Bull River Guard Station

Kootenai National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: TROUT CREEK, MT, MT

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (41 reviews)

Season: May through October

The Bull River Guard Station was built in 1908 as the Ranger’s house and office. This structure was a primary ranger station from 1908 to 1920, surviving the legendary 1910 fires that swept through the area. The cabin was home to Granville "Granny" Gordon (District Ranger), his wife and three daughters.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Fishing

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

Historic 1908 ranger station cabin offering a unique camping experience in the Bull River area with access to boating, fishing, and hiking. Located in a scenic Montana setting with diverse wildlife viewing opportunities.

Wildlife alert: Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Wapiti, and various bat species present in the area

Insider tips for Bull River Guard Station: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 site Road is normally plowed within 1 mile of cabin during winter months for vehicle access Bull River is 24.7 miles long, offering extended boating and fishing opportunities

Skip Bull River Guard Station if: Seeking RV hookups - only suitable for self-contained RVs with no hookups available. Planning to visit outside May through October seasonal window. Requiring immediate vehicle access during winter conditions.

Best time to visit Bull River Guard Station: May-October — Official operating season as verified in campground data.

Nearby campgrounds: Bull River Pavilion (TROUT CREEK, MT), Dorr Skeels Campground (Troy, MT), Gem Peak Lookout Rental (TROUT CREEK, MT), Minton Peak Lookout (Trout Creek, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Bull River Guard Station

Cell signal at Bull River Guard Station (TROUT CREEK, 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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Kootenai National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Bull River Guard Station

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TROUT CREEK, MT, MT★ 4.5 (41 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Bull River Guard Station was built in 1908 as the Ranger’s house and office. This structure was a primary ranger station from 1908 to 1920, surviving the legendary 1910 fires that swept through the area. The cabin was home to Granville "Granny" Gordon (District Ranger), his wife and three daughters.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
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. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

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:✕ Seeking RV hookups - only suitable for self-contained RVs with no hookups available✕ Planning to visit outside May through October seasonal window✕ Requiring immediate vehicle access during winter conditions

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

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

Road is normally plowed within 1 mile of cabin during winter months for vehicle access

Bull River is 24.7 miles long, offering extended boating and fishing opportunities

Best: May-October

Official operating season as verified in campground 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: Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Wapiti, and various bat species present in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-827-3533· Kootenai National Forest
Getting there →

From US Highway 2 (to the north) or State Highway 200 (to the south), travel on State Highway 56 to the East Fork Bull River Road #407 at approximately the 8 mile marker. Take Road #407 for about 1.5 miles and turn right on Road #2701. The cabin is approximately .5 miles past the junction of #407 and #2701. Directional signs are present.

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

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Bull River Guard Station cost per night?+
Bull River Guard Station costs $75 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Bull River Guard Station open?+
Bull River Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Bull River Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Bull River Guard Station?+
Bull River Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Bull River Guard Station?+
Bull River 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 Bull River Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Bull River Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Bull River Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Bull River Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
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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.

$75 /night★ 4.5 (41)
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 Bull River Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Bull River Guard Station open?+
Does Bull River Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Bull River Pavilion

TROUT CREEK, MT

From $20/night

Dorr Skeels Campground

Troy, MT

From $16/night

Gem Peak Lookout Rental

TROUT CREEK, MT

From $45/night

Minton Peak Lookout

Trout Creek, MT

From $55/night

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