabin at about 7,000 feet in the Madison Range northwest of West Yellowstone, Montana, set beneath 11,316-foot Hilgard Peak, the highest summit in the range.
- Ben Rover CabinPolebridge · Cabin rentalA Forest Service rental cabin half a mile from Polebridge, Montana, built in 1955 by the North Fork storekeeper Ben Rover so he would have somewhere to come back to.
- Bend Guard StationThompson Falls · Forest service rental cabinA 1923 Forest Service bunkhouse at the Bend, 32 gravel miles up Montana's Thompson River Road, rented by the night beside the 1911 log ranger cabin it replaced.
- Big Creek Baldy. Lookout RentalLibby · LookoutA retired fire lookout on Big Creek Baldy in the Kootenai National Forest outside Libby, Montana, rented by the night, where a bucket on a pulley hauls gear up to the cab.
- Big Hole Lookout (MT)Plains · Lookout trailA 1930 log lookout on Big Hole Peak in Montana's Lolo National Forest, rented by the night and one of only two of its kind left intact on the Lolo.
- Birch Creek CabinDillon · Historic log cabin rentalA two-room Forest Service log cabin at Thief Creek near Dillon, Montana, used as a ranger station as early as 1908, below a 1935 Civilian Conservation Corps camp.
- Bloody Dick CabinJackson · Nonelectric cabinA one-room Forest Service rental cabin beside Bloody Dick Creek in southwest Montana, at about 7,100 feet, where winter renters may ski or snowmobile up to 23 miles.
- Bull River Guard StationTROUT CREEK · Guard stationA 1908 log ranger station on the East Fork of the Bull River in Montana's Cabinet Mountains, which survived the 1910 fires and is now rented by the night.
- Cabin Creek CabinWest Yellowstone, MT · CabinA one-room Civilian Conservation Corps cabin from the 1930s at about 8,700 feet in the Madison Range, reached by a trail that crosses a 1959 earthquake scarp.
- Calf Creek CabinWhite Sulphur Springs, MT · Rustic cabinA Forest Service rental cabin on Calf Creek in Montana's Little Belt Mountains, reached in winter only by ski, snowshoe or snowmobile over the last 7 miles of road.
- Canyon Creek CabinMelrose · Reservation cabinA 1930 Forest Service guard station rented by the night, set at 7,300 feet beneath a cliff in Montana's eastern Pioneer Mountains where mountain goats keep house.
- Challenge CabinHungry Horse · CabinA Forest Service winter rental cabin in a meadow near Challenge Creek, southeast of Hungry Horse, Montana, reached only by eight miles of groomed snowmobile trail.
- Cougar Peak LookoutPlains · Forest service l-4 style lookoutA 1952 Forest Service L-4 lookout house above the Clark Fork near Thompson Falls, Montana, rented by the night and set on bare ground instead of a tower.
- Deer Creek Cabin (MT)Big Timber · CabinA one-room log cabin on Lower Deer Creek, about 30 miles southeast of Big Timber, Montana, begun in 1953 by a rancher and his fifteen-year-old son.
- Diamond Butte LookoutAshland · Fire lookoutA fire lookout on Diamond Butte, about 40 miles from Ashland, Montana, rented by the night off-season, with a wagon in its basement for hauling gear uphill.
- Eagle Guard StationTownsend · Guard stationA three-room log cabin built by miners in 1895 in Montana's Elkhorn Mountains west of Townsend, now a Forest Service rental, with its original sod roof intact beneath a 1911 roof.
- Ear Mountain CabinChoteau · Lewis and clark national forest administrative cabinA former Lewis and Clark National Forest administrative cabin under the northeast slope of Ear Mountain, west of Choteau, Montana, renovated in 2022 to sleep nine in built-in bunks.
- East Fork CabinSula · Rustic, historic one-room cabinA one-room log guard station on the East Fork of the Bitterroot River above Sula, Montana, built for forest fire watchers and rented by the night year-round since its 1987 restoration.
- Eldridge Guard StationWest Yellowstone · Primitive, rustic, log structureA primitive log guard station on Taylor Fork Road north of West Yellowstone, rented year-round, reached in winter by a two-mile ski from a plowed trailhead.
