May Creek Cabin
May Creek Cabin is located on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in western Montana. It was built by miners in the early 1900s and used by them for about 30 years. Hunters occupied it for about 30 years after that. The cabin went unused for nearly 30 years and was restored for public use in 1993. In 2011, more work was completed to enhance the quality and safety of the structure. Summer and fall months give visitors plenty of daylight and moderate temperatures to explore the surrounding meadows, peaks and valleys, as well as fish in plentiful mountain streams.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Surface | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| 001 | Gravel | 4 / – |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Fees | The non-refundable reservation fee is $25 per night for up to three consecutive nights. Guests must be 18 years old or older to rent and reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance. |
The wood-frame, one-room cabin is equipped with bunk beds and foam mattresses that sleep up to four people, a wood-burning stove for heat and a propane stove for cooking. The flat-topped wood stove can also be used for cooking. A table with benches, cooking and eating utensils, axe, shovel, bucket, cleaning gear and firewood (during the winter months) are also provided. A wood stove is available for heat, and firewood and an axe are provided from September 16-June 15. You will need to provide your own firewood from June 16-September 15. An outhouse with a vault toilet is near the cabin. The cabin has no electricity or running water. It is recommended that guests bring their own water supply for drinking, cooking and washing. Water is also available from a nearby creek, but it must be treated or boiled prior to use. Guests should bring their own bedding, food, toilet paper, towels, flashlights, garbage bags and 16-ounce propane canisters for the stove and lantern. All garbage and food must be packed out and guests should clean the cabin prior to leaving.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Wisdom, travel west on Highway 43 for about 16 miles to the May Creek Campground. Guests can park in the plowed parking area near the highway at the entrance to the campground during the winter. During the summer months, follow the campground road to the fence at the south end of the campground.
| Nearest town | Wisdom, Montana |
| Coordinates | 45.6421° N, 113.8225° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- A propane lantern should also be available, but fuel is not supplied.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedScf Nz Pile Burn Rx
5 mi from the campground · 34 acres
- PrescribedRx D3 Cameron Gaps
19 mi from the campground · 1,100 acres
- PrescribedRx D4 Piquett Creek
23 mi from the campground · 2,210 acres
- WildfireSand Creek
25 mi from the campground · 35,520 acres · 83% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| RV sales & service | Hamilton RV Sales Of Montana ↗ | 46.4 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
The Big Hole National Battlefield is located about nine miles east of the cabin. It is the site of the Nez Perce War of 1877, a battle between the Native American tribe, the United States Army and civilian volunteers.
- 9.9 miNee Me Poo Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 1.4 miLost Trail Pass Road Snomo ↗8.5 mi trail
- 1.8 miMay Creek Ridge Ski Trail ↗5.5 mi trail
- 2 miMay Creek ↗5.4 mi trail
- 2.1 miRuby-May ↗9.8 mi trail
- 2.4 miThree Mile Ridge ↗4.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 2.5 miNez Perce Ridge2.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
- inBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,614,456 acres
- 1.6 miBitterroot National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,664,512 acres
- 8.8 miSalmon-Challis National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 4,396,382 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Natural features
The rustic cabin is situated at the base of the Anaconda Mountain Range in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest of southwestern Montana. It is nestled in evergreen forest near the banks of May Creek at an elevation of about 6,600 feet. The Anacondas are home to abundant wildlife, including mountain lions, elk, deer, moose and bears ( learn more about bear safety ). This area is a major spot for elk calving.
Recreation
Early explorers crossed through the area, leaving a variety of trails for hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding, including the Nez Perce Trail, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Continental Divide National Historic Trail. Historic sites are located along all routes. A GPS unit, compass and area maps are helpful in reaching the cabin and exploring the area. The surrounding hills and valleys are popular for hiking and backpacking in the summer and fall, and for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, although extreme caution is urged to avoid avalanche danger. Fishing and wading are available in the adjacent May Creek. Anglers might catch brook or rainbow trout, which are plentiful in the alpine waters.
Guidebooks for Montana
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at May Creek Cabin?
Sites at May Creek Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at May Creek Cabin?
The non-refundable reservation fee is $25 per night for up to three consecutive nights. Guests must be 18 years old or older to rent and reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at May Creek Cabin?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does May Creek Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at May Creek Cabin?
Early explorers crossed through the area, leaving a variety of trails for hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding, including the Nez Perce Trail, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Continental Divide National Historic Trail. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to May Creek Cabin?
Wisdom, Montana. The Big Hole National Battlefield is located about nine miles east of the cabin.
Source: Getting there
What if May Creek Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Twin Creek Campground Group Camping Site (7.5 mi), Indian Trees Campground (10.1 mi), and Mussigbrod Campground (14.4 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby