Whitetail Cabin

WHITETAIL CABIN

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Average nightly rates

1 total site

Cabins

1 site

About Whitetail Cabin

Whitetail Cabin sits at an altitude of 4,048 feet in the north end of the Custer National Forest approximately 20 miles from Ashland, Montana. The cabin was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Formerly a ranger station, it is now a registered historic site. The cabin is available year-round and is accessible by car, but guests should be prepared to hike about 100 yards to the cabin in winter, depending on road conditions. Some creature comforts are provided, but guests will need to bring several of their own amenities.

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Open year round

This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.

365 Days

Campground Amenities

Cooking and Fire

Cooking and Fire

  • Firewood Available

Cabin Interior

  • Heating
Missing information?

001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

Price not available
🏠 Cabin Unavailable

Site Details

Up to 4 guests
Shade
Surface: Gravel
Driveway entry: Back-In
View Site Details

Reviews (24)

What Guests Are Saying

Guests consistently enjoy their stays at Whitetail Cabin, appreciating its rustic charm and comfort, especially during cold weather with available firewood and a cozy wood stove. The close proximity to snowshoeing locations enhances the experience. While some mention the presence of mice, it has not detracted from their overall enjoyment.

Review Summary

4.2
24 reviews
5
54.2%
13
4
29.2%
7
3
4.2%
1
2
4.2%
1
1
8.3%
2

Robert B

Verified

April 11, 2021 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

5

The cabin’s location was excellent. The fire pit and available wood to burn was nice. Very clean restroom.

Robert P

Verified

May 18, 2021 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

5

Glad I got in before the rate increased. I can't see paying $65 a night plus another $8 fee for a total of $73 for this place although it is nice.

I have Verizon for cell and only got 1 bar that came and went at the actual cabin. If you hike up the hill with that big water tank on top I was able to get 4 bars with 4G LTE.

Forest Service or future visitors please bring a new hardback blank book for use as a journal or even a thick notebook so people can continue to leave notes about their visit. Some stories and tips and pretty interesting and funny. I am also amazed at some of the artwork people do.

The cabin needs some window cleaner if the Forest Service or a future guest can bring. It would have been an even better stay if the windows were clean.

It is not listed in the details but there is a microwave. According to the journals there was one before but it broke or was stolen but there is one again.

If you are wondering about the solar panels in the photo it is used to pump non-potable when in season. Maybe the Forest Service can update the site to reflect when that is.

Don't leave food out as there were two mice. I got woke up around 1 due to the noise of them going after my nuts. Oh, guess I should clarify that they were smoked almonds that I had in a zip lock bag inside the mesh portion of my luggage. I had put all the other food items in the fridge but forgot about the almonds.

Wood heater worked great.

Thank you Ashland Forest Service for your work.

kenneth J

Verified

August 27, 2021 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

2

Whitetail cabin rear door would not latch. Repaired by lifting door to aline latch striker and latch plate and tightening the hinge screws. Still needs some work to latch without pushing firmly closed. Cabin was very hot and only some windows would open and there were no screens available. The electric fan for the cabin has borken blades and is not usable. There is a large pine tree between cabin and shed that has died and needs to be removed before in falls. Safety Hazard!
We repaired the horse hitching rail by reattaching top rail and securing with metal strap that had fallen off.
Cabin was very dirty so after a good sweeping out and washing of coffee pot and we enjoyed our stay.
A few days of repair work on the facility will make this cabin usable for for future vistors

