Mccart Lookout

Bitterroot National Forest — hiking

Location: SULA, MT, MT

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (4 reviews)

Season: May through October

McCart Lookout is a historic tower located on McCart Peak, east of Sula. It has been restored to reflect a lookout of the 1940s, including the stove, furniture, dishes and other small touches. It offers a unique chance for visitors to camp on a mountain peak, on the border of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, in a rustic, old-time setting.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

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

Historic 1940s-era lookout tower on McCart Peak offering unique mountain peak camping with spectacular views of western Montana wilderness on the border of Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness. Google reviewers consistently praise the beautiful hike and restored tower experience (4.8/5 rating).

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Moose, Shiras Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Sandhill Crane, and Chukar present in the area.

Insider tips for Mccart Lookout: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 1 site that fills up fast according to Google reviews. Prepare for a moderately difficult hike to reach the tower; reviewers noted it was harder than expected. High-clearance vehicles recommended; the road to trailhead is rough single-lane and low-clearance vehicles may scrape bottom.

Skip Mccart Lookout if: You need hookups—no hookups available at this site.. You prefer accessibility—the hike is moderately difficult and the road is rough.. You're visiting outside May through October—seasonal operations only..

Best time to visit Mccart Lookout: May-October — Seasonal operations period as verified in campground data..

Nearby campgrounds: East Fork Cabin (SULA, MT), Hogan Cabin (WISDOM, MT), Indian Trees Campground (Sula Ranger District, MT), Spring Gulch (Sula, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Mccart Lookout

Cell signal at Mccart Lookout (SULA, 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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Bitterroot National Forest — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Mccart Lookout

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SULA, MT, MT★ 4.2 (4 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

McCart Lookout is a historic tower located on McCart Peak, east of Sula. It has been restored to reflect a lookout of the 1940s, including the stove, furniture, dishes and other small touches. It offers a unique chance for visitors to camp on a mountain peak, on the border of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, in a rustic, old-time setting.

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.
PetsNot allowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

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 prefer accessibility—the hike is moderately difficult and the road is rough.✕ You're visiting outside May through October—seasonal operations only.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 site that fills up fast according to Google reviews.

Prepare for a moderately difficult hike to reach the tower; reviewers noted it was harder than expected.

High-clearance vehicles recommended; the road to trailhead is rough single-lane and low-clearance vehicles may scrape bottom.

Best: May-October

Seasonal operations period 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: American Black Bear, Moose, Shiras Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Sandhill Crane, and Chukar present in the area.

Location

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

From Missoula, Montana, travel south on Highway 93 for approximately 90 miles to Sula. Go east on Highway 472 for about 15 miles and then south on Forest Road 5765/McCart Road for about 6 miles to the Johnson Peak Trailhead. Hike about 1.5 miles to the lookout tower.

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 Mccart Lookout cost per night?+
Mccart Lookout costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Mccart Lookout open?+
Mccart Lookout is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Mccart Lookout have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Mccart Lookout?+
Mccart Lookout is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Mccart Lookout?+
Mccart Lookout 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 Mccart Lookout?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Mccart Lookout is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Mccart Lookout open, and what are check-in times?+
Mccart Lookout 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.

$30 /night★ 4.2 (4)
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 Mccart Lookout cost per night?+
What season is Mccart Lookout open?+
Does Mccart Lookout have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

East Fork Cabin

SULA, MT

From $50/night

Hogan Cabin

WISDOM, MT

From $45/night

Indian Trees Campground

Sula Ranger District, MT

From $15/night

Spring Gulch

Sula, MT

From $15/night

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