- Ford CabinPolebridge · Forest service cabinA log cabin built in 1922 at the old Ford Ranger Station on the North Fork of the Flathead, now rented by the Forest Service, begun by ranger Ralph Thayer before he went to war.
- Fourmile CabinBig Timber · Cabin electricA two-room Forest Service rental cabin on the Boulder River, 42 miles south of Big Timber, whose entrance sign reads Fourmile Ranger Station.
- Garnet Mountain Fire LookoutBozeman · Fire lookout cabinA 1962 fire lookout cab on the 8,245-foot summit of Garnet Mountain above Gallatin Canyon, rented by the night to four sleepers, its walls lined with windows.
- Garver Mtn. Lookout RentalYaak · Fire lookout rentalA 1960s fire lookout tower for overnight rent atop Garver Mountain in Montana's Yaak country, with the mountain's first lookout, a 1929 log cabin, still standing on the site.
- Gem Peak Lookout RentalNoxon · Fire lookout rentalA fire lookout cab on a 30-foot timber tower above the Clark Fork near Noxon, Montana, rented by the night on a peak first staffed from a tent around 1920.
- Gird PointRavalli County, Montana · Fire lookout rentalA 1939 L-4 fire lookout on Gird Point in the Sapphire Mountains east of Hamilton, Montana, rented by the night, whose stair footing still reads "Aug. 18 1939."
- Gordon Reese CabinWisdom · Hike-in cabin and warming hut for cross-country skiersA three-story hike-in cabin at Chief Joseph Pass, Montana, built by ski-club volunteers in 2001 and open by day to anyone who comes the half mile in.
- Granite Butte LookoutLincoln · Fire lookout cabin rentalA 1932 fire lookout on a 20-foot tower atop the Continental Divide southeast of Lincoln, Montana, rented by the night and called the only lookout on the Divide trail.
- Hells Canyon Guard StationWhitehall · Quaint log cabinA 1906 ranchers' line cabin on Hells Canyon Creek in Montana's Highland Mountains, later a Forest Service guard station, now rented by the night behind a key-code lock.
- Hogan CabinWisdom · One-room log cabinA one-room 1920s Forest Service log cabin at about 7,300 feet west of Wisdom, Montana, rented by the night and reached in winter only over snow.
- Hogback HomesteadPhilipsburg · Fully furnished two story log cabinA 1917 log homestead on Hogback Creek in Montana's Sapphire Mountains, rented out by the Lolo National Forest, that stands on a campsite people used for perhaps ten thousand years.
- Hornet LookoutColumbia Falls · LookoutA 1922 D-1 fire lookout on the summit of Hornet Mountain in the North Fork of the Flathead, rented by the night, its windowed cupola facing Glacier National Park.
- Horse Prairie CabinDillon · Forest service administrative cabinA two-room Forest Service log cabin on a hillside above Horse Prairie in southwestern Montana, built for work crews and now rented year-round, sometimes reached only on skis.
- Ibex CabinWilsall · CabinA 1939 Forest Service ranger shelter at 6,600 feet in the Crazy Mountain foothills near Wilsall, Montana, reached in winter only by a 5.5-mile ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile trip.
- Indian Flats CabinHelena · CabinA 1944 Forest Service guard station, moved in 1969 to a hollow below Indian Flats in Montana's Big Belt Mountains, now rented by the night.
- Judith Guard StationStanford · Historic ranger stationA 1908 ranger station on the Judith River's Middle Fork in Montana's Little Belts, rented by the night, its hip rafters cut short by the ranger who built it.
- Kading CabinElliston · Cabin nonelectricA Forest Service cabin in a non-isolated setting where summer and fall visitors can escape the pace of town.
- Kenck CabinAugusta · CabinThe Kenck Cabin was built in 1924 by a traveling dentist/doctor who arrived in the area in 1904 and spent his entire career along the Rocky Mountain Front.
- Kings Hill CabinNeihart · Historic log cabin rentalA two-room rustic historic CCC cabin accommodating up to six guests with electricity - lights, refrigerator, microwave and stove; wood stove and limited firewood for heat.
