West Boulder Cabin
West Boulder Cabin is open year-round, offering a variety of recreational opportunities as well as relaxation. Guests can drive to the cabin in warmer weather but should be prepared to snowshoe, ski or snowmobile up to a mile on county roads in the winter. The cabin has electric lights and an electric cook stove. A refrigerator is also provided. Rental camping equipment, such as ice chests, bear spray, campstoves, etc. are available locally in Bozeman. Guests will need to bring many of their own supplies to ensure a comfortable stay.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins with electric | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Gravel | Partial | 5 / – |
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 | Request for refunds or cancellations must be made through the National Recreation Reservation Service in accordance with their policy. Changes to online reservations can only be made via the NRRS Contact Center: 1-877-444-6777. |
This three-room cabin has electric lights, an electric cook stove, and a refrigerator. Amenities include five single beds with mattresses, a table with chairs, basic cookware and utensils, some cleaning gear, an axe, maul, bucket and shovel. A wood-burning stove is provided for heat. Please bring firewood or gather from forest during summer. Firewood is available for INDOOR use only during winter as long as supplies last. There is a campfire ring, picnic table, and a vault toilet outside. Firewood is provided for use in the wood heating stove only. Do not burn provided wood outside as it is extremely difficult to replace and is needed for winter users indoors. Guests must bring their own wood or collect wood from the nearby forest for campfires. Guests must bring their own drinking water the remainder of the year or treat water from the river to use for drinking and cooking. Guests are expected to clean the cabin and pack out their trash before leaving.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Forest | Custer Gallatin National Forest |
| Booking | No Reservations: This campground does not use a reservation system, it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. |
| Fees | $12.00 site fee. $5.00 additional vehicle fee. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Big Timber, Montana, travel 16 miles south on Highway 298 to McLeod. Just past the turn off to McLeod, turn right (west) onto West Boulder Road for approximately 6 miles. It turns into Swingley Road. Drive on Swingley Road for 1.5 miles, then turn left onto West Boulder Road.
| Nearest town | Livingston, Montana |
| Coordinates | 45.5475° N, 110.3078° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- Firewood is not available from june 1ST through september 30TH.
- Water is not available at the cabin, but potable water is available from approximately memorial day through labor day at the adjacent West Boulder Campground.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedNorth Bridger Brackett Creek Pile Burning Rx
35 mi from the campground
- PrescribedShenango Pile Rx
46 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Jumping Off Point ↗ | 14.5 mi |
| RV sales & service | RV Center Montana ↗ | 44.6 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 9.7 mi
- 10.1 miSuce Creek Picnic Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- under 0.1 miGrouse Creek ↗6.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.1 miDavis Creek ↗8.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 0.1 miWest Boulder ↗15.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 1.1 miLost Creek1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 2.4 miShell Mtn2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 3.9 miRough Draw2.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
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 Custer Gallatin National Forest.
- inCuster Gallatin National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,412,203 acres
- 3.4 miAbsaroka-Beartooth Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 937,102 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
- Herbert Summer CabinHistoric district · Big Timber · 0.3 mi
- Carter BridgeStructure · Livingston · 13 mi
- Harvat RanchBuilding · Livingston · 13.7 mi
Natural features
West Boulder Cabin sits at an elevation of 5,538 feet on the edge of a meadow near the mouth of the West Boulder River Canyon. The cabin is just steps away from the river and adjacent to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Aspen and lodgepole pine forest and the snow-speckled peaks of the Absarokas mark the surrounding landscape. This area is home to moose, mule deer, elk and grizzly bear. Birders may spot bald eagles, owls, Stellar's jays, western meadowlarks and mountain bluebirds.
Recreation
Hikers and equestrians can find trails leading west into the Absaroka Mountains which connect to a network of trails in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The winter landscape is ideal for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Anglers can fish for Yellowstone cutthroat and rainbow trout in the West Boulder River.
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 West Boulder Cabin?
Sites at West Boulder Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. No Reservations: This campground does not use a reservation system, it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at West Boulder Cabin?
Request for refunds or cancellations must be made through the National Recreation Reservation Service in accordance with their policy. Changes to online reservations can only be made via the NRRS Contact Center: 1-877-444-6777.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at West Boulder Cabin?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does West Boulder Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin with power.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at West Boulder Cabin?
Hikers and equestrians can find trails leading west into the Absaroka Mountains which connect to a network of trails in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to West Boulder Cabin?
Livingston, Montana.
Source: Getting there
What if West Boulder Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Pine Creek Campground (17.4 mi), Initial Creek Campground (19.8 mi, first-come), and Snowbank Campground (21.3 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby