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).

Cell Phone Coverage at Lupine Shelter

Cell signal at Lupine Shelter (WISE RIVER, 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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Lupine Shelter — photo 1
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Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Lupine Shelter

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WISE RIVER, MT, MT★ 4 (0 reviews)From $50/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.

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

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites1 sites
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
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 multiple camping sites—only 1 tent site total✕ You need garbage disposal services on-site

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

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

Best: Winter

Most heavily visited season; popular for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing in snow-covered meadow

Best: Spring

Wildflowers bloom and landscape becomes deep green; hiking and mountain biking trails available

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, 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.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-832-3178· Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
Getting there →

From Wise River, Montana, take the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway approximately 25 miles south.

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 Lupine Shelter cost per night?+
Lupine Shelter costs $50 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Lupine Shelter open?+
Lupine Shelter is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Lupine Shelter have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Lupine Shelter?+
Lupine Shelter is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Lupine Shelter?+
Lupine Shelter 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 Lupine Shelter?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Lupine Shelter is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Lupine Shelter open, and what are check-in times?+
Lupine Shelter is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●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 (0)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Lupine Shelter cost per night?+
What season is Lupine Shelter open?+
Does Lupine Shelter have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Price Creek Campground (Mt)

Dillon, MT

From $8/night

Grasshopper Campground (Mt)

Dillon, MT

From $8/night

Birch Creek Cabin

DILLON, MT

From $65/night

Canyon Creek Cabin

WISE RIVER, MT

From $45/night

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