Cabin rental · U.S. Forest Service · Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest · Wise River, MT

Canyon Creek Cabin

Canyon Creek Cabin is located in the middle of an old mining district. Historic sites that can be explored on foot or on a bike are nearby. A variety of trails exist in the area, as does abundant wildlife. The cabin is a quaint location for guests to enjoy the scenic Pioneer Mountains in southwestern Montana. The cabin is accessible by a four-wheel drive or high clearance vehicle, depending on conditions. Snowmobiles, skis or snowshoes may be necessary during the months between December and April each year. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
CANYON CREEK CABINCANYON CREEK CABINCANYON CREEK CABINCANYON CREEK CABIN
Photos courtesy of USDA-Forest Service · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Cabins1
This cabin is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfacePeople / vehicles
001Gravel4 / –

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

The small wood cabin can accommodate four people and is equipped with bunkbeds. A fold-down table and folding chairs are also provided, as well as a wood stove for heat. A variety of equipment is available inside the cabin, including a saw, an axe and some dishes and pans. A broom, dust pan, shovel, bucket and a propane stove may also be available. The cabin has no electricity or running water. An outside vault toilet is provided. Guests will need to bring water for drinking, cooking and cleaning, as well as bedding, matches, food, propane fuel canisters and necessary cooking equipment, among other amenities. Water from the creek must be treated before drinking or cooking use. Guests are asked to replenish the split firewood supply and clean the cabin prior to leaving.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Canyon Creek Cabin20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.27 inches of precipitation, 2.4 inches of snowFebruary: 0.55 inches of precipitation, 2.0 inches of snowMarch: 0.67 inches of precipitation, 2.6 inches of snowApril: 0.89 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowMay: 1.78 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowJune: 2.10 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.05 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.02 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.13 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowOctober: 0.83 inches of precipitation, 0.9 inches of snowNovember: 0.50 inches of precipitation, 1.7 inches of snowDecember: 0.51 inches of precipitation, 4.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 21.6°F averageFebruary: 23.6°F averageMarch: 32.2°F averageApril: 39.3°F averageMay: 48.3°F averageJune: 55.5°F averageJuly: 63.9°F averageAugust: 62.3°F averageSeptember: 53.3°F averageOctober: 42.0°F averageNovember: 29.4°F averageDecember: 20.0°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Divide, 8 miles from the campground at 5,350 feet, station USC00242421 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 11 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 15 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Melrose, travel west on Forest Road 187 for about 13 miles, then continue southwest for 6 miles on Forest Road 7401. Four-wheel drive or high clearance vehicles are required to access the cabin. Depending on conditions, skis and snowmobiles may be necessary to complete the route. Maps may be purchased by calling the Dillon Ranger District.

Nearest townWise River, Montana
Coordinates45.6750° N, 112.8879° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Firewood is also available but is not guaranteed.

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Sand Creek

    23 mi from the campground · 35,520 acres · 83% contained

  • Prescribed
    Scf Nz Pile Burn Rx

    50 mi from the campground · 34 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx Hell'S Canyon

    50 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceBretz RV & Marine - Butte, MT ↗26 mi
Dump stationRV Dump ↗27.4 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The cabin was built in 1930 to be used as a guard station. It is situated at the base of a sheer cliff in the eastern Pioneer Mountain Range at an elevation of about 7,300 feet. The Wise River runs nearby and a mountain creek is adjacent to the cabin. The cliff and surrounding area is home to many mountain goats. Moose can usually be found in nearby willow bottoms. During the winter, deer and elk can be seen on their winter range located up and down-canyon from the cabin. Black bears also frequent the area.

Recreation

A variety of old roads exist in the area, providing plentiful hiking and biking opportunities. A trail climbs 5 miles up to a group of glacial lakes in the Pioneer Mountains, and can be accessed near the ranch on Forest Road 7401. Charcoal kilns, which date back to mining days, are situated in the area near the cabin, as another point of exploration. Hunting is a popular activity. Canyon Creek is available for fishing. Anglers might see brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout, among other species, in the cold creek. Fishing is also available in the lakes in the area. The trails and roadways provide excellent snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. Guests must realize the potential for avalanche danger, and carry and know how to use proper backcountry equipment, including a beacon, shovel and probe while recreating (learn about avalanche danger ).

Nearby

A short drive takes visitors to Vipond Park where there are spectacular wildflowers in early summer. Glendale, an old smelter town, is nearby. There isn't much left of Glendale, just a few old buildings, the red brick smelter stack and the foundations of many buildings. Two cemeteries are located nearby. Most of the area around Glendale is privately owned.

Guidebooks for Montana

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Montana
    Vicky Soderberg and Ken Soderberg, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon Montana, Wyoming and Idaho Camping
    Becky Lomax, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Montana
    Kenneth L. Graham, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Canyon Creek Cabin?

Sites at Canyon Creek Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Canyon Creek Cabin?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Canyon Creek Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Canyon Creek Cabin?

A variety of old roads exist in the area, providing plentiful hiking and biking opportunities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Canyon Creek Cabin?

Wise River, Montana. A short drive takes visitors to Vipond Park where there are spectacular wildflowers in early summer.

Source: Getting there

What if Canyon Creek Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Canyon Creek Campground (4.4 mi, first-come), Divide Bridge Campground (7.7 mi, first-come), and Pettengill Campground (8.1 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby