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Whitetail Cabin

Custer Gallatin National Forest — hiking

Location: ASHLAND, MT, MT

Price: From $65 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (24 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Whitetail Cabin sits at an altitude of 4,048 feet in the north end of the Custer National Forest approximately 20 miles from Ashland, Montana. The cabin was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Formerly a ranger station, it is now a registered historic site.

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

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

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

Historic 1930s CCC cabin in Custer National Forest with year-round access and affordable $65/night rate. Campers praise the reasonable price, scenic rustic sites, and convenient location on Highway 212.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Elk, Prairie Rattlesnake present in area. Also Great Horned Owl, Rock Wren, Common Nighthawk, Hairy Woodpecker.

Insider tips for Whitetail Cabin: Book early — this is a federal campground with high demand. Bring your own toilet paper and headlamp; pit toilets only, no water or garbage disposal. Plan for 17-mile drive from Ashland via Highway 212 and East Fork Otter Creek Road; allow extra time on busy stretches.

Skip Whitetail Cabin if: You need hookups — no water, electric, or sewer available despite listing mentioning electric hookups.. You're sensitive to highway noise — US 212 runs adjacent to the property.. Winter travel concerns — road conditions may require hiking the final 100 yards to cabin..

Best time to visit Whitetail Cabin: May-September — Optimal accessibility and weather conditions; winter requires hiking 100 yards to cabin depending on road conditions.. Year-round — Cabin available year-round, but prepare for winter hiking and potential road closures..

Nearby campgrounds: Diamond Butte Lookout (ASHLAND, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Whitetail Cabin

Cell signal at Whitetail Cabin (ASHLAND, 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
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    CamperWatch›MT›Whitetail Cabin
    Whitetail Cabin — photo 1
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    Custer Gallatin National Forest — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

    Whitetail Cabin

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    ASHLAND, MT, MT★ 4.2 (24 reviews)From $65/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
    On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

    Whitetail Cabin sits at an altitude of 4,048 feet in the north end of the Custer National Forest approximately 20 miles from Ashland, Montana. The cabin was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Formerly a ranger station, it is now a registered historic site.

    Best for:HikersFamiliesSites: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 RingsFirewood for Sale
    Recreation
    Picnic Tables
    Family & Pets
    Electric Hookups

    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 water, electric, or sewer available despite listing mentioning electric hookups.✕ You're sensitive to highway noise — US 212 runs adjacent to the property.✕ Winter travel concerns — road conditions may require hiking the final 100 yards to cabin.

    Insider tips & when to go

    CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

    Book early

    this is a federal campground with high demand.

    Bring your own toilet paper and headlamp; pit toilets only, no water or garbage disposal.

    Plan for 17-mile drive from Ashland via Highway 212 and East Fork Otter Creek Road; allow extra time on busy stretches.

    Best: May-September

    Optimal accessibility and weather conditions; winter requires hiking 100 yards to cabin depending on road conditions.

    Best: Year-round

    Cabin available year-round, but prepare for winter hiking and potential road closures.

    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, Elk, Prairie Rattlesnake present in area. Also Great Horned Owl, Rock Wren, Common Nighthawk, Hairy Woodpecker.

    Location

    Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
    Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
    CALL FOR COMBINATION PRIOR TO YOUR STAY - M-F 8:00 TO 4:30 CALL 406-784-2344. AFTER HOURS OR WEEKENDS CALL 406-740-1594.· Custer Gallatin National Forest
    gccampgrounds13@gmail.com
    Getting there →

    From Ashland, Montana, take Highway 212 east for approximately 5 miles to East Fork Otter Creek Road. Turn northeast onto East Fork Otter Creek Road and travel 12 miles to Whitetail Cabin.

    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 — Custer Gallatin National Forest fills fast in peak season.
    • Check current road conditions at Custer Gallatin 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 Whitetail Cabin cost per night?+
    Whitetail Cabin costs $65 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
    What season is Whitetail Cabin open?+
    Whitetail Cabin is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Does Whitetail Cabin have hookups?+
    No hookups.
    What is the maximum RV length at Whitetail Cabin?+
    Whitetail Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
    How do I make reservations at Whitetail Cabin?+
    Whitetail 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 Whitetail Cabin?+
    According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Whitetail Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
    What season is Whitetail Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
    Whitetail Cabin is open Year-round. 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.

    $65 /night★ 4.2 (24)
    SeasonYear-round
    Check-in2:00 PM
    Check-out12:00 PM
    Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
    Dates full? Get an availability alert
    FAQ
    How much does Whitetail Cabin cost per night?+
    What season is Whitetail Cabin open?+
    Does Whitetail Cabin have hookups?+
    All 7 questions →

    Nearby Campgrounds

    Diamond Butte Lookout

    ASHLAND, MT

    From $45/night

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