The Long Way
Mineral County
A white house surrounded by snow and tall pine trees.
Plate I. Savenac Cookhouse in winter. From recreation.gov
A white house covered in snow surrounded by snowy trees.
Plate II. Savenac Cookhouse in winter. From fs.usda.gov
Exterior view of a white building covered in snow with a small sign above the door.
Plate III. Savenac Cookhouse exterior in winter. From fs.usda.gov
Snow-covered landscape with evergreen trees and mountains in the background.
Plate IV. Snowy grounds at Savenac Cookhouse. From recreation.gov
An empty room with a wooden floor, fireplace, and large windows.
Plate V. Interior room, Savenac Cookhouse. From fs.usda.gov
A commercial kitchen with stainless steel equipment and a large range hood.
Plate VI. Kitchen interior, Savenac Cookhouse. From fs.usda.gov
A bedroom featuring rustic log-style wooden beds and a dark paneled wall.
Plate VII. Basement bedroom, Savenac Cookhouse. From recreation.gov
A dormitory-style room features multiple rustic log-style beds with white sheets.
Plate VIII. Sleeping area, Savenac Cookhouse. From recreation.gov

Savenac Cookhouse

Haugan, Mineral County, Montana. Cookhouse.

Details

Map. Haugan, Mineral County, Montana. Larger map
Where
Haugan, Mineral County, MT. No street address stated. Directions
When
Check in 2:00 PM; Check out 11:00 AM.
Season
Year-round, except when reserved for administrative use or maintenance.
Getting there
From Missoula, travel west on Interstate 90 for 90 miles, to Haugan (Exit 16). Turn right at the stop sign. At the frontage road turn right, then take the first left, crossing the cattleguard.
Fees
Overnight Use: $115 per night.
Access
Drive-in vehicle access. Locked facility; key code sent in reservation confirmation email unlocks lock box in entry way next to garage door. Smoking and pets prohibited inside. Avalanche danger in the area. Guests bring own food, bedding, towels, soap, ice, and supplies.
Walk-in or reserve
Reservable on recreation.gov; maximum stay 5 nights per reservation.
Phone
406-822-4233
Website
recreation.gov
Managed by
Lolo National Forest, Superior Ranger District.
Established
1907 (Savenac Nursery founded); the cookhouse was originally a residence and was converted in the 1970s to a space for eating and food preparation.
Coordinates
47.38602, -115.394917.

Cookhouse with commercial-grade kitchen and dining area for large groups at the Savenac Historic Tree Nursery in the Lolo National Forest.

Notable Events

  1. 1907Savenac Nursery was started in 1907 by Elers Koch, then supervisor of the Lolo and Bitterroot National Forests. npgallery.nps.gov
  2. 1908Work began in 1908 and just as the first pine seedlings were ready for transplanting in 1910, fire swept through the region scorching 3 million acres of timberland. historicmt.org
  3. 1908The administrative withdrawal of 160 acres in section 22, dated September 23,1908, lists one six -room house, one bam, 2 bunk houses, one cook house, one tool house, one store house, one meat house, one wood shed, and 16 cleared acres. npgallery.nps.gov
  4. 1910This first Nursery was destroyed in the Great Fire of August, 1910. Reconstruction of the Nursery started that fall and by winter an office/residence was completed and ready for occupation. npgallery.nps.gov
  5. 1916By 1916, Savenac shipped several million seedlings to the vast Northern Region. historicmt.org
  6. 1932The Civilian Conservation Corps rebuilt and modernized the facility a final time between 1932 and 1948. historicmt.org
  7. 1937Significant dates include 1910 when the first Nursery was destroyed in the Great Bum of 1910 and 1937-1938 when, using CCC labor, the Nursery as we know it today was largely constructed. npgallery.nps.gov
  8. 1969The nursery operated until regional reorganization brought closure in 1969. historicmt.org
  9. 1970sThe cookhouse was originally a residence and was converted in the 1970s to a space for eating and food preparation. recreation.gov
  10. 1979A new residence was added in 1964 and remodeled into the present cookhouse in 1979 for the Young Adult Conservation Corps(YACCs). npgallery.nps.gov

People

  • Elers Koch, founder of Savenac Nursery; supervisor of the Lolo and Bitterroot National Forests.
  • Frank Haun, Ranger who supervised the Savenac operation under the direction of Elers Koch.

Sources

  1. recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234420
  2. recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234419
  3. fs.usda.gov/r01/lolo/recreation/camping-cabins
  4. fs.usda.gov/r01/lolo/recreation/savenac-cookhouse
  5. recreation.gov/api/camps/campgrounds/234420
  6. npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/89df5a09-a6dd-4c34-9e66-a7a0e4fa1123
  7. historicmt.org/items/show/916