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

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Wapiti Cabin

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Custer Gallatin National Forest, Gallatin County, Montana. 7,055 feet. 27.6 miles from West Yellowstone.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Custer Gallatin National Forest
Elevation
7,055 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 cabin non-electric
Longest rig
20 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Gallatin County

Overview

Wapiti Cabin is a primitive, rustic, log structure open year-round for recreational enjoyment. It provides access to several trails for summer hiking and biking, and winter skiing and snowmobiling.

The cabin can be accessed by vehicle from July 1 through December 1 (weather and snow permitting), but winter access requires a trek of up to six miles on skis, snowshoes, or by snowmobile. Taylor Fork Road (FS 134) is open year round, but may have limited access due to snow. Wapiti Creek Road (FS 2522) does not fully open to vehicles until July 1.

Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and they must bring several of their own amenities. During the spring and fall, guests are encouraged to call the Hebgen Lake Ranger District at (406) 823-6961 for road conditions and access to the cabin.

Recreation

The junction of Taylor Fork Road and Wapiti Creek offers several trailheads leading into the Cabin Creek Wildlife Management Area. Mountain bikers will find several route options in the Wapiti Loops in Taylor Fork, including a 14-mile route that begins at the cabin.

For winter sports enthusiasts, the Big Sky Snowmobile Trail is within 2 miles of the cabin, and it offers some of Montana's best backcountry snowmobiling. The area around Wapiti Creek also offers good terrain for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The cabin is open to stock, and there is a corral available for horses. A hitching rail surrounds the cabin for stock use.

Please keep in mind that fall hunting season brings big game hunters to this area.

Facilities

This is a primitive cabin. It can sleep up to four people, with a maximum group size of six people for overnight use. There is a seven night maximum stay per group. A wood stove is available for heat, and an old-fashioned wood cook stove is also available. Basic ammeneties such as an axe, shovel, bucket and table with chairs are also provided. Four cots are available.

An outhouse is located outside and adjacent to the cabin. Firewood is supplied for indoor use only . Renters must gather their own wood for outdoor campfires. A corral is available for stock. A stock pot is provided for boiling water. It is strongly recommended that campers bring their own back country cookware and dishes for use.

No electricity or water is available. Guests must bring their own drinking water, flashlights and lanterns, bedding, matches, extra toilet paper, garbage bags, dish soap, and other necessities. The cabin will need to be cleaned and all trash removed prior to departure.

Natural Features

Wapiti Cabin is situated inbetween the Madison Mountain Range and the Gallatin Mountain Range at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Beyond the meadow, guests at the cabin can see dense stands of evergreens and rugged mountain ridges. Wapiti Creek flows nearby.

The area around Wapiti Cabin is grizzly bear habitat, but it's also home to deer, elk, moose, and other wildlife.

Nearby Attractions

Wapitit Cabin is within the vacinity of West Yellowstone, MT, home of the West Gate to Yellowstone National Park.

It is also close to Hebgen and Earthquake lakes as well as the Earthquake Lake Visitor Center.

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

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • wildlife viewing
  • winter sports

The land around Wapiti 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.

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 April 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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