Black Butte Cabin

Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest — hiking

Location: ENNIS, MT, MT

Price: From $25 per night

Price range: $25–$45 per night

Rating: 4.1 out of 5 (21 reviews)

Season: May through October

Black Butte Cabin is a snug log cabin that sits high in the Gravelly Mountains. Originally part of the old Madison National Forest, the cabin was built in 1919 as an intermediate summer station for inspections of sheep allotments. It sleeps four people and has a beautiful view of Lion Mountain and the headwaters of Standard Creek.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/black-butte-cabin to be notified when sites open up.

Historic 1919 log cabin in the Gravelly Mountains with beautiful views of Lion Mountain and Standard Creek headwaters. Sleeps four people and provides access to hiking, horseback riding, and off-road vehicle trails.

Wildlife alert: Yellow-bellied Marmot, Pronghorn, Mountain Bluebird, and Sandhill Crane documented in the area.

Insider tips for Black Butte Cabin: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 site Firewood available for sale on-site Historic cabin built in 1919 offers unique experience

Skip Black Butte Cabin if: You need hookups - no hookups available. You require year-round access - seasonal operations only May through October. You prefer larger campgrounds - only 1 site available.

Best time to visit Black Butte Cabin: May-October — Official operating season as stated in verified data..

Nearby campgrounds: West Fork Cabin (S Of Ennis) (ENNIS, MT), Wall Creek Cabin (ENNIS, MT), Vigilante Cabin (ENNIS, MT), West Fork Madison Campground (Ennis, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Black Butte Cabin

Cell signal at Black Butte Cabin (ENNIS, 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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Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Black Butte Cabin

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ENNIS, MT, MT★ 4.1 (21 reviews)From $25/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Black Butte Cabin is a snug log cabin that sits high in the Gravelly Mountains. Originally part of the old Madison National Forest, the cabin was built in 1919 as an intermediate summer station for inspections of sheep allotments. It sleeps four people and has a beautiful view of Lion Mountain and the headwaters of Standard Creek.

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

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
ToiletsVault toilets
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFirewood for Sale
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

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 hookups - no hookups available✕ You require year-round access - seasonal operations only May through October✕ You prefer larger campgrounds - only 1 site available

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 site

Firewood available for sale on-site

Historic cabin built in 1919 offers unique experience

Best: May-October

Official operating season as stated in verified data.

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: Yellow-bellied Marmot, Pronghorn, Mountain Bluebird, and Sandhill Crane documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-682-4253· Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
Getting there →

Black Butte cabin is located one quarter mile from the junction of Forest Service roads FS290, FS1012 and FS237. From Ennis, travel south on US Highway 287 for about 32 miles to the West Fork Rest Area. Turn right onto West Fork Road/Forest Road 209 and continue for about 2 miles. Turn right onto Standard Creek Road/Forest Road 237 and travel 18 miles to the cabin. This is the easiest option by snowmobile. Maps may be purchased by calling the Madison Ranger District. Another option is to take MT

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 — Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Black Butte Cabin cost per night?+
Black Butte Cabin costs $25–$45 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Black Butte Cabin open?+
Black Butte Cabin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Black Butte Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Black Butte Cabin?+
Black Butte Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Black Butte Cabin?+
Black Butte Cabin 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 Black Butte Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Black Butte Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Black Butte Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Black Butte Cabin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●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.

$25 /night★ 4.1 (21)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Black Butte Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Black Butte Cabin open?+
Does Black Butte Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

West Fork Cabin (S Of Ennis)

ENNIS, MT

From $45/night

Wall Creek Cabin

ENNIS, MT

From $45/night

Vigilante Cabin

ENNIS, MT

From $75/night

West Fork Madison Campground

Ennis, MT

From $12/night

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