USDA Forest Service · Montana
Challenge Cabin
USDA Forest Service · Montana, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- December 1 to March 31
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 5,033 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
- SKYLAND (NFSR 569) · native material · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Flathead National Forest
- Nearest town
- HUNGRY HORSE
- Address
- P.O. Box 190340; 10 Hungry Horse Drive, HUNGRY HORSE, MT, 59919
- Phone
- 406-387-3800
- Activities
- Camping, Hiking, Snowmobile Trails, Wildlife Viewing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Challenge Cabin is available during the winter and is located about 60 miles southeast of Hungry Horse, in northwestern Montana. It provides a primitive escape for visitors who enjoy winter recreation. The cozy shelter awards visitors with beautiful mountain views, peaceful sounds of nature and virgin, white snow for great photography and snow play.
Access to the cabin involves an 8-mile trek by hiking, skiing, snowshoeing or snowmobiling. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Recreation
Cross country skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing are popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the area. Reaching the cabin on the 8-mile access trail is part of the snow sport fun. Visitors might also catch a glimpse of any number of wildlife that lives in the area.
Facilities
The cabin can sleep up to five guests. It is equipped with a propane cook stove, lights, and a wood stove. Furnishings include a table and chairs, a bunk bed and a small loft where additional people can roll out sleeping bags. Basic cooking pots and utensils are supplied, but guests are encouraged to bring their own. Pets are allowed, but cleaning up after them is required.
A vault toilet is provided outside the cabin. Firewood is included for heating in the wood stove.
Guests should bring their own water for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes, as well as food, bedding, flashlights, garbage bags and basic camp gear. Click here for more cabin details.
Natural Features
The cabin sits in a meadow surrounded by a stand of Douglas fir and pine trees, near Challenge Creek. The Hungry Horse Ranger District is bordered on the east by the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and Glacier National Park.
Nearby Attractions
The nearest grocery stores are in East Glacier and Hungry Horse. Both towns are about an hour-and-a-half drive, in addition to the trek from the cabin.
Fees
Reservations can be made one to 180 days in advance. Rental fee is $50 per night. There is a maximum stay of three consecutive nights with a total of seven days per calendar year.
Federal Pass discounts do not apply.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 19° | -40° | 39° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 27° | 14° | -26° | 44° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 37° | 23° | -8° | 54° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 41° | 27° | 0° | 61° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 50° | 33° | 14° | 74° | 8 of 11 |
| June | 62° | 43° | 29° | 87° | 1 of 11 |
| July | 76° | 52° | 41° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 74° | 51° | 41° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 65° | 45° | 30° | 78° | 2 of 11 |
| October | 47° | 33° | 19° | 66° | 8 of 10 |
| November | 36° | 24° | -3° | 57° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 29° | 18° | -13° | 45° | 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.
Nearby campgrounds
- Zips Place Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 1 sites
- Summit Campground · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi
- Devil Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 13 sites
- Buffalo Calf Campground · Tribal Lands · 16 mi
- Two Medicine Campground · National Park Service · 18 mi · 105 sites
All public campgrounds in Montana · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.