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

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Monture Guard Station Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Lolo National Forest, Powell County, Montana. About 4,200 feet.

Managed by
Forest Service Lolo National Forest
Elevation
About 4,200 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
1 1 cabin electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Powell County

Overview

Monture Guard Station sits in the Lolo National Forest in western Montana, offering a variety of excellent winter recreation for visitors.

Recreation

Monture Guard Station offers modern amenities and furnishings just like home, but it also provides access to a variety of outdoor winter recreation opportunities that can only be enjoyed in a National Forest. A system of groomed trails surrounds the cabin and the nearby Seeley Lake, leaving lots of land for exploration.

The area also offers plentiful opportunities for cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

Facilities

The two-story cabin is fully furnished and can accommodate up to eight people. Beds with mattresses are available on the second floor, while the first floor contains the kitchen, dining room and living room areas. A vault toilet outhouse is located approximately 75 yards northeast of the cabin.

The kitchen is equipped with a propane stove and oven, a small microwave, refrigerator and a variety of cooking and eating dishes and utensils, as well as pots and pans. There is a large table and ten chairs, as well as couches and other seating. The living space has electricity, rugs and wood floors throughout. Heat is provided by a propane heater. Propane fuel is provided.

Guests should bring their own bedding, towels, food, water, garbage bags, toilet paper and other necessities. Cleaning supplies and equipment are provided and guests will need to clean the cabin prior to leaving. There are no trash services, please pack out all garbage at departure.

The cabin is only available in the winter and guests will need to hike, snowmobile or ski about a mile to the cabin. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Natural Features

The cabin is located about 8 miles north of the town of Ovando at an elevation of 4,200 feet. The surrounding forest contains a wide variety of trees, plants and wildlife. The area is home to mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, deer and grizzly and black bears. Both the bald and golden eagle reside in the forest, along with trumpeter swan, herons and dozens of varieties of ducks.

Nearby Attractions

The nearest gas and groceries is available about 10 miles from the cabin.

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

What people do here

  • cross country skiing
  • hiking
  • historic & cultural site
  • snowmobile
  • wildlife viewing
  • winter sports

The land around Monture Guard Station 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.

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 February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.