Teresa F

Verified

August 30, 2021 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

1

Our experience with this cabin was very negative. First, the code did not unlock the gate. I was able to get through a small area and unlock the door to the cabin which was 75-100 yards away. Unfortunately, the cabin was dirty and reeked of manure, garbage was also left behind and had attracted a lot of flies. I had two children with me and simply could not lift our cooler above the gate and drag our belongings that far away so we opted to drive away to try to find service. We would not get service for another 180 miles and by then it was very, very late. HWY 212 out of the cabin is chock-full of deer and antelope, while this is beautiful it is also frightening at night. The wildlife just sits on or on the side of the road feeding. We must have passed 200 deer and antelope on our way out. The next day I spoke to the ranger who was compassionate and apologetic and encouraged me to speak to someone at Rectreation.gov for a full refund. That process has been a nightmare and frankly, I have just been chasing my tail completing steps they are asking me to complete only to end up right where I started. If I can give you any advice, invest in a satellite phone or ask what the backup plan is if the code does not work. This was the second cabin with a gate to which the code did not work. Luckily the first cabin had a smaller walk-through gate that we could drag out things through and the cabin was much closer. Whitetail Cabin does not. At this point, I am not sure if I will get any refund for this cabin so I am out 200 hundred dollars. I am not sure if I will work with Recreation.gov again.

Heidi S

Verified

September 3, 2021 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

5

We love staying here, for the most part everyone cleans up after themselves. It's so relaxing and quiet, this last stay we saw a very nice 7 point bull elk and lots of turkeys, a few deer as well, 2nd time we've stayed, will be going back for sure!

Jeremy G

Verified

August 1, 2022 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

4

Great location. Cabin was clean and functional. Overall a great experience. The service support with the combination was great.

Nick L

Verified

December 18, 2022 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

5

We have stayed here many times in all the seasons and have always enjoyed it.

Charles S

Verified

July 12, 2023 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

4

A nice little cabin in a quiet place. The place was really, really dirty when we arrived. A half hour of cleaning had it looking a bit better but a thorough cleaning seems to be a few years past due. We didn't see any wildlife except for a deer, either, which seemed strange.

Dorothy D

Verified

September 12, 2023 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

3

This is not a bad cabin, and under other circumstances, like winter, it may be a nice stay. However when we checked in in August, the stench of death was unbearable. The Forest Service folks in Ashland need to check this rental for dead mice, and if someone sets mouse traps, THEY NEED TO CLEAR THEM. It was hot and when I opened the door the fumes were overwhelming. We aired it out with the windows and all the electric fans (so peaceful!) and cleared out 4 rotting or mummified mice. When was the last time anyone looked? 3 were in traps under the fridge and stove in various stages of decay, and another was dried up in a bowl on the cupboard. All the bowls were turned up so that birds, bird feathers, mice and mouse poop can find its way there. My buddy slept in his truck in fear of hantavirus, and we didn't use the stove because of all the mouse poop and fur on the burners. It may have been fine. Without electricity this place would not be livable in summer. I would rather have the mice alive and crawling over my face at night than the rotting corpses and that smell. I still cannot get it out of my nose!! The cabin condition overall is decent and it has amenities. Having a fridge is handy. It is in a nice location, about 10 degrees cooler than down lower, and the woodpeckers and songbirds are highly concentrated in this small few acres of older pines that were spared from the surrounding fire. It was just really, really, really stinky. Not worth $65/night. For that much someone should go at least check it before someone checks in. Bad deal for me, USFS... Won't do that again.

Ben R

Verified

January 2, 2024 Stayed at: 001, Loop: AREA WHITETAIL CABIN

4

Great place just a little mouse poop.

Location Whitetail Cabin

Address:
Po Box 168 2378 Hwy 212
Ashland, MT, 59003
United States

Elevation: 1234 feet

Distance to downtown

17 mi drive to downtown Ashland (about 29 min)

Policies & Rules

General

  • Guests must provide their own water for drinking, cooking and washing
  • This is bear country; guests should keep all food, trash and scented products inside the cabin
  • Supplemental livestock feed must be certified weed-free
  • Guests must pack out all trash and clean cabin before departure
  • Guests should fill out a condition report when the wood supply is running low
  • Guests should contact the District Office at (406) 784-2344 to check on weather and road conditions that might affect their visit
  • Learn more about Custer National Forest
  • Don't Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: August 6, 2026

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Managed by USDA Forest Service