Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-234364
When Black Butte Cabin reopens
Black Butte Cabin's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
2
Openings · last 90 days
2
Only 2 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 173 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 120 open for online reservation · 51 reserved · 2 closed.
Where the open windows are
30.6% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 120 of 173 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Not open online30.6%
Open site-nights120 / 173
Reserved (of online inventory)51 / 171
Weekday openings79
Weekend openings41
Of the open cabin-nights on mapped sites, 79 fall on weekdays and 41 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027December holds the most room. 31 of 31 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 1 cabin| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 0 | None open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 0 | None open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 1 | Open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 1 | Open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: no online availability on any tracked night. Christmas: 1 cabin is available for the complete two-night stay. New Year: 1 cabin is available for the complete two-night stay.
Availability
Most open cabin-nights · tracked window| Cabin | Open cabin-nights |
|---|---|
| 001 | 120 |
This cabin currently has 120 cabin-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateTue · Sep 22
Next open weekendFri · Nov 20
The next bookable night is Sep 22; the first open weekend starts Nov 20. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
120 open cabin-nights across 1 cabin at Black Butte Cabin, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 15 2-night, 11 3-night, 2 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 22 at site 001.
All 1 cabin with current availability
| Cabin | Max RV | Hookups | Open cabin-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Not recorded | None | 120 | 54 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Oct 4, Oct 6, Oct 7, Oct 13, Oct 14, Oct 18, Oct 20, Oct 21 +108 more |
About Black Butte Cabin
Overview
Black Butte Cabin is a snug log cabin that sits high in the Gravelly Mountains. Originally part of the old Madison National Forest, the cabin was built in 1919 as an intermediate summer station for inspections of sheep allotments. It sleeps four people and has a beautiful view of Lion Mountain and the headwaters of Standard Creek. The area is home to a variety of wildlife and provides access to numerous trails for hiking, horseback riding and off-road vehicles during warmer months, and snowmobiles in the winter. The cabin is just off the side of Standard Creek Road 237 and can receive quite a bit of traffic on weekends.
The cabin is open nine months out of the year, July through March, and can typically be accessed by vehicle, in summer and fall, however a portion of the roadway may be muddy or snow-covered, requiring four-wheel drive or chains. Snowmobiles are necessary to reach the cabin in winter, but not allowed until after December 1. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities, including water.
Black Butte Cabin is closed on Mondays for administrative purposes from July into November.
Recreation
A number of hiking and horseback riding trails originate along the road adjacent to the cabin and explore various drainages in the area. Hikers can also summit Black Butte, just over the ridge from the cabin, on a user-created trail that leads to the peak . The cabin is an excellent base camp for viewing the expanses of wildflowers along the Gravelly Range Road (FS290) during early summer. All wheeled motorized vehicles must stay on designated roads or trails at all times. The area is also popular during winter months for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. Snowmobile use is allowed only from Decenber 2 through May 15.
Guests enjoy hunting in the surrounding wilderness. The area is home to some of the highest-elevation pronghorn antelope, as well as other wildlife. Fishing is available in nearby Standard Creek, where anglers might catch cutthroat and brown trout.
Facilities
You must call the Madison Ranger District at 406-682-4253 Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm for the cabin combination, if you have not received it. The office is NOT open on Federal Holidays.
The primitive one-room cabin sleeps up to four people and has two bunkbeds with mattress pads. It is equipped with a propane camp stove and propane lantern, however propane is not supplied. The small disposable cannisters are suggested.
A table and chairs, basic cooking equipment and a wood stove for heat are provided. Firewood, for the wood stove only, is available, stacked against the fence behind the cabin. We do our best to keep the firewood stocked. However there is no guarantee that firewood will be available for your stay, especially in late winter and early spring. In winter, firewood may be buried deep in snow. Wood is not provided for campfires. An outhouse with a vault toilet is located across the road, about 100 feet from the cabin.
Guests need to bring their own water for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes, as well as bedding, towels, food, toilet paper and garbage bags, among other necessities. Guests are required to replenish the supply of split firewood in the woodbox, pack out all garbage and THOROUGHLY CLEAN the facility prior to leaving. Cell phone service is not available near the cabin but might be available a few miles south along the Gravelly Range road #290.
Tents or camping units for additional people are not permitted
Natural Features
The cabin is located on the edge of a large, grassy meadow in the Gravelly Range at an elevation of 8,900 feet. 10,542' Black Butte, the highest peak on the range and an old volcanic cone, overlooks the cabin. The cabin is popular for hunting and snowmobiling and is available from July 1 to March 31.
Four-wheel drive and chains may be needed to access the cabin due to mud or snow. During winter, snowmobiles may be necessary for up to 21 miles of the route. Various weather conditions can impact the area's avalanche risks; guests are encouraged to practice safe snowmobiling techniques.
1 monitored cabinNo hookupsMax party 4
Getting there
Black Butte cabin is located one quarter mile from the junction of Forest Service roads FS290, FS1012 and FS237. From Ennis, travel south on US Highway 287 for about 32 miles to the West Fork Rest Area. Turn right onto West Fork Road/Forest Road 209 and continue for about 2 miles. Turn right onto Standard Creek Road/Forest Road 237 and travel 18 miles to the cabin. This is the easiest option by snowmobile. Maps may be purchased by calling the Madison Ranger District. Another option is to take MT287 southwest of Ennis, toward Virginia City, about 2 miles to the Varney Road, which will lead to the Gravelly Range Road FS290, total distance about 40 miles. A third option is south of Alder, up the Ruby River on Centennial Road, FS100. From FS100, travellers can reach the Gravelly Range Road FS290 from Warm Springs Road FS163, Cottonwood Road FS1012 or Eureka Basin Road FS347. All roads in the Gravelly Range are closed to wheeled motorized use from April 1 through June 30. Over snow vehicles are permitted December 2 through May 15. Snow can make the cabin inaccessible by vehicle in late October and November.
5 Forest Service Road, Ennis, MT 59729406-682-4253
CampingHikingHuntingWinter Sports
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234364 · facility
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234364 · Black Butte Cabin · Ennis MT6 frames · facility
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Black Butte Cabin?
Reservations for Black Butte Cabin are made through Recreation.gov. 120 of 173 tracked site-nights are currently open (69.4%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 2 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Black Butte Cabin?
Campsite Sniper detected 2 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Black Butte Cabin?
11 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 22 at site 001. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which month has the most availability at Black Butte Cabin?
December 2026, with 31 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 31.
When is the next open date at Black Butte Cabin?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Tue, Sep 22 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Nov 20. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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