A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Hogan Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Beaverhead County, Montana. 25.9 miles from Darby.

Managed by
Forest Service Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
Sites
1 1 cabin non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Hogan Cabin is a small cabin located on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in western Montana. The cabin was built in the 1920s to provide field quarters for trail crews, smoke chasers, timber cruisers and grazing inspectors that worked in the area. It is a great retreat for snow lovers in the winter, as the cabin provides access to a variety of snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails. Summer and fall months give guests plenty of daylight and moderate temperatures to explore the surrounding meadows, peaks and valleys, as well as fish in plentiful mountain streams. The cabin is only accessible by motorized vehicle during the summer months and until snow closes the road. Guests may have to snowmobile, hike or ski up to six miles, depending on conditions. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Recreation

The surrounding hills and valleys are popular for hiking and backpacking in the summer and fall, and for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the winter. The cabin sits along the famous Lewis and Clark Trail, which led frontier explorers through the area in the early 1800s. The entire length of the trail covers 4,600 miles, showcasing some of the most beautiful and rugged areas of America. Hunting and fishing are also popular in the area. Mountain creeks and streams run near the cabin, and wildlife is abundant in the surrounding forest. It is also a popular place to watch for various bird species.

Facilities

The one-room log cabin has bunk beds and mattresses to sleep up to four people. It has a table and chairs, a propane stove, propane lantern, and a variety of cooking, eating and cleaning equipment. A wood stove is available for heat, and firewood and an axe are provided from September 16-June 15. Firewood is not provided from June 16-September 15. An outhouse with vault toilet and a campfire ring with grill are located nearby. The cabin has no electricity or running water. Guests will need to bring water for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes, as well as small propane canisters for the stove and lantern. Guests also need to bring their own bedding, food, towels, soap, matches and flashlights, toilet paper, garbage bags and other necessities. There is no cell phone service available at the cabin. Guests are required to pack out all trash and food and clean the cabin prior to leaving.

Natural Features

The cabin is situated on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail at an elevation of about 7,300 feet. It is at the southwestern end of the Anaconda Mountains, near the Sapphire Range, in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

The Anacondas are home to abundant wildlife, including mountain lions, elk, deer, moose and bears ( learn more about bear safety ).

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • hiking
  • historic & cultural site
  • wildlife viewing
  • winter sports

The land around Hogan Cabin

The ringed pin is this cabin or lookout; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in. The federal record’s point for it sits at a very different height from the one the agency describes, so the pin may be off: trust the directions above over the map.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 20, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.