West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground

About this campsite

Campground: West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground.

Location

West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground•MT

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Common questions about West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground

Is West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground free to camp at?

Yes. West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground in MT is a free camp, so there is no nightly fee to stay. There is no booking system for it, so plan on first in, best dressed, especially on long weekends. Free camps fill up fastest in school holidays, so have a fallback in mind.

Can you book West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground online?

We hold no online booking link for West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground, so it is not bookable through this page. For sites like this, turning up early in the day is the surest way to get a spot, particularly in peak season.

Where is West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground?

West Fork Fishtrap Creek Campground sits in MT. The map on this page shows the exact spot, and the coordinates travel straight into your navigation app. Check road conditions before you set out if you are towing, since access tracks can change with the weather.

Nearby Campsites

within 50km

6.4 km away

Fishtrap Lake Campground

Campground: Fishtrap Lake Campground.

12.5 km away

BEND GUARD STATION

Overview The Bend Guard Station is located in a historic site within the Lolo National Forest of northwestern Montana. It is equipped with modern features, including a full-service kitchen and bathrooms, and provides guests with access to a variety of activities. The cabin sits within an open meadow surrounded by an evergreen forest, providing beautiful scenery during any season. Recreation The Bend area offers opportunities for a variety of outdoor recreation experiences, including hiking, fishing, mountain biking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and berry picking. A variety of trails snake around the campground and through the forest, several of which are accessible near the cabin. The Thompson River is a short walk from the cabin. Anglers might see a variety of trout as well as mountain whitefish in the river. Facilities The two-story cabin has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large kitchen and a living area. Beds with mattresses can sleep up to 16 people. It has electric heaters, flush toilets, hot showers and a fully furnished kitchen, with modern appliances including a two electric stoves, a microwave, two refrigerators and two sinks with running hot and cold water. Basic cooking and eating utensils are also supplied. Guests will need to bring their own bedding, food, toilet paper and garbage bags. The cabin will need to be cleaned before leaving and basic cleaning equipment is provided. A horse corral is also located on the property. A frost-free water hydrant also services the corral area. The cabin is available to rent year-round, except for a week in the month of May, when it is reserved for administrative and educational uses. A key code will be provided after a reservation is made. The key code gives you access to the entry gate and a lock box, which holds the key to unlock the cabin. Please make sure to return the key to the lock box before leaving the facility. Natural Features The 3,200-foot elevation site has multiple structures and has previously been used as a ranger station for the old Cabinet National Forest, which was divided by the Forest Service in 1954. The original log cabin is on-site and was constructed in 1911. While there are several buildings at Bend, the only one available for recreation rental use is the combined bunkhouse and cookhouse building. It was built in 1923 to house Forest Service work crews and rangers working in the area and was remodeled in 1984. The 2 million-acre forest includes four wilderness areas and a wide variety of trees, plants and wildlife. The area is home to mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, deer and grizzly and black bears. Both the bald and golden eagle reside in the forest, along with trumpeter swan, herons and dozens of varieties of duck. The cabin is accessible by vehicle, but requires high-clearance with tire chains during winter months. The roads leading to the cabin may not be plowed on a regular basis in the winter. Four-wheel drive is highly recommended. There is no cell phone service or a land line at Bend. The nearest cell phone service is a few miles away. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (406) 210-5287. Nearby Attractions Fishing and water sports are available at Thompson and McGregor Lakes, both of which are a 30-minute drive from the cabin.

13.6 km away

Willow Creek Campground

The Willow Creek Campground is appoximately 19 miles northeast of Trout Creek on road 154. The campground has 6 sites all with tent pads, tables and fire rings and able to accomodate up to a 40' rv. Campground roads and parking spurs are gravel. Amenities include vault toilets.

14.8 km away

Sylvan Lake Campground

The Sylvan Lake Campground is located southeast of Libby on road 154. The campground has 5 sites with tables and fire rings. Campground roads and parking spurs are of native soil. Amenities include a vault toilet.

19.3 km away

COUGAR PEAK LOOKOUT

Overview The Cougar Peak Lookout offers guests an opportunity to experience an old-time Forest Service lookout. The tower commands an impressive view of the river valley, the surrounding Cabinet Mountains and the opposing Coeur d'Alene Mountains. The structure is small and is not elevated like many other lookouts. The lookout can be accessed by vehicle, although late spring snow drifts may compromise parts of the road, requiring visitors to hike a short distance. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities. Recreation A variety of trails and points of exploration are accessible from the lookout. The Cougar Peak Trail follows the ridge below the lookout and travels towards Vermillion Pass to the northeast. The Clark Fork River is dammed twice within an hour drive of the lookout. The Noxon Rapids and the Cabinet Gorge dams create reservoirs that have become popular spots for boating and fishing for large and smallmouth bass, as well as northern pike. Facilities The 14-by-14 structure is small, but can accommodate up to four people. There is a full bed for two with a mattress pad, a table with two chairs, and a wood stove. No other furnishings are provided. A rustic outhouse with a vault toilet is available about 200 feet from the lookout, at the parking area. Guests will need to bring water for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes, as well as their own bedding and cots for additional sleeping options, cooking and eating equipment and fuel, cooking and eating utensils, flashlights, matches and toilet paper, among other necessities. There is no water available at the site. There is room for a small tent outside the tower. Guests should be prepared for cold and often wet or damp weather, even if the weather in the valley is warm and dry. Food, garbage and other waste needs to be put away at all times to avoid attracting bears. Firewood may be collected locally for the wood stove. Natural Features The tower is situated in the Clark Fork River drainage, at an elevation of 6,694 feet, in the Cabinet Mountains of western Montana. It was built in 1952 to replace an existing, older structure dating back to the 1930s. The lookout was part of the old Cabinet National Forest, which was divided by the Forest Service in 1954 to become the Lolo National Forest. The 2 million-acre forest includes four wilderness areas and a wide variety of trees, plants and wildlife. The area is home to mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, deer and grizzly and black bears ( learn more about bear safety ). Both the bald and golden eagle reside in the forest, along with trumpeter swan, herons and dozens of varieties of ducks. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (406) 210-5287.