Campground

Big Creek Cabin

Custer Gallatin National Forest · LIVINGSTON · Montana — managed by USDA Forest Service

Books out fast — 4 of 4 weekends we sampled are sold out
Big Creek Cabin campground
Photo: Recreation.gov · US Forest Service

Weekend availability at Big Creek Cabin

Live from Recreation.gov · checked Sep 19, 4:34 AM PT

Sold out 6 of the next 6 weekends — exactly when cancellation alerts earn their keep.

  • Fri, Sep 18
    Sold out
  • Fri, Sep 25
    Sold out
  • Fri, Oct 2
    Sold out
  • Fri, Oct 9
    Sold out
  • Fri, Oct 16
    Sold out
  • Fri, Oct 23
    Sold out

Friday + Saturday nights, sites bookable both nights. Counts come from a rotating sweep and can lag a cancellation by up to a day — alerts watch your exact dates within minutes.

How booked is Big Creek Cabin?

as of September 19

Weekends book out well ahead here — 4 of the 4 Saturdays we sampled, as far out as Nov, are already sold out. When a site frees up it's gone again within minutes, so people watch Big Creek Cabin and hear the instant one opens for their dates. Even weekdays are booked.

Weekends (Saturday night)

Sep 26Sold out
Oct 17Sold out
Nov 7Sold out
Nov 28Sold out

Weekdays (Wednesday night)

Sep 23Sold out
Oct 28Sold out
Nov 25Sold out

Availability checked directly against the reservation system, out to 3 months ahead.

Campsites & amenities

Site-level details from Recreation.gov's official catalog.

Campsites
1
Cabin No Hookup

About this campground

Overview The original Big Creek Cabin was built in 1907 and it still stands on this site. The current cabin, a former guard station, was completed in 1925 and sits right next to the original. Big Creek Cabin is the largest cabin in the Yellowstone District, a 28-by-40 log structure with five rooms and two porches. It offers rustic accommodations with limited amenities. Guests will need to bring much of their own gear and supplies. The cabin is accessible by vehicle when there's no snow, however, four-wheel drive is strongly recommended. In the winter, skis or snowshoes are required to cover the half-mile to the cabin from the plowed road. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety.Recreation A trailhead is located near the cabin that leads to three different trails for hikers and equestrians. One of these trails heads into the Gallatin Range. Good trout fishing is available in Big Creek. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter pastimes.Facilities The cabin is furnished with tables, chairs and enough beds with mattresses to accommodate 11 people (most are bunk beds). A propane lantern, wood cook stove and wood heat stove are also provided. FIREWOOD IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM JUNE 1ST TO SEPTEMBER 30TH. PLEASE BRING FIREWOOD OR GATHER FROM FOREST DURING SUMMER. DO NOT BURN PROVIDED FIREWOOD FOR OUTDOOR FIRES, EVER, AS IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REPLACE. Firewood is available during winter months as long as supplies last. An axe and a splitting maul should be available. A mop and bucket are provided for cleaning the cabin. A corral is located across from the cabin, with room for six stock animals. A campfire ring and outhouse with vault toilet are just outside. Water and electricity are not available. Guests will need to bring their own water supply. Propane fuel for the lantern and cookstove is not provided, so it may be necessary to bring extra propane or battery-operated lanterns or flashlights. Garbage bags are needed to pack out trash. For a comfortable stay, guests should bring a propane canister for the lantern, flashlight, bedding, cookware, dishes, utensils, newspaper, garbage bags, matches, toilet paper and first aid kit. Guests are expected to pack out all trash and clean the cabin and the stock corral (if used) before leaving. Natural Features Big Creek Cabin is located in an area known as Paradise Valley, where the peaks of the Gallatin Range fracture the western sky and the Absarokas rise to the east. The cabin sits in a flat clearing surrounded by spruce and fir trees at an elevation of 5,800 feet. Big Creek flows about 50 feet from the back porch. Bears, elk, deer and moose are frequently seen in the vicinity.

Getting there

From Livingston, drive south on Highway 89 for approximately 34 miles to Big Creek Road and a sign for Mountain Sky Guest Ranch. Turn right at the sign and follow Big Creek Road for about 5 miles to the cabin. High-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles are strongly recommended. In winter, the road is plowed to Mountain Sky Guest Ranch. Park in the small parking lot just west of Mountain Sky Guest Ranch. Cross-country skis or snowshoes are required the last half-mile to the cabin from the end of the plowed road. The road gate just past Mountain Sky Guest Ranch closes from Dec. 2 to May 16, annually, for protection of the road.

Elevation
5,684 ft
Contact
406-222-1892

Activities

  • WILDLIFE VIEWING
  • WINTER SPORTS
  • HORSEBACK RIDING
  • HIKING
  • FISHING
  • CAMPING
  • HISTORIC & CULTURAL SITE

Nearby federal campgrounds

Never miss an opening at Big Creek Cabin

Popular Montana campgrounds book out months ahead — but cancellations happen every day. We watch Big Creek Cabin around the clock and alert you the moment a sold-out site reopens for your dates, so you don't have to keep refreshing Recreation.gov.

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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office or on Recreation.gov before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.