Bend Guard Station

Lolo National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: PLAINS, MT, MT

Price: From $90 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (31 reviews)

Season: Year-round

The Bend Guard Station is located in a historic site within the Lolo National Forest of northwestern Montana. It is equipped with modern features, including a full-service kitchen and bathrooms, and provides guests with access to a variety of activities. The cabin sits within an open meadow surrounded by an evergreen forest, providing beautiful scenery during any season.The Bend area offers opportunities for a variety of outdoor recreation experiences, including hiking, fishing, mountain biking,

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Showers, Electric Hookups, Bear Boxes, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/bend-guard-station to be notified when sites open up.

Historic Guard Station cabin in Lolo National Forest with modern amenities including full kitchen and bathrooms, surrounded by evergreen forest and open meadow. Access to diverse recreation including hiking, fishing, hunting, and winter sports.

Wildlife alert: Western Rattlesnake Plantain present in area; also Red Fox and White-tailed Deer observed nearby. Northern Yellow Warbler and other songbirds documented.

Insider tips for Bend Guard Station: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 1 site and seasonal operations noted Access via Thompson River Road (County Road 556 on ground) approximately 32 miles from Highway 200 junction, 5 miles east of Thompson Falls Fishing opportunities available in the Bend area with Lolo National Forest access

Skip Bend Guard Station if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at this site. You require multiple site options — only 1 site available.

Best time to visit Bend Guard Station: Year-round — Listed as year-round operation with winter sports available in season.

Nearby campgrounds: Mcgregor Lake Campground (Libby, MT), Meadow Peak Lookout (Mt) (Libby, MT), Cougar Peak Lookout (PLAINS, MT), Big Hole Lookout (Mt) (Plains, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Bend Guard Station

Cell signal at Bend Guard Station (PLAINS, MT): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Lolo National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Bend Guard Station

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PLAINS, MT, MT★ 4.6 (31 reviews)From $90/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Bend Guard Station is located in a historic site within the Lolo National Forest of northwestern Montana. It is equipped with modern features, including a full-service kitchen and bathrooms, and provides guests with access to a variety of activities. The cabin sits within an open meadow surrounded by an evergreen forest, providing beautiful scenery during any season.The Bend area offers opportunities for a variety of outdoor recreation experiences, including hiking, fishing, mountain biking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and berry picking.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
Max RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowersFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsBear Boxes

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — no hookups available at this site✕ You require multiple site options — only 1 site available

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 site and seasonal operations noted

Access via Thompson River Road (County Road 556 on ground) approximately 32 miles from Highway 200 junction, 5 miles east of Thompson Falls

Fishing opportunities available in the Bend area with Lolo National Forest access

Best: Year-round

Listed as year-round operation with winter sports available in season

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Western Rattlesnake Plantain present in area; also Red Fox and White-tailed Deer observed nearby. Northern Yellow Warbler and other songbirds documented.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-826-3821· Lolo National Forest
Getting there →

This rental is located approximately 32 miles up the Thompson River Road (County Road 56 on maps, County Road 556 on the ground) from its junction with Montana Highway 200, five miles east of Thompson Falls, Montana. It may also be accessed from U.S. Highway 2 by turning south on the Thompson River Road (County Road 56 on maps, County Road 556 on the ground) between McGregor Lake and Lower Thompson Lake, approximately 40 miles west of Kalispell, Montana. After leaving Highway 2 or 200, area road

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Lolo National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Lolo National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Bend Guard Station cost per night?+
Bend Guard Station costs $90 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Bend Guard Station open?+
Bend Guard Station is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Bend Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Bend Guard Station?+
Bend Guard Station can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Bend Guard Station?+
Bend Guard Station is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Bend Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Bend Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Bend Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Bend Guard Station is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$90 /night★ 4.6 (31)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Bend Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Bend Guard Station open?+
Does Bend Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Mcgregor Lake Campground

Libby, MT

From $50/night

Meadow Peak Lookout (Mt)

Libby, MT

From $45/night

Cougar Peak Lookout

PLAINS, MT

From $45/night

Big Hole Lookout (Mt)

Plains, MT

From $45/night

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