Open
— Open year-round for reservations via Recreation.gov. Winter access requires traveling the last 1.7 miles by snowmobile, ski, snowshoe, or dog sled when snow closes the road. The area is open to snowmobiles December 2 through May 15.
About
Lost Horse Cabin is a rustic rental cabin located 35 miles west of Helena, Montana, on the Helena Ranger District of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Acquired by the Forest Service in 2017, this one-room cabin provides a peaceful retreat in the Divide Mountains at 5,200 feet elevation, just four miles east of the Continental Divide. The cabin sits along a small intermittent creek surrounded by coniferous forest with mixed fir and pine trees.
The cabin accommodates up to 8 people with 2 sets of bunk beds and four cots, all with mattresses. A wood stove provides heat, and a Monarch cookstove is available for cooking. Amenities include lanterns, table and chairs, cleaning supplies, a propane cooking stove, dishes, utensils, and cookware. A vault toilet outhouse is located nearby. The cabin has no electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing, so guests must pack in all water and supplies. Access in winter requires traveling the last 1.7 miles by snowmobile, snowshoe, skis, or dog sled when snow closes the road.
The area offers excellent hiking, hunting, photography, and exploration opportunities. An extensive road system to the south and east provides access for off-highway vehicles in summer and fall to explore old mining relics. The area to the west and north is sparsely roaded and offers a remote, off-trail wilderness experience. Wildlife includes black and grizzly bears, mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, mountain lions, and various upland bird species.
Directions
From Helena: take I-15 north for 5 miles and take exit 200 for Lincoln Road West/Montana Highway 279 and turn left. Stay on Lincoln Road West/Montana Highway 279 for 13 miles. As you pass through Canyon Creek, take a slight left onto Little Prickley Pear Road (gravel road). In one-half mile, turn right to stay on Little Prickley Pear Road, continue 7.5 miles. Turn left onto Lost Horse Creek Road (gravel road) and continue 1.3 miles. Turn right at the Y onto Anderson Road and continue straight for 1.4 miles through the unlocked grey gate to the green gate on the right. The cabin entrance code unlocks the green gate. Proceed through the gate 0.3 miles to the cabin. During winter, the road is only plowed to the Y; the last 1.7 miles is accessible by foot, ski, snowshoe, dog sled, or snowmobile.
Nearby Campgrounds