- Little Bear CabinGallatin Gateway · CabinA recreation rental cabin on the Bozeman District. Little Bear Cabin was built in 1938 and still looks much the same as it did back then.
- Lost Horse CabinHelena · CabinLost Horse Cabin, a Forest Service rental in the Divide Mountains 35 miles west of Helena, sleeps eight beside an intermittent creek four miles east of the Continental Divide.
- Lost Horse Guard StationDarby · CabinA 1938 Forest Service log cabin at 6,030 feet in the Bitterroot Range, eighteen miles up Lost Horse Road, rented for $50 a night and reachable January through March only over snow.
- May Creek CabinWisdom · CabinA one-room Forest Service cabin two miles up May Creek west of Wisdom, Montana, reached on foot or skis, whose builders the records name two different ways.
- McCart LookoutSula · Historic l-4 lookout structureA 1939 L-4 fire lookout on McCart Peak east of Sula, Montana, packed in by mules and rented by the night, its Osburne fire finder still inside.
- McGuire Mtn. Lookout RentalEureka · Fire lookout tower rentalA 12-by-12-foot fire lookout built in 1923 for $805.87 on a summit southwest of Eureka, Montana, now rented to overnight guests who hike 2.5 miles in.
- Medicine Point LookoutSula · Historic l4 lookoutMedicine Point Lookout is a historic tower located on Medicine Point, west of Sula. It has been restored to reflect a lookout of the 1940s, including the stove, furniture, dishes and other small touches. It offers a unique chance for visitors to camp on a mountain peak, near the scenic Bitterroot River in a rustic, old-time setting, while having the enjoyment of recreating on public lands.
- Mill Creek CabinLivingston · Log structureMill Creek Cabin was built in 1927 as a temporary lodging for traveling Forest Service personnel. The cabin can be accessed by vehicle year-round, though a four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety. This cabin offers rustic accommodations with limited amenities, so guests need to bring most of their own supplies and gear
- Miller CabinTownsend · Log cabinThe Miller Creek Cabin is located in the Townsend Ranger District and rests at the intersection of the Confederate Gulch Road (FS Road 287) and the Blacktail Road (FS Road 4171), surrounded by scattered forest in the Big Belt Mountains in west-central Montana. The cabin is accessible by high-clearance vehicle, but requires over-the-snow vehicle travel during winter months.
- Minton Peak LookoutTrout Creek · LookoutMinton Peak Lookout is situated in the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 5,351 feet in the Kootenai National Forest. The original lookout was constructed in 1932, replaced in 1968, and completely rebuilt in 2011.
- Mission LookoutSwan Lake · Fire lookoutMission Lookout towers above the forest canopy, providing guests with unrivaled 360-degree views of the beautiful Swan Range, Mission Mountains and Swan Lake.
- Monture Guard Station CabinOvando · CabinA completely restored ranger station available only in winter, with comfortable heating, a kitchen area, and refinished wood floors; the area offers motorized and non-motorized recreation.
- Monument Peak LookoutHarlowton · Fire lookoutMonument Peak Lookout offers guests an impressive yet rustic room with a view. The lookout, built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is perched atop Monument Peak, boasting spectacular 360 degree views of the Little Belt Mountains.
- Moose Creek CabinHelena · National forest cabinA two-bedroom log cabin in the Tenmile Creek drainage west of Helena with access to hiking, picnicking, skiing, snowmobiling, and hunting.
- Moose Lake CabinPhilipsburg · CabinHistoric 1917 Forest Service work station cabin in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, offering close access to the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area.
- Morgan-Case HomesteadPhilipsburg · Rustic log cabinA rustic log cabin on approximately 320 acres along Rock Creek, listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance relating to early homesteading and ranching in Granite County and western Montana.
- Mt. Baldy-Buckhorn RidgeTroy · Fire lookoutThe Mount Baldy - Buckhorn Ridge Lookout sits at an elevation of 6,529 feet in the Kootenai National Forest. This location has been used as an observation point for detecting forest fires since 1910. The current lookout tower was built in 1957.
