Horse Prairie Cabin
Horse Prairie Cabin is a fairly large, two-room cabin situated on the edge of beautiful Horse Prairie in the southwestern corner of Montana. Forest service work crews used the cabin for lodging in the past. The cabin is available year-round and provides access to abundant hiking, biking, skiing and snowmobiling trails. It is equipped with a variety of amenities, providing guests with a somewhat comfortable and adventurous experience in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. The cabin is accessible by vehicle, depending on conditions. Excessive snowfall may require skis, snowmobiles or hiking for up to six miles of the route.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Back-in | 20 | Gravel | Partial | 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 12:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Amenities & rules
| Fees | Any changes in scheduled dates may be assessed an additional fee by the National Recreation Reservation Service. |
The two-room log cabin comes equipped with bunk beds and mattresses to sleep up to four people, as well as a table and chairs. Propane appliances include a stove, oven and overhead lighting. The kitchen area of the cabin is stocked with basic cookware, utensils, dishes and tableware. There is ample cupboard and counter space for food preparation and storage. It has a wood burning stove for heat. Firewood is provided, but not guaranteed. Please be conservative with wood, this will help us maintain the supply for heating purposes. An axe is provide but do not split wood inside the cabin or on the porch. Drinking water is provided June through September. Cleaning equipment, including a mop, broom and dustpan, is provided, as well as a bucket and shovel. An outhouse with a vault toilet is located nearby. Guests need to bring their own bedding, including blankets and pillows, as well as matches, food, flashlights, toilet paper, garbage bags and other necessities. Firewood may be available, but the supply cannot be guaranteed.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Dillon, travel south on Interstate 15 for about 20 miles, to Highway 324. Cross the Clark Canyon Reservoir Dam and travel west on Highway 324 for about 21 miles. At Red Butte, continue west on Forest Road 181 (Bloody Dick Road) for about 6 miles to the junction with Forest Road 7340 (Coyote Creek Road). Continue about 2 miles to the cabin.
| Nearest town | Dillon, Montana |
| Coordinates | 45.0231° N, 113.3228° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireSand Creek
37 mi from the campground · 35,520 acres · 83% contained
- PrescribedScf Nz Pile Burn Rx
50 mi from the campground · 34 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 22.3 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Trails nearby
- 4.4 miBloody Dick Snowmo Trail C ↗22.2 mi trail
- 4.4 miNee Me Poo Trail ↗10 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
This campground sits inside Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
- inBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,614,456 acres
- 8.7 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
Historic landmarks nearby
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Natural features
The cabin is located on a hillside in a sunny, open prairie on the southern edge of the Beaverhead Mountains. The range straddles the Continental Divide in Montana and Idaho. The view from the cabin overlooks the grassy meadows of Horse Prairie. There is abundant wildlife in the area, including elk, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, lynx, marten, deer and black bears ( learn more about bear safety ).
Recreation
Hikers and mountain bikers can access some great trails in the area. To the west of the cabin, Coyote Creek Road provides access to excellent cross-country skiing. Coyote Creek Road runs approximately seven miles to the top of the Big Hole Divide, climbing about 1,500 feet. The prairie and surrounding area is also open to unlimited snowmobile access during the winter (learn about avalanche danger ). Fishing is available in nearby creeks, and anglers might see rainbow and brook trout, as well as mountain whitefish. The waterways drain into the Big Hole River, a blue-ribbon trout stream at the southern end of the forest.
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 Horse Prairie Cabin?
Sites at Horse Prairie 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 Horse Prairie Cabin?
Any changes in scheduled dates may be assessed an additional fee by the National Recreation Reservation Service.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Horse Prairie Cabin?
Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Horse Prairie Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Horse Prairie Cabin?
Hikers and mountain bikers can access some great trails in the area. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Horse Prairie Cabin?
Dillon, Montana.
Source: Getting there
What if Horse Prairie Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Reservoir Lake Campground and Picnic Area (9.3 mi, first-come), Agency Creek Campground (12.6 mi, first-come), and South Van Houten Campground (17 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby