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

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Owl Creek Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Flathead National Forest, Missoula County, Montana. 25.5 miles from Ronan.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Flathead National Forest
Sites
1 1 cabin electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Missoula County

Overview

Owl Creek Cabin is a rustic, single-room dwelling that can accommodate up to four guests. Horse campers enjoy the Owl Creek experience because a corral is available for use just 200 feet from the cabin. The corral may be reserved independently from the cabin by Clicking HERE Same day reservations may be made by contacting the Swan Lake Ranger Station during business hours at 406-837-7500.

The cabin can be accessed by vehicle. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Recreation

Visitors to the area enjoy hiking and horseback riding on a variety of trails, some of which lead into the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. The cabin in also about a half-mile from Holland Lake, which offers swimming, boating and fishing opportunities. In winter, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling are popular in the area.

Facilities

Owl Creek Cabin is a single-story structure with a covered front porch and an accessible entrance ramp. The 16-by-20 structure contains two bunk beds (4 total beds) with mattresses, a propane fireplace, electric lights, an electric cook stove, small microwave oven, dorm size fridge, as well as dining utensils and a reasonable assortment of cooking pots and pans.

The cabin is not equipped with running water, but from mid-May to mid-November, a potable water source is located just outside the front door. During the winter season, water is not available and guests will need to bring their own. An outhouse is available outside the cabin.

Guests will also need to bring their own bedding, food, flashlights and a first aid kit, among other necessities. Click here for more cabin details. Guests must clean the cabin and carry out all trash before leaving.

Natural Features

The cabin is located in Swan Valley, just south of Holland Lake, at an elevation of 4,200 feet. The building backs up to a stand of mixed conifers, including lodgepole pine and Douglas fir trees.

Nearby Attractions

A general store is located about 20 minutes away, in the town of Condon.

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

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • winter sports

The land around Owl Creek 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.

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.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

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.

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