Lupine Shelter

Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: WISE RIVER, MT, MT

Price: From $50 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Lupine Shelter is a picnicking facility open year-round, however it is most heavily visited during the winter, when it is used by snowmobilers as a warming hut. It is an excellent location to have a picnic or a family gathering any time of year.The shelter was built in the early 1990s, as a replica of a Civilian Conservation Corps-style building. It is situated in a grassy meadow surrounded by a forest of mature pine trees at an elevation of 7,600 feet.

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

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

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

Lupine Shelter is a year-round picnicking facility in the heart of the Pioneer Mountains with excellent recreation opportunities. Campers praise it as a gem offering scenic views, especially when wildflowers bloom in spring, with opportunities to spot elk in the surrounding area.

Wildlife alert: Yellow-bellied Marmot, Western Deer Mouse, American Red Squirrel, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Least Chipmunk, Black-billed Magpie, Townsend's Solitaire, Mountain Bluebird, Pine Siskin, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake present in the area.

Insider tips for Lupine Shelter: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site Pack out all garbage—no garbage drop available Only 1 site available, so timing and advance reservations are critical

Skip Lupine Shelter if: You need hookups—no hookups available. You require multiple camping sites—only 1 tent site total. You need garbage disposal services on-site.

Best time to visit Lupine Shelter: Winter — Most heavily visited season; popular for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing in snow-covered meadow. Spring — Wildflowers bloom and landscape becomes deep green; hiking and mountain biking trails available.

Nearby campgrounds: Price Creek Campground (Mt) (Dillon, MT), Grasshopper Campground (Mt) (Dillon, MT), Birch Creek Cabin (DILLON, MT), Canyon Creek Cabin (WISE RIVER, MT).