Big Hole Lookout (MT)

Another great stay at Big Hole Lookout. We enjoyed snacking on huckleberries on our way up and down the mountain and visited with the backcountry horsemen club folks who arrived as we were departing for a couple of days of service at the lookout. Huge thanks to them and USFS for all they do to support this cabin!

We were disappointed to find a significant stash of dog food left behind at the cabin. I didn’t think they were allowed here but perhaps the policy has changed and it’s a major rodent attractant.

This was an amazing experience. We went when it was snowing, so it was quite cold. Luckily there was plenty of firewood available outside the lookout. Make sure to read the website's directions for getting to the lookout. Google maps tried to take us to the complete opposite side of the mountain.

Excellent fire lookout rental. Well stocked and well kept with indoor space for 4 people. Once on the Big Hole Road, you only need to drive 9 miles. At the mile 9 marker, there is an option to turn right and you will find a very large cleared parking area with a brand new and very clean pit toilet and a corral for horses. It is much easier than parking in a pull out along the road. It is also nice to avoid some of the overgrown bushes that scrape against your car if you drive further than mile marker 9.

The views at the top were so beautiful. Great experience!

I’m so grateful for all the work put into this place! It’s a special place of solitude.
If you stay here please respect that, a lot of people volunteer to resupply and keep this place well stocked and full of comforts that normally wouldn’t be available on backpacking trips.
If you do use the wood burning stove, make sure you know how to use it.
Clean up after yourself and leave some logs for the next person.
Again if you don’t know how to use the tools provided, don’t use it.
Thank you to all the people who made it what it is! Can’t wait for my next trip up.

Awesome stay! Beautiful views!Pretty steep hike for the last bit.
Stocked with pots , pans, stove and gas canisters . Lots of empty jugs for water gathering , we had brought our own and didn't gather any. there isn't much water up there as of this time so make sure to bring your own!

Wonderful experience! The lookout is well stocked (as of 7/5) with a camping stove, propane, firewood, dishes and pots, cleaning supplies and potable water (but certainly bring your own). George the goat visited us at night. No sight of bears, but they're reported to be on the trail. It was the perfect introduction to fire lookouts. Easy hike up and down, and the road to the trailhead was not bad.

We took our granddaughters 8 & 10 into Big Hole Lookout, we all very much enjoyed our time there. Very clean, well stocked and maintained! Pretty nice hike in not too difficult… beautiful views from the lookout with amazing sunsets and sunrises.

Beautiful views and a well-maintained trail! A nice gradual incline with a few decently steep sections. Even with my mom and three dogs, two of which were small Boston Terriers, we made it up to the lookout in a few hours.

My only complaint is the Forest Service front desk admin didn’t give me the correct directions to the spring. She told me it was off of Todd Spring Trail 345, which it was not, and added 3 miles of searching/exploring. Once you get up to the lookout, there will be a sign close to the outhouse labeled “spring ¾ mile” with an arrow and a well-traveled trail down to the spring.

Bringing some mouse poison to put under the lookout would be a good idea. I’ve never heard so many mice throughout the night! An ample supply of propane, wood, plates, bowls, silverware, pots/pans, and cleaning supplies were available in the lookout. The lookout also has a twin-size mattress, multiple cots, and a propane stove, which Wild Horse Plains Back County Horseman generously donated. We didn’t have any visitors (including the residential Mtn goat George), but there is a Geocache next to the lookout, which might bring up more visitors.

The lookout was in fantastic shape and well-stocked and the trail was well maintained. The views are top notch all day but the sunrise and sunset were both incredible. Bring bear aware is especially important as we saw a bear while hiking down to the spring and the other two groups we saw also reported seeing one or more bears on the main trail.