Notch Cabin
- Right now
- Nobody has saidNo season, no closure, no bookings to read
- Sites
- 1All of them booked ahead
The place
the agency’s own description · what’s there · 13 notices
In the agency’s own words
Notch Cabin is located in a remote part of southwestern Montana, within proposed wilderness, and is open from July 1 through November. It is somewhat difficult to access, but worth the trouble for outdoor enthusiasts. The surrounding landscape is thick with sage and grasslands, transitioning to timbered slopes that are home to a full variety of wildlife. The original cabin burned to the ground in 2019 and a replacement, following the design of the original cabin, was built by Forest Service crews in the summers of 2024 - 2026. The 12' x 16' cabin accommodates 2 people. Keep reading
A high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle is required to access the cabin, which is located near the end of a very rough primitive road, with large rocks and deep ruts. The road may be impassable when wet. Motorized travel off of the designated route is not permitted. The cabin offers some basic amenities. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring most of their own supplies and gear.
Recreation
In addition to big game hunting, visitors can enjoy hiking, backpacking and horseback riding in the area. While no Forest Service trails are within the immediate vicinity of the cabin, the Snowcrest Trail is within a mile. It covers the entire range, providing panoramic views of the area. The 40-mile trail can serve as a hearty horseback riding adventure, a lengthy backpacking trip, or make for several day trips. The nearby seasonal mountain streams offer access to fishing. Anglers can enjoy a possible catch of cutthroat trout, among other species. Rock Creel Lake, with fishing opportunities, is only a few miles away. The wildlife management area is good for hunting but also offers a perfect opportunity for visitors to catch a glimpse of wildlife in their natural habitat. Due to the high elevation and short growing season, supplemental feed (certified weed-free) should be brought in for recreational livestock . No pasture or corral is available. The final two miles of the access road to the cabin are not suitable for horse trailers.
Facilities
The cabin is equipped with a set of bunk beds with foam pads that sleep up to two people, a propane cook stove, basic cooking utensils, a propane lantern, wood heat stove, broom, dustpan and basic cleaning supplies. Firewood is provided, stacked under the trees behind the cabin. A primitive outhouse is located 100 feet west of the cabin. Water is available only from the stream and should be properly filtered, treated or boiled for drinking or cooking purposes. It is recommended that guests bring their own water supply for drinking, cooking and washing. Fuel (propane) is not provided for the cook stove or lantern. Guests must supply their own small propane canisters. Other items to bring include sleeping bags, pillows, flashlights, matches, food, toilet paper and garbage bags. There is limited cell phone service available in the area. Guests should replenish the supply of split wood and kindling, pack out all trash and food, and clean the cabin before leaving .
Natural Features
The cabin is situated at an elevation of 8,470 feet in a notch between Olson Peak and Hogback Mountain, almost on the divide of the Snowcrest Range. The meadow between the peaks is only a couple hundred yards wide. A small stream runs less than 100 feet in front of the cabin. The Robb-Ledford Wildlife Management Area is nearby, which is an important elk and big game winter range that spans more than 28,000 acres in southwestern Montana. In addition to elk, the range is home to antelope, mule deer, upland birds and a growing population of grizzly bears ( learn more about bear safety ). Black bears and moose sometimes wander through the cabin site.
What the agency tells you
This facility is located in an extremely remote and wild area; before making a reservation, become aware of bear, water and weather safety (including avalanche danger)
Guests should be aware that there is a risk of exposure to hantavirus when visiting remote cabins; click here to learn more
Rodent poison may be used in the cabin; take appropriate caution to prevent ingestion by children and pets
Everything else this campground posts · 10
A mandatory food storage order is in effect between March 1 and December 1 annually to ensure food is properly stored away from wildlife; contact the Madison RangerDistrict for more details
Potable water is not available
The cabin remains locked; the key code is provided with your reservation receipt.
Hay and feed, including grain, must be certified weed-free
All garbage and food must be packed out. If it came with you, it should leave with you.
Learn more about the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
Don't Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.
Maximum occupancy is two people. Additional people or camping units are not permitted within the administrative site
A high clearance 4 wheel drive vehicle is necessary to reach the cabin. The natural surface road has many large rocks jutting out and becomes nearly impassable when wet. Driving off the designated road is prohibited.