- Nevada Creek CabinAvon · Forest service cabin rentalThis historic one room log cabin is located on National Forest lands along the upper reaches of Nevada Creek, between Avon and Helmville, MT. Thick forests, steep slopes, and wide open ridges define the landscape and visitors can access the adjacent road-less area with trails leading directly from the cabin to multiple destinations, including the Continental Divide.
- Ninko CabinColumbia Falls · CabinThe rustic cabin sleeps six with two bunk beds and two single beds; amenities include a propane cook stove, lights, wood stove for heating, and a vault toilet; pets allowed; no water available; renters pack their own bedding, drinking water, food, matches and all basic camp gear.
- Notch CabinEnnis · Cabin nonelectricNotch Cabin is located in a remote part of southwestern Montana, within proposed wilderness, and is open from July 1 through November. It is somewhat difficult to access, but worth the trouble for outdoor enthusiasts.
- Owl Creek CabinCondon · Rustic cabin rentalA rustic, single-room dwelling for up to four guests, with a corral 200 feet from the cabin.
- Racetrack CabinPhilipsburg · USFS rental cabinRacetrack cabin is situated next to Racetrack Creek on the east side of the Flint Creek Range at an elevation of about 6,300 feet surrounded by dense forest near Deer Lodge Montana. Originally built as a mining cabin in the 1930s it was later donated to the Forest Service and refurbished for use by the public.
- Rillway CabinTownsend · Cabin nonelectricRillway Cabin is located 14 miles east of Townsend, Montana along scenic Deep Creek in Helena National Forest. Its history can be traced to Dr. A.C. Kelly, a physician who arrived in Townsend in 1915 and served as mayor from 1920-1924.
- Sage Creek CabinBridger · Rustic forest service cabin rentalA rustic Forest Service cabin in the Pryor Mountains of the Custer Gallatin National Forest, originally an 1892 line cabin for horse and cattle operations that became the administrative office for the Pryor Mountain Ranger District in 1908.
- Savenac BunkhouseHaugan · BunkhouseTwo-story sleeping accommodation for large groups at the Savenac Historic Tree Nursery in the Lolo National Forest.
- Savenac CookhouseHaugan · CookhouseCookhouse with commercial-grade kitchen and dining area for large groups at the Savenac Historic Tree Nursery in the Lolo National Forest.
- Savenac East Cottage (MT)Haugan · CottageSavenac East Cottage provides a well-equipped kitchen and sleeping quarters for a family or small group of four people at the Savenac Historic Tree Nursery in the Lolo National Forest of Montana.
- Savenac West CottageHaugan · CottageTwo-bedroom cottage with kitchen, dining, and living areas for a family or small group of four at the Savenac Historic Tree Nursery in the Lolo National Forest.
- Schnaus CabinPolebridge · USFS cabin rentalSchnaus Cabin is located 42 miles north of Columbia Falls, MT on the North Fork Road north of Polebridge.
- Sex Peak. Lookout RentalTrout Creek · Lookout rentalSex Peak Lookout is situated in the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 5,772 feet in the Kootenai National Forest. The original lookout was constructed in the early 1920s and replaced by the current lookout in 1948.
- Stony CabinPhilipsburg · Forest service cabin rentalStony Cabin is a small primitive cabin that was built in 1914 as a place for Forest Service employees to sleep while working in the area. The cabin is situated close to Stony Creek Road and across the street from Stony Creek Campground.
- Strawberry CabinHelena · Cabin nonelectricLookout-and-log cabin at the top of Strawberry Butte (6,100 feet) in the heart of the Elkhorn Mountains; an excellent example of a C-46 one room cabin plan designed by William Fox.
- Swan Guard StationSwan Lake · Historic cabin rentalSwan Guard Station is located next to beautiful Swan Lake, in northwestern Montana, where visitors enjoy all kinds of recreation. The fully restored historic cabin can accommodate up to eight people and offers somewhat modern amenities and plenty of space.
- Thompson Guard StationWhite Sulphur Springs · Two-room cabinLocated on the east side of the Big Belt Mountains, this cabin presents a wonderful getaway. A fairly large two-room cabin with a deck greets visitors and offers plenty of room. Thompson Guard Station provides a wonderful forest setting for nearby hiking, fishing, hunting and horseback riding. A series of small lakes are also located in the area.
