Big Hole Lookout
Plains, MT
Vault Toilets
Potable Water
Wildlife Watching
Forest
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Amenities, activities and location
Amenities
Vault ToiletsPotable WaterActivities
Wildlife WatchingLandscape
Forest
Getting there
Plains, MT, 59859, US
Good to know
- Campfires
- Allowed
About this campground
Big Hole Lookout offers a unique backcountry lodging experience in a historic fire lookout originally built in 1930 for the Cabinet National Forest. This rare Grange Hall-type lookout, one of only two remaining intact on the Lolo National Forest, was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. After decades of abandonment following its 1972 closure for fire detection, volunteers restored the structure, and it opened for public rental in 2021. The 14-by-14-foot log structure sits atop a short talus foundation and can accommodate up to four people. Inside, guests will find a twin bed with mattress pad, two cots, a wood stove, and a table with two chairs.
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A vault toilet is located about 200 feet from the lookout. The site commands an impressive 360-degree view of valleys and mountain ranges and serves as a base for exploring non-motorized trails in the area. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, with the surrounding forest home to mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, deer, black bears, and grizzly bears. Access requires a 3-mile, easy-to-moderate hike, bike, or horseback ride on the Big Hole Lookout Trail. The trailhead is reached via a steep, winding 60-90 minute drive from Plains, Montana. Guests must be self-sufficient, packing in all water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning, as well as bedding, cooking equipment and fuel, utensils, flashlights, matches, and toilet paper. A spring with non-potable water is located 3/4 mile downhill from the lookout. Firewood may be collected locally. The area experiences cold, wet, or damp weather even when valley temperatures are warm, so guests should prepare accordingly.
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Big Hole Lookout
Last checked Mar 2026
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