Thompson Guard Station

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

Location: TOWNSEND, MT, MT

Price: From $50 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (11 reviews)

Season: May through October

Thompson Guard Station is located in the Big Belt Mountain Range in Helena National Forest. Historical records indicate that the guard station was built in 1954 for rangers in the district, but it may have been used as a cookhouse for a Civilian Conservation Corps camp prior to that date. In later years, engineering and road maintenance crews used the cabin as lodging.

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

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

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

Historic 1954 Forest Service cabin in Helena National Forest's Big Belt Mountain Range offering rustic mountain relaxation with reasonable road access near White Sulphur Springs. Highly rated by repeat Forest Service cabin visitors (4/5 stars) who appreciate the solid roof and reliable wood stove.

Wildlife alert: Moose, Coyote, Pacific Marten, Golden Eagle, Wild Turkey, and American Three-toed Woodpecker present in area

Insider tips for Thompson Guard Station: Book early — it's a popular federal campground Pack all water and supplies you need; cabin has no water access Bring firewood or purchase on-site; wood stove is primary heating

Skip Thompson Guard Station if: Expecting modern amenities or cleanliness standards — expect rustic conditions with potential mice and flies. Needing hookups or developed campground facilities. Visiting outside May-October seasonal window.

Best time to visit Thompson Guard Station: May-October — Official operating season per verified data.

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

Cell Phone Coverage at Thompson Guard Station

Cell signal at Thompson Guard Station (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.

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Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Thompson Guard Station

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TOWNSEND, MT, MT★ 4.3 (11 reviews)From $50/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Thompson Guard Station is located in the Big Belt Mountain Range in Helena National Forest. Historical records indicate that the guard station was built in 1954 for rangers in the district, but it may have been used as a cookhouse for a Civilian Conservation Corps camp prior to that date. In later years, engineering and road maintenance crews used the cabin as lodging.

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
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

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

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:✕ Expecting modern amenities or cleanliness standards — expect rustic conditions with potential mice and flies✕ Needing hookups or developed campground facilities✕ Visiting outside May-October seasonal window

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

it's a popular federal campground

Pack all water and supplies you need; cabin has no water access

Bring firewood or purchase on-site; wood stove is primary heating

Best: May-October

Official operating season per verified 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: Moose, Coyote, Pacific Marten, Golden Eagle, Wild Turkey, and American Three-toed Woodpecker present in area

Location

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

From White Sulphur Springs, travel west on Highway 360 for 1.6 miles. At this point, make a sharp curve to the right off the highway. There is a Forest Service sign at this junction that reads: Gipsy Lake 14, Townsend 44. Go straight onto the gravel road for 6.5 miles. At 6.5 miles, the gravel road forks at the entrance to a ranch. Stay to the right. As you drive the next 7.5 miles to the Forest boundary, the road will become more primitive. Within a quarter of a mile of the Forest boundary, a s

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.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Thompson Guard Station cost per night?+
Thompson Guard Station costs $50 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Thompson Guard Station open?+
Thompson Guard Station is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Thompson Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Thompson Guard Station?+
Thompson Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Thompson Guard Station?+
Thompson Guard Station 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 Thompson Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Thompson Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Thompson Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Thompson Guard Station is open May through October. 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★ 4.3 (11)
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 Thompson Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Thompson Guard Station open?+
Does Thompson Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Miller Cabin

Townsend, MT

From $45/night

Rillway Cabin

TOWNSEND, MT

From $30/night

White Earth Campground

Helena, MT

From $10/night

Indian Road Group Use Shelter

Helena, MT

From $20/night

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