USDA Forest Service · Montana
Wapiti Cabin
USDA Forest Service · Montana, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 7,051 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- WAPITI CREEK (NFSR 2522) · native material · high clearance vehicles
- Lake
- Custer Gallatin National Forest
- Nearest town
- WEST YELLOWSTONE
- Address
- PO BOX 520, WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT, 59758
- Phone
- 406-823-6961 (FOR CABIN AND ROAD INFORMATION - NO BOOKING)
- Activities
- Camping, Cross Country Skiing, Horseback Riding, Hunting, Mountain Biking, Wildlife Viewing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - the site map below shows each with its facts and pictures.
Site map
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one on the imagery, with the operator's own facts and pictures for each site where it publishes them. Tap a site to rate it, keep a note and add your own photos; press and hold the map for a pin of your own. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 12° | -18° | 38° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 27° | 12° | -14° | 45° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 37° | 19° | 6° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 40° | 24° | 1° | 55° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 51° | 33° | 22° | 62° | 9 of 11 |
| June | 63° | 41° | 29° | 80° | 4 of 11 |
| July | 77° | 52° | 37° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 74° | 51° | 43° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 66° | 43° | 29° | 77° | 2 of 11 |
| October | 47° | 29° | 9° | 67° | 8 of 10 |
| November | 36° | 16° | -8° | 55° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 27° | 11° | -5° | 39° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Upper Wapiti Trailhead · 0.3 mi as the crow flies
Oil Well 11 mi Hike · Drive there - Eldridge Trailhead · 2.3 mi as the crow flies
Eldridge 8.8 mi Hike · Drive there - Buffalo Horn Trailhead · 6.2 mi as the crow flies
Buffalo Horn 5.8 mi Hike · Drive there - Dailey Creek Trailhead · 7.2 mi as the crow flies
Daly Creek Trail 4.8 mi Hike · Drive there - Black Butte Trailhead · 8.4 mi as the crow flies
Black Butte Trail 5.9 mi Hike · Drive there
All 817 trails in Custer Gallatin National Forest · All 473 trails in Yellowstone National Park
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Eldridge Guard Station · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 1 sites
- Beaver Creek Cabin (Mt) · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 1 sites
- Red Cliff Campground · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 62 sites
- Cabin Creek Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 1 sites
- Yellow Mule Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 1 sites
All public campgrounds in Montana · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-04-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.