A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Silvertip Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Flathead National Forest, Flathead County, Montana. About 4,400 feet.

Managed by
Forest Service Flathead National Forest
Elevation
About 4,400 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
1 1 cabin non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

The remote Silvertip Cabin serves as an ideal base for accessing various hiking and horseback riding trails to the Great Bear and Bob Marshall Wilderness areas. Located 70 miles south of the town of Hungry Horse, up to eight guests can enjoy the comforts of the cabin's mattress-covered beds and warm up by the wood stove following various wilderness adventures.

The cabin is only available on weekends from early July until August, or sometimes the first weekend of September. Access requires up to a 4-mile hike or horseback ride to the cabin, depending on conditions and the time of year. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Recreation

From the cabin, several hiking and horseback riding trails lead into the two wilderness areas. Fishing, wildlife viewing and hunting are also popular activities.

Facilities

The log cabin can sleep up to eight people in six single beds and two cots. Amenities include a propane stove, propane lights, basic cooking utensils, a wood stove, a sink with running water, and an outdoor pit toilet. Equestrian campers are welcome to use the corral and hitching rail. There is a water valve above the stock tank to provide water for the horses.

No tables or campfire rings are available outside the cabin. Drinking water is available at the cabin. The water system is not filtered but can be treated or boiled prior to consumption. There is a bag water filter for cabin use hanging next to the sink.

Guests should bring water, food, bedding, towels, a first aid kit and all other basic camp gear. Click here for more cabin details. Guests must clean the cabin and carry out all trash before leaving.

Dogs are allowed.

Natural Features

The cabin is situated in a stand of mixed conifer trees, at an elevation of 4,400 feet. It lies a short walk from the Spotted River, on a stretch of Flathead National Forest land wedged between Great Bear Wilderness to the north and Bob Marshall Wilderness to the west. Peaks in the region include Sergeant Mountain and Whitcomb Peak.

Nearby Attractions

Silvertip is a long distance from any modern conveniences. Guests should expect to drive over two hours for gas and groceries.

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

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Silvertip 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.