Montana / Meagher County / Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

Thompson Guard Station

Closed — Closed for the season. Open April 1 through December 15. During winter closure, the road is not plowed and the cabin remains accessible by snowmobile, snowshoe, or skis via a 4-mile approach from the maintained winter parking area.

About

Thompson Guard Station sits in a grassy, open clearing backed by mixed conifer forest in the Big Belt Mountain Range. Historical records indicate that the guard station was built in 1954 for rangers in the district, though it may have been used as a cookhouse for a Civilian Conservation Corps camp prior to that date. In later years, engineering and road maintenance crews used the cabin as lodging. Today, the cabin serves as a rustic getaway for guests seeking relaxation and recreation in west-central Montana. The cabin is a fairly large two-room structure with a deck that provides plenty of room for visitors. Gipsy Lake is 1 mile south of the cabin and is accessible by vehicle during summer months. It offers rainbow trout fishing and a launch for non-motorized boats. Another 3 miles south of Gipsy Lake are Hidden Lake, Upper Baldy Lake, and Edith Lake. A number of multi-use trails and roads are in the area, offering chances to hike, mountain bike, or ride horses. Stock corrals are available at the cabin for visitors with horses. The area around the cabin offers a variety of landscapes, from river banks to subalpine terrain. Valley bottoms, dense forests, meadows, and barren ridges are mixed with streams, rivers, and lakes. Wildlife in the area abounds with elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, squirrels, and a variety of birds commonly seen. The more elusive badger, wolverine, mountain lion, and lynx find habitat here as well. During summer months, the cabin is accessible by car through White Sulphur Springs or from the west over Duck Creek Pass. Road #139 generally opens to vehicles around mid-June. In winter, snow closes the road but access from the east is maintained to within about 4 miles of the cabin, with snowmobiles, snowshoes, cross-country skis, or dog sleds providing access for the final stretch.

Directions

From White Sulphur Springs, travel west on Highway 360 for 1.6 miles. At the sharp curve to the right, go straight onto the gravel road at the Forest Service sign reading Gipsy Lake 14, Townsend 44. Travel 6.5 miles on the gravel road to a junction with a ranch access road and stay to the right. Continue 7.5 miles to the Forest boundary. Within a quarter mile of the Forest boundary, a sign for Thompson Station will direct you to the right onto Forest Road 383. Proceed about 0.6 miles to the gate and cabin.

Nearby Campgrounds