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.

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CamperWatch›MT›Whitetail Cabin
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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 ↗
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.
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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.

$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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