The Long Way
Lincoln County
A log cabin covered in snow during winter.
Plate I. Upper Ford Cabin Rental in winter. From recreation.gov
A log cabin sits in a clearing surrounded by trees and mountains.
Plate II. Upper Ford Cabin Rental exterior. From recreation.gov
Wooden corrals sit in a grassy field with forested mountains in the background.
Plate III. Corrals, Upper Ford Cabin Rental. From recreation.gov
A white refrigerator and stove stand side by side in a rustic log cabin kitchen.
Plate IV. Stove and refrigerator, Upper Ford Cabin Rental. From recreation.gov
An interior view of a rustic log cabin with windows, log walls, and armchairs.
Plate V. Living room, Upper Ford Cabin Rental. From recreation.gov
An attic room with a wooden futon and windows overlooking greenery.
Plate VI. Upstairs futon, Upper Ford Cabin Rental. From recreation.gov
A rustic bedroom with two wooden log beds under a slanted white ceiling.
Plate VII. Upstairs bedroom, Upper Ford Cabin Rental. From recreation.gov
A black stove stands in a wood-paneled interior next to a rustic chair.
Plate VIII. Propane stove inside Upper Ford Cabin Rental. From recreation.gov

Upper Ford Cabin Rental

Yaak, Lincoln County, Montana. Cabin; Open year-round.

Details

Map. Yaak, Lincoln County, Montana. Larger map
Where
Yaak, Lincoln County, MT. No street address stated. Directions
When
Check-in 2:00 pm; check-out 11:00 am.
Getting there
From Troy, Montana, take US Highway 2 west for 9.5 miles to Yaak Highway 508. Follow Yaak Highway 508 for 30 miles north to the town of Yaak. Follow Yaak 92 approximately 7 miles to the junction with Upper Ford Road 8025, stay to the right. The cabin is approximately 300 yards from this junction and is located on the right-hand side of the road.
Fees
$75.00 per night.
Access
Electricity and potable water are not available; guests must bring enough water for drinking, cooking and washing; bedding, lanterns or flashlights, matches, first aid supplies, garbage bags, dish soap, dish towels and dish cloths are not available; guests are expected to pack out all trash and clean the cabin before leaving.
Walk-in or reserve
There is a 5 consecutive day stay limit; a break of 7 days is requested before making another reservation.
Phone
406-295-4693
Managed by
Kootenai National Forest.
Established
1926.
Coordinates
48.9065194, -115.6611944.

The 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.

Notable Events

  1. 1942The Upper Ford Ranger Station operated from 1924 to 1942, when it was consolidated with the Yaak Ranger District. fs.usda.gov
  2. 1966By 1966 the last permanent resident had abandoned the Upper Ford site due to sewer problems. fs.usda.gov
  3. 1970sMost of the early buildings of the Upper Ford Ranger Station were sold in the 1970s. fs.usda.gov

People

  • Martell, Frenchman trapper who built the log cabin at Frenchman's Meadows, rumored to have been the first structure built in the upper Yaak Valley.

Sources

  1. recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234388
  2. fs.usda.gov/r01/kootenai/recreation/upper-ford-ranger-station-cabin
  3. recreation.gov/api/camps/campgrounds/234388
  4. fs.usda.gov/sites/nfs/files/legacy-media/kootenai/Source%20of%20Local%20Landmark%20Names.pdf