West Fork Butte Lookout

Lolo National Forest — hiking

Location: MISSOULA, MT, MT

Price: From $55 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (39 reviews)

Season: May through October

West Fork Butte Lookout is an ideal place for guests to experience the mountains south of Missoula from a unique vantage point. The facility provides near-360-degree views of the surrounding area. It is equipped with basic supplies and provides guests a base camp location from which to explore the area.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets

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

West Fork Butte Lookout offers near-360-degree views of the mountains south of Missoula from a unique vantage point, with an average Google rating of 4.6/5 stars from campers praising the scenic location.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Moose, Golden Eagle, American Pika, Snowshoe Hare, Hoary Marmot, Pacific Wren, Dark-eyed Junco, Brown-headed Cowbird, Dark-eyed Junco, Common Garter Snake

Insider tips for West Fork Butte Lookout: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 site Road access is variable in spring and fall; Forest Road 37 closes December 1 - May 1 Plan for a short walk to the site if the final quarter mile is gated

Skip West Fork Butte Lookout if: You need hookups - no hookups available. You visit outside May-October operating season. You want to drive all the way to the site during shoulder seasons.

Best time to visit West Fork Butte Lookout: July-September — Peak summer season with reliable vehicle access; May-June and October have variable access conditions.

Nearby campgrounds: Larry Creek Group Camp (STEVENSVILLE, MT), Pattee Canyon Picnic Area (MISSOULA, MT), Powell Campground (Lolo, ID), Quartz Flat Campground (Mt) (Superior, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at West Fork Butte Lookout

Cell signal at West Fork Butte Lookout (MISSOULA, 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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West Fork Butte Lookout — photo 1
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Lolo National Forest — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

West Fork Butte Lookout

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MISSOULA, MT, MT★ 4.6 (39 reviews)From $55/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

West Fork Butte Lookout is an ideal place for guests to experience the mountains south of Missoula from a unique vantage point. The facility provides near-360-degree views of the surrounding area. It is equipped with basic supplies and provides guests a base camp location from which to explore the area.

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.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
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 visit outside May-October operating season✕ You want to drive all the way to the site during shoulder seasons

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with only 1 site

Road access is variable in spring and fall; Forest Road 37 closes December 1 - May 1

Plan for a short walk to the site if the final quarter mile is gated

Best: July-September

Peak summer season with reliable vehicle access; May-June and October have variable access 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, Moose, Golden Eagle, American Pika, Snowshoe Hare, Hoary Marmot, Pacific Wren, Dark-eyed Junco, Brown-headed Cowbird, Dark-eyed Junco, Common Garter Snake

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-329-3814· Lolo National Forest
Getting there →

From Missoula, travel south on Highway 93 to Lolo. Turn onto Highway 12 and continue west for 17 miles, following Lolo Creek to Forest Road 37. Turn left onto Road 37, and cross the concrete bridge over Lolo Creek. . There are two gates along the route to the lookout. The first is located near the beginning of Forest Road 37 not far from the concrete bridge over Lolo Creek. This gate is open during the summer months, closed in the winter and variable during the spring and fall. The second gate i

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 — Lolo National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Lolo 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 West Fork Butte Lookout cost per night?+
West Fork Butte Lookout costs $55 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is West Fork Butte Lookout open?+
West Fork Butte Lookout is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does West Fork Butte Lookout have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at West Fork Butte Lookout?+
West Fork Butte Lookout is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at West Fork Butte Lookout?+
West Fork Butte 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 West Fork Butte Lookout?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at West Fork Butte Lookout is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is West Fork Butte Lookout open, and what are check-in times?+
West Fork Butte 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.

$55 /night★ 4.6 (39)
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 West Fork Butte Lookout cost per night?+
What season is West Fork Butte Lookout open?+
Does West Fork Butte Lookout have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Larry Creek Group Camp

STEVENSVILLE, MT

From $75/night

Pattee Canyon Picnic Area

MISSOULA, MT

From $50/night

Powell Campground

Lolo, ID

From $14/night

Quartz Flat Campground (Mt)

Superior, MT

From $15/night

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