- Thompson Peak Lookout TowerSuperior · Lookout towerOne-room rental cabin equipped with 1 twin-bed with a mattress pad and sleeps up to four people. The facility has electricity and cell phone service, as well as an electric stove, heater, microwave and small refrigerator.
- Trail Creek CabinBozeman · CabinTrail Creek Cabin, built in 1924, was the original ranger station for the Bozeman Ranger District. It is available year round, offering guests the chance to enjoy summer or winter recreation.
- Twogood CabinSula · CabinTwogood Cabin offers guests a unique opportunity to camp in the forest of western Montana, in a rustic, old-time setting. It is available between the end of May through the middle of October, as well as throughout December, providing access to the surrounding mountains' best features and recreational attractions.
- Up Up LookoutSuperior · 40-foot wooden tower40-foot wooden tower perched on a beautiful rock pinnacle in the Bitterroot Mountains of western Montana, with a vista for views of the St. Regis River drainage and the high alpine country.
- Upper Ford Cabin RentalYaak · CabinThe Upper Ford Ranger Station is situated near the Yaak River at an elevation of 2,984 feet within the Rocky Mountains in Kootenai National Forest. This remote cabin was built in 1926 and was at the heart of the Upper Ford Ranger District until 1942, when it was combined with the Yaak Ranger District and became a remote work center.
- Vigilante CabinAlder · CabinThe Vigilante cabins were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1920s and were first used as a guard station. The middle house, which is the largest, is available by reservation public use. The remaining outbuildings are still used by Forest Service personnel throughout the year. The cabin lies a short walking distance away from the upper Ruby River.
- Wapiti CabinWest Yellowstone · Primitive, rustic, log structureThis is a primitive cabin. It can sleep up to four people, with a maximum group size of six people for overnight use.
- Webb Mtn. Lookout RentalEureka · Fire lookout rentalWebb Mountain Lookout is perched at 5,988 feet atop its namesake mountain in Kootenai National Forest. The lookout was built in 1959 and used as an observation point for fighting forest fires for over 40 years.
- West Bridger CabinBig Timber · Rental cabinWest Bridger Cabin is open-year round for the enjoyment of outdoor enthusiasts.
- West Fork Butte LookoutSeeley Lake · Cabin nonelectricWest Fork Butte Lookout is an ideal place for guests to experience the mountains south of Missoula from a unique vantage point. The facility provides near-360-degree views of the surrounding area.
- West Fork Cabin (W of Choteau)Choteau · Rustic forest service guard stationHere is an opportunity for you to rent a rustic Forest Service Guard Station when it is not used during the winter months. It is located 3.5 miles past a downhill ski area.
- West Fork Of Rock Creek Cabin (MT)Philipsburg · Log cabinIt is a large cabin that provides a great experience in the mountains of southwestern Montana. The cabin offers access to numerous trails and wildlife viewing, as well as a comfortable place to picnic and spend the nights.
- Whitetail CabinAshland · Registered historic siteWhitetail Cabin is a registered historic site and was once used as a ranger station for the Whitetail Reserve in the early 1900s.
- Window Rock CabinBozeman · CabinA recreation rental cabin on the Bozeman District on the Custer Gallatin National Forest.
- Woods CabinDarby · Historic rustic cabinNestled on the north shore of beautiful Lake Como, the historic Woods Cabin offers a truly rustic Montana experience.
- Wurtz CabinPolebridge · National forest cabinWurtz Cabin is located 48 miles north of Columbia Falls along the Wild and Scenic North Fork of the Flathead River.
- Yaak Mtn. Lookout RentalTroy · Fire lookout rentalFire observation point since 1958 with outstanding views of the town of Troy, especially on 4th of July, the Kootenai River and surrounding area.
- Zips Place CabinEssex · CabinCabin on a 1937 homestead 48 miles east of Hungry Horse in northwestern Montana; the Kimmet family of Cut Bank built the cabin in 1954.
Lookouts & Cabins in all eleven states; next door in Idaho.