Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental

Kootenai National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: EUREKA, MT, MT

Price: From $45 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (23 reviews)

Season: Year-round

McGuire Mountain Lookout was originally constructed in 1923 and was actively used as an observation point for detecting forest fires for over 20 years before it was abandoned around 1944. The structure was later renovated between 1983 and 1998 and is now available for rent for up to four people. McGuire Mountain is located approximately 14 miles southwest of Eureka.

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

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

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

Historic 1923 fire lookout tower renovated and available for rent with 360-degree mountain views. Campers consistently praise the exceptional sunrises, sunsets, and remote wilderness experience.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis), and Domestic Cattle present within 8km of location

Insider tips for Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site Road normally plowed within 14 miles of cabin, but access may be weather-dependent Requires 2.5-mile hike from Little Sutton Mountain parking area to reach the lookout

Skip Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental if: You need hookups — no hookups available at this site. You prefer car camping without hiking — 2.5-mile hike required for access. You want guaranteed winter access — road conditions are weather-dependent.

Best time to visit Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental: Year-round — Campground operates year-round; however, road access depends on weather conditions and plowing.

Nearby campgrounds: Webb Mtn. Lookout Rental (EUREKA, MT), Mcgillivray Campground (Mt) (LIBBY, MT), Rexford Bench (EUREKA, MT), Big Creek Baldy. Lookout Rental (LIBBY, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental

Cell signal at Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental (EUREKA, 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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Kootenai National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental

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EUREKA, MT, MT★ 4.4 (23 reviews)From $45/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

McGuire Mountain Lookout was originally constructed in 1923 and was actively used as an observation point for detecting forest fires for over 20 years before it was abandoned around 1944. The structure was later renovated between 1983 and 1998 and is now available for rent for up to four people. McGuire Mountain is located approximately 14 miles southwest of Eureka.

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
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFirewood for Sale
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 at this site✕ You prefer car camping without hiking — 2.5-mile hike required for access✕ You want guaranteed winter access — road conditions are weather-dependent

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 1 tent site

Road normally plowed within 14 miles of cabin, but access may be weather-dependent

Requires 2.5-mile hike from Little Sutton Mountain parking area to reach the lookout

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round; however, road access depends on weather conditions and plowing

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, Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis), and Domestic Cattle present within 8km of location

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-296-2536· Kootenai National Forest
Getting there →

Access depends on weather conditions. The road is normally plowed within 14 miles of the cabin. McGuire Mountain is located approximately 14 miles southwest of Eureka and may be reached by taking Othorp Lake Road 854. Stay on this road to Pinkham Creek Road 856 and continue for approximately 13 miles. Turn and follow Sutton Ridge Road 494 west to Little Sutton Mountain, where you will see a sign marking the beginning of the lookout trail. Park all vehicles and continue from the trailhead to your

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

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental cost per night?+
Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental costs $45 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental open?+
Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental?+
Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental?+
Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental 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 Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental open, and what are check-in times?+
Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
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.

$45 /night★ 4.4 (23)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental cost per night?+
What season is Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental open?+
Does Mcguire Mtn. Lookout Rental have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Webb Mtn. Lookout Rental

EUREKA, MT

From $45/night

Mcgillivray Campground (Mt)

LIBBY, MT

From $50/night

Rexford Bench

EUREKA, MT

From $24/night

Big Creek Baldy. Lookout Rental

LIBBY, MT

From $55/night

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