Racetrack Cabin
Racetrack Cabin is a rustic one room log cabin located along Racetrack Creek in the Flint Range of western Montana, near the Continental Divide. The cabin is remotely located and was built to house miners in the 1930s. It was later donated to the Forest Service and refurbished for use by the public. Guests will be in for a true remote cabin experience with plenty of opportunities for exploration and no distractions from cellular or internet service. There are several motorized and non-motorized trails in the area that lead to scenic lake basins and sweeping views of the surrounding area. Some of the lakes and streams in the area offer excellent fishing.
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 | Shade | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Gravel | Full | 6 / – |
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 11:00 AM.
Amenities & rules
| Fees | The cabin can be rented for up to seven consecutive nights. Any changes to scheduled dates may be assessed an additional fee by the National Recreation Reservation Service. The cabin is available year-round. |
The primitive, one-room cabin is equipped with two sets of bunk beds and can sleep up to four people. It has a table and chairs, 2 burner propane stove (BYO propane bottles), Battery powered lantern (4 Ds), utensils, 4 plates, 4 bowls, pots, pans, cast iron, french press, can opener, grater, measuring spoons, mixing bowls, cutting board, kitchen knives, spatula, spoons, wash basins, drying rack, sponges, rags, and a 5 gallon water jug. Paper towels, toilet paper, matches, newspaper, hand sanitizer, and garbage bags are stocked fairly often but are not guaranteed. There is a wood stove for heat. Firewood is usually provided but cannot be guaranteed. A splitting maul and hatchet are available in the wood shed. Please do not split wood in the cabin and only use provided wood to heat the cabin. Gather wood from the forest for outside fires in order to ensure there is enough cured wood for the next visitor. Bleach, Dish Soap, Murphy's wood oil, Pine Sol, a mop, broom and bucket are provided. Cupboard space is available within the cabin, as well as a storage box for food. An outhouse with is provided outside of the cabin. There is no electricity, water or sewer at the cabin.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Attention: The road to Racetrack Cabin is impassable to low clearance vehicles. The last 4 miles to the cabin is an extremely rough and rutted road with large rocks protruding from the road surface. High clearance vehicles such as trucks and SUV's can make the crawl up the road but should allow themselves extra time.
| Nearest town | Phillipsburg, Montana |
| Coordinates | 46.2970° N, 113.0267° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- It is recommended that guests obtain a map and call the Pintler Ranger Station if unfamiliar with the area.
Charges and cancellations
Reservations are nonrefundable unless extenuating circumstances warrant otherwise. Determination will be made on a case by case basis.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedSure Thing Swamp Rx
35 mi from the campground · 180 acres
- PrescribedRx D3 Cameron Gaps
49 mi from the campground · 1,100 acres
- PrescribedBear Gulch Rx
49 mi from the campground · 300 acres
- PrescribedWakina Sky Rx
49 mi from the campground · 300 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | RV Dump ↗ | 33.7 mi |
| RV sales & service | Rocky Mountain RV ↗ | 34.6 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
Two interesting sites are located in or near Deer Lodge, Montana, which is about an hour away. One is the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, a working cattle ranch operated by the National Park Service just outside of Deer Lodge. The Old Montana Territorial Prison in Deer Lodge was built by convict labor in 1871 and once housed a member of Butch Cassidy's "Wild Bunch". Both are nationally recognized historic sites.
- 13.6 miPebble Beach Picnic Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.5 miPozega Lake3.3 mi trail
- 1 miBowman Lakes1.5 mi trail
- 1.6 miRace Track Creek3 mi trail
- 1.9 miThorton Lake1.7 mi trail
- 2 miHunters Lake0.8 mi trail
- 2.7 miElliot Lakes ↗6.4 mi trail
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
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest begins about 11.7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 11.7 miBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,614,456 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
On the National Register nearby
- Superintendent's HouseBuilding · Philipsburg · 10.6 mi
- Miners Union HallBuilding · Philipsburg · 10.7 mi
- Glover CabinBuilding · Anaconda · 11.5 mi
Natural features
The cabin is situated next to Racetrack Creek on the east side of the Flint Creek Range at an elevation of about 6,300 feet in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. The surrounding area is densely forested with steep canyon walls and sweeping view from the ridge tops. There are abundant lakes beyond the cabin, and they can be accessed by UTV/ATV, motorcycle, bike, or foot. The area is popular for hunting deer, elk and blue grouse, and dozens of alpine lakes provide good fishing. Bears may also frequent the area (grizzly and black bears) ( learn more about bear safety ).
Recreation
The area offers many opportunities for exploration, relaxation, and enjoying the natural environment. Trout fishing is popular in the nearby creek, and the mountain lakes in the vicinity. Access to the lakes requires hiking, biking, or riding an OHV. Hunting is also popular in areas around the cabin. Some trails are not open to all OHVs, and the travel map should be checked prior to arrival. The Pozega lakes trailhead is 1/2 mile beyond the cabin, and it is about 3 miles to the lakes. It is readily accessible by foot, and with advanced ability by motorcycle and ATV. It is a 50 inch or less OHV trail and not open or advisable for larger OHVs. Visitors also enjoy cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing in the area during the winter. Various weather conditions can increase avalanche danger in the area and visitors are encouraged to carry proper backcountry equipment, including a beacon, shovel and probe, while recreating.
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 Racetrack Cabin?
Sites at Racetrack 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 Racetrack Cabin?
The cabin can be rented for up to seven consecutive nights. Any changes to scheduled dates may be assessed an additional fee by the National Recreation Reservation Service. The cabin is available year-round.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Racetrack Cabin?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Racetrack Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Racetrack Cabin?
The area offers many opportunities for exploration, relaxation, and enjoying the natural environment. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Racetrack Cabin?
Phillipsburg, Montana. Two interesting sites are located in or near Deer Lodge, Montana, which is about an hour away.
Source: Getting there
What if Racetrack Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Racetrack Campground and Picnic Area (4.4 mi, first-come), Spring Hill Campground (10.9 mi, partly first-come), and Cable Mountain Campground (11.7 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby