Rillway Cabin

Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: TOWNSEND, MT, MT

Price: From $30 per night

Price range: $30–$45 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (44 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Rillway Cabin is located 14 miles east of Townsend, Montana along scenic Deep Creek in Helena National Forest. Its history can be traced to Dr. Kelly, a physician who arrived in Townsend in 1915 and served as mayor from 1920-1924.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

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

Rillway Cabin offers a comfortable, historic retreat 14 miles east of Townsend along scenic Deep Creek in Helena National Forest. Campers praise the efficient wood stove, pleasant creek setting, and convenient highway access, with a 4.5/5 rating from 13 Google reviews.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear and Common Raccoon present in area; also Dusky Grouse, Spotted Towhee, American Robin, and Townsend's Solitaire.

Insider tips for Rillway Cabin: Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand Wood stove heats efficiently; bring firewood or purchase on-site Hang hammocks near the creek for meditation and relaxation

Skip Rillway Cabin if: You need hookups — no electric or water hookups available. You are concerned about pack rats — one reviewer reported this issue. You are noise-sensitive — cabin is near Highway 12.

Best time to visit Rillway Cabin: Year-round — Cabin is accessible year-round by vehicle and operates seasonally; one reviewer noted it functioned well during May cold rain and snow conditions..

Nearby campgrounds: Thompson Guard Station (TOWNSEND, MT), Indian Road Group Use Shelter (Helena, MT), Miller Cabin (Townsend, MT), White Earth Campground (Helena, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Rillway Cabin

Cell signal at Rillway Cabin (TOWNSEND, 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
CamperWatch›MT›Rillway Cabin
Rillway Cabin — photo 1
Rillway Cabin — photo 2
Rillway Cabin — photo 3
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Rillway Cabin

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TOWNSEND, MT, MT★ 4.4 (44 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Rillway Cabin is located 14 miles east of Townsend, Montana along scenic Deep Creek in Helena National Forest. Its history can be traced to Dr. Kelly, a physician who arrived in Townsend in 1915 and served as mayor from 1920-1924.

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.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFirewood for Sale

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 electric or water hookups available✕ You are concerned about pack rats — one reviewer reported this issue✕ You are noise-sensitive — cabin is near Highway 12

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand

Wood stove heats efficiently; bring firewood or purchase on-site

Hang hammocks near the creek for meditation and relaxation

Best: Year-round

Cabin is accessible year-round by vehicle and operates seasonally; one reviewer noted it functioned well during May cold rain and snow conditions.

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 and Common Raccoon present in area; also Dusky Grouse, Spotted Towhee, American Robin, and Townsend's Solitaire.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-266-3425· Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Getting there →

The cabin is accessible year-round by vehicle. From the 4-way stop light in Townsend, turn east on Hwy 12. Follow the road for 14 miles and watch for the Rillway Cabin sign along the right side of the highway at the 14-mile marker. There is also a sign that welcomes you to the National Forest. Please note, only right turns are allowed when you leave the cabin area. Approximately 1 mile to the east is a pull out; use this to turn around if you must drive west. Please respect the private lands tha

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 — Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Helena-Lewis and Clark 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 Rillway Cabin cost per night?+
Rillway Cabin costs $30–$45 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Rillway Cabin open?+
Rillway Cabin is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Rillway Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Rillway Cabin?+
Rillway Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Rillway Cabin?+
Rillway Cabin 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 Rillway Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Rillway Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Rillway Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Rillway Cabin is open Year-round. 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★ 4.4 (44)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Rillway Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Rillway Cabin open?+
Does Rillway Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Thompson Guard Station

TOWNSEND, MT

From $50/night

Indian Road Group Use Shelter

Helena, MT

From $20/night

Miller Cabin

Townsend, MT

From $45/night

White Earth Campground

Helena, MT

From $10/night

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