Ibex Cabin

Custer Gallatin National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: LIVINGSTON, MT, MT

Price: From $65 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (19 reviews)

Season: May through October

Ibex Cabin was constructed in 1939 as a shelter for Forest Service rangers working within the Shields Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest of south-central Montana. It is available for summer and winter recreational use, and provides a peaceful, remote mountain retreat. Guests can drive to the cabin from June until the snow flies.

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

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

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

Historic 1939 Forest Service cabin offering a peaceful, remote mountain retreat in the Gallatin National Forest with access to hiking, hunting, and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Bald Eagle, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake present in the area.

Insider tips for Ibex Cabin: Book early as it is a federal campground with limited availability. High clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles strongly recommended for access. Firewood available for purchase on-site.

Skip Ibex Cabin if: You need hookups — no hookups available at this site.. You visit April-May — campground closed during this period.. You have a low-clearance vehicle — high clearance 4WD strongly recommended..

Best time to visit Ibex Cabin: June-October — Official operating season when road access is guaranteed and snow has cleared; cabin closed April-May for road and wildlife protection..

Nearby campgrounds: Porcupine Cabin (LIVINGSTON, MT), Crandall Creek Cabin (Livingston, MT), Battle Ridge Cabin (BOZEMAN, MT), West Boulder Cabin (LIVINGSTON, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Ibex Cabin

Cell signal at Ibex Cabin (LIVINGSTON, 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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Custer Gallatin National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Ibex Cabin

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LIVINGSTON, MT, MT★ 4.8 (19 reviews)From $65/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Ibex Cabin was constructed in 1939 as a shelter for Forest Service rangers working within the Shields Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest of south-central Montana. It is available for summer and winter recreational use, and provides a peaceful, remote mountain retreat. Guests can drive to the cabin from June until the snow flies.

Best for:HikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFirewood for Sale
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 at this site.✕ You visit April-May — campground closed during this period.✕ You have a low-clearance vehicle — high clearance 4WD strongly recommended.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as it is a federal campground with limited availability.

High clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles strongly recommended for access.

Firewood available for purchase on-site.

Best: June-October

Official operating season when road access is guaranteed and snow has cleared; cabin closed April-May for road and wildlife protection.

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: American Black Bear, Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Bald Eagle, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1111111111· Custer Gallatin National Forest
Getting there →

From Livingston, travel north on U.S. Highway 89 just past Clyde Park. Turn right onto Cottonwood Bench Road and continue 3 miles. Turn right onto Cottonwood Road and proceed for about 7 miles, to the intersection of Upper Cottonwood Creek Road and Lower Cottonwood Road. Turn left on Upper Cottonwood Creek Road. Take the next right, continuing on Upper Cottonwood Creek Road. Continue approximately 4.5 miles to an intersection and bear left onto Ibex Road, following the signs for the next 2.5 mil

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

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Ibex Cabin cost per night?+
Ibex Cabin costs $65 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Ibex Cabin open?+
Ibex Cabin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Ibex Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Ibex Cabin?+
Ibex Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Ibex Cabin?+
Ibex 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 Ibex Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Ibex Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Ibex Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Ibex 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.

$65 /night★ 4.8 (19)
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 Ibex Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Ibex Cabin open?+
Does Ibex Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Porcupine Cabin

LIVINGSTON, MT

From $65/night

Crandall Creek Cabin

Livingston, MT

From $65/night

Battle Ridge Cabin

BOZEMAN, MT

From $65/night

West Boulder Cabin

LIVINGSTON, MT

From $75/night

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