Lost Horse Guard Station

Bitterroot National Forest — lakeside

Location: Darby, MT, MT

Price: From $50 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (6 reviews)

Season: May through October

Winter 2025 - 2026 is the first winter season the cabin is available for rent during the winter. Please call Darby Ranger Station with questions prior to visit. Please let us know how we can improve the facility.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Firewood for Sale

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

Lost Horse Guard Station offers an affordable $50/night option with basic amenities including fire rings, picnic tables, and drinking water. Winter cabin rentals are now available for the first time, though winter access requires snowmobile or over-snow vehicles via a 14-mile potentially ungroomed route.

Wildlife alert: American Pika, Moose, and Dusky Grouse present in the area

Insider tips for Lost Horse Guard Station: Book early — federal campground with limited availability Call Darby Ranger Station ahead of visit for current conditions and facility questions Winter visitors must check road and snow conditions before departure and have appropriate over-snow vehicle access

Skip Lost Horse Guard Station if: You need hookups — no hookups available. You require year-round camping — seasonal operations May-October, with winter cabin access via snowmobile only. Winter travel — 14-mile access route may not be recently groomed and conditions change rapidly.

Best time to visit Lost Horse Guard Station: May-October — Official operating season per verified data. January-March — Winter cabin rental now available, though requires snowmobile access and careful trip planning.

Nearby campgrounds: Woods Cabin (DARBY, MT), Three Sisters Group Site (Mt) (Darby, MT), Fales Flat Campground (DARBY, MT), Rombo (DARBY, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Lost Horse Guard Station

Cell signal at Lost Horse Guard Station (Darby, 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.

CamperWatch›MT›Lost Horse Guard Station
Lost Horse Guard Station — photo 1
Bitterroot National Forest — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Lost Horse Guard Station

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Darby, MT, MT★ 4.2 (6 reviews)From $50/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Winter 2025 - 2026 is the first winter season the cabin is available for rent during the winter. Please call Darby Ranger Station with questions prior to visit. Please let us know how we can improve the facility.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites: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
Drinking Water

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 camping — seasonal operations May-October, with winter cabin access via snowmobile only✕ Winter travel — 14-mile access route may not be recently groomed and conditions change rapidly

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

federal campground with limited availability

Call Darby Ranger Station ahead of visit for current conditions and facility questions

Winter visitors must check road and snow conditions before departure and have appropriate over-snow vehicle access

Best: May-October

Official operating season per verified data

Best: January-March

Winter cabin rental now available, though requires snowmobile access and careful trip planning

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 Pika, Moose, and Dusky Grouse present in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-821-3913· Bitterroot National Forest

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 — Bitterroot National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Bitterroot 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 Lost Horse Guard Station cost per night?+
Lost Horse Guard Station costs $50 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Lost Horse Guard Station open?+
Lost Horse Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Lost Horse Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Lost Horse Guard Station?+
Lost Horse Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Lost Horse Guard Station?+
Lost Horse 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 Lost Horse Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Lost Horse Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Lost Horse Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Lost Horse Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Bitterroot National Forest InfoBitterroot National Forest Maps and Publications
●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.

$50 /night★ 4.2 (6)
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 Lost Horse Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Lost Horse Guard Station open?+
Does Lost Horse Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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