There is a 6 day maximum stay rule within a rolling 30 day period. Making additional reservations under the name of another member of the group is nit permissible. The same individuals may not exceed the 6 day limit no matter who's name is on the reservation.
Tents and rigs
- Sites
- 1 · 1 cabin
- Hookups
- None
- Accessible sites
- None listed
- Pets
- Allowed
- Shade
- Every site
Facilities
- Toilets
- Yes, the record doesn't say what kind
- “A primitive outhouse is located 100 feet west of the cabin.”
- Drinking water
- None, bring your own
- “It is recommended that guests bring their own water supply for drinking, cooking and washing.”
- Firewood
- Mentioned
Around the campground
- On the water
- Lake, Creek, Meadow
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Wildlife viewing
- Cell signal · Cell signal · Forest Service says
- Spotty
No reading yet, book on recreation.gov
Every site here is reservable, and the record lists none held back for anyone who drives up.
No availability snapshot inside the last 36 hours, so this page draws nothing rather than ageing a reading into fiction.
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We make nothing when you book. The link goes straight to the government.
Every line of the receipt · 9
What you actually pay
Who keeps the booking fee
The agency’s own policy text says the reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee are “retained by the reservation service contractor”, and that a campground concessionaire will decline to refund them because “they did not receive these fees”. Recreation.gov is run under contract by Booz Allen Hamilton. What share of your booking fee the contractor keeps isn’t published in any federal dataset we can read, so we print no number for it. Our reporting on the contract →
How we know this receipt · 4
rules read Sep 9, 2026 · record Aug 23, 2026 · How we know all this
The sites
1 sites · the site map
All 1 sites
| AREA NOTCH CABIN | 001 | cabin nonelectric | 2,348 ft |
OpenStreetMap has no toilet mapped within 1 km of this campground, so no site here carries a toilet distance. That’s a gap in the map, not a finding about the campground.
Getting there
the map and the coordinate · the agency’s directions · the phone number
Where it is
Antone CabinBeaverhead National Forest · 7.9 miCottonwood CampgroundBeaverhead National Forest · 10 mi
Vigilante CabinBeaverhead National Forest · 13 mi
West Fork Cabin (S of Ennis)Beaverhead National Forest · 13 mi
Black Butte CabinBeaverhead National Forest · 16 miNotch Cabin is about 62 miles from Ennis, Montana. The final 28 miles are gravel, dirt or primitive two-track. From Ennis, take Montana Highway 287 west for 23 miles to Alder. At Alder, turn south toward Ruby Reservoir (County 248) and travel 21 miles. Turn right on Ledford Creek Road (County 50) and travel southwest for 3 miles to signed junction. Turn right onto Robb Creek road and after about 4.5 miles, you'll enter the Robb-Ledford WMA. Continue for 0.5 mile to junction, turn right and travel for 5 miles. At that point, the Springbrook road joins in from the west. Continue south toward the mountains and cross Robb Creek after about 3.5 miles. One half mile farther, you'll reach the Forest boundary, then another mile to the cabin. The route is signed at the junctions. Driving time from Ennis is about 2.5 hours, with the last 9 miles taking over an hour.
As an alternative route, travel south from Alder for 14 miles and turn onto Sweetwater Road toward Dillon. Travel almost 9 miles and turn left onto Springbrook Road. This 2-track road will connect with the Robb Creek Road after about 12 miles. Follow Robb Creek directions from there. This route is not signed, other than the Springbrook/Sweetwater junction and there will be gates to open and close. See Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest-South map for details.
The weather
the next four days
Next four days, and the thirty-year normal
Forecast
NWS forecast for Lakeview, MT
The land, and who answers for it
what threatens it · who answers for it
Roadless country, and what’s coming for it
You’re camping on ground somebody wants. We track the threats and the comment deadlines.
Who answers for this land
Notch Cabin is in Montana’s 1st congressional district. Its representative, Ryan Zinke (R), votes on the laws that decide what happens to this land. Public-lands grade so far: F. See every public-lands vote →
How we know
every fact on this page, and where it came from
“…food, toilet paper and garbage bags. There is limited cell phone service available in the area. Guests should replenish the supply of…”