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

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Schnaus Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Flathead National Forest, Flathead County, Montana. 3,658 feet. 27.6 miles from Whitefish.

Managed by
Forest Service Flathead National Forest
Elevation
3,658 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 cabin non-electric
Longest rig
50 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Schnaus Cabin is located near the Wild and Scenic North Fork of the Flathead River, in the Flathead National Forest. It can host up to 12 guests for a scenic, peaceful mountain vacation. The rustic dwelling provides a superb setting for fishing, hiking, bird watching and much more in the Whitefish Mountains.

The fully accessible cabin can be reached via vehicle and a parking area is located outside the cabin. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities. The majority of the road from Columbia Falls to Schnaus Cabin is gravel, so be prepared for dust during your drive and at the cabin.

Recreation

Summertime activities include hiking, rafting and fishing. In winter, visitors enjoy cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Bird and wildlife watching are also pleasing pastimes, and guests may see elk, moose or bears in the area.

Facilities

The cabin is equipped with a propane cook stove, heater, lights, a wood stove and accessible vault toilet. Furnishings include two double beds and a bunk bed on the main floor, plus twin beds located in the loft.

No drinking water or electricity is available. Guests should bring plenty of water, bedding, food, flashlights and basic camping gear, among other necessities. Click here for more cabin details.

Natural Features

The cabin sits near a creek and some ponds, a short hike from the North Fork Flathead River. It is surrounded by scattered pine trees and lies within a meadow at an approximate elevation of 3,700 feet, in the Whitefish Range of the Rocky Mountains.

The Glacier View Ranger District is bordered on the east by the North Fork of the Flathead River and Glacier National Park. To the north is Canada and west is the Kootenai National Forest.

Nearby Attractions

Polebridge Mercantile is located seven miles south of Schnaus, offering limited supplies.

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
  • wildlife viewing
  • winter sports

The land around Schnaus 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.