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Established Camping

Strawberry Cabin

Strawberry Cabin is located near Helena in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. The terrain consists of forested areas with nearby trails for hiking. Temperatures range from lows in the 20s Fahrenheit during winter to highs in the 80s during summer, and visitors can explore attractions like the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness and the Missouri River.

Description

USDA Forest Service

Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

Overview

Explore a magnificent recreation and wildlife resource at the doorstep of Montana's Capital City. From prairie to alpine, mayflies to mountain goats, and scenic driving to expert climbing routes -- the Elkhorns you will discover a diverse landscape! Built in 1941, Strawberry Cabin lies at the top of Strawberry Butte (6,100 feet) in the heart of the Elkhorn Mountains. The combination of lookout and log cabin are typical of this period. The cabin is an excellent example of a C-46 one room cabin plan, which was designed by William Fox. This cabin style is one of the standard building plans used for housing personnel working at intermediate stations and at lookouts. The C-46 design offers distinctive characteristics of ventral saddle notches and log ends finished in "chopper cut" style, which symbolizes rustic Forest Service log architecture of the second half of the 1930 and early 1940s.

Recreation

The area offers great access to the north end of the Elkhorn Mountains with numerous hiking trails and roads leading to the Elkhorn's historical resources. Popular hikes include Strawberry Creek, Casey Peak, and Willard Creek. When snow allows, cross country skiing or snowshoeing gives visitors an up-close look at concentrations of wintering elk.

Facilities

The area offers great access to the north end of the Elkhorn Mountains with numerous hiking trails and roads leading to the Elkhorn's historical resources. Popular hikes include Strawberry Creek, Casey Peak, and Willard Creek. When snow allows, cross country skiing or snowshoeing gives visitors an up-close look at concentrations of wintering elk.

Natural Features

The Elkhorn Mountains span both Broadwater and Jefferson counties, with the nearest city being Helena, Montana. The Elkhorns are surrounded by the Divide Mountains and Boulder Batholith to the west, and the Missouri and Boulder River valleys on the north, east, and south. The form of the Elkhorn Mountains is rounded and furrowed from extensive weathering. Drainages have carved steep gulches and canyons. The majority of the Elkhorns (north, west, southwest) is a part of a batholith. This geologic history has left the area rich in minerals. Evidence of glaciation is localized with boulder strewn areas of granitic rocks. The remaining approximate quarter (southwest) of the geographic area is underlain by sedimentary rock that lacks the same mineralization as the batholith but is rich in calcareous rock. The landforms are rugged, low mountains with hogback ridges and dry valleys. The sedimentary geologic area in the east is a gradient of foothill prairie and partially forested low mountains. Grassland is a major component. Limber pine and juniper woodland ebb and flow through this prairie landscape. The plant communities on the batholith portion are mostly forested with conifers. Aspen stands and water-loving plants take advantage of riparian areas and wet seeps. Parks, rich with grasses and forbs, are frequent at lower elevations and break up the forest in montane elevations. A large expanse of this area burned in 1988. The Elkhorns have been occupied by human inhabitants for thousands of years. However, prehistoric occupation is less evident than the more recent Euro-American settlement. After the discovery of valuable mineral deposits, mines and associated settlements sprang up in portions of the geographic area and remnant tools and infrastructure of the mining era are still evident. Strawberry Lookout, Eagle and Tizer Guard Stations are living reminders of Forest Service history in the area. Fire has historically has been a major influence to plant communities. A large forest fire in 1988 burned almost 50,000 acres of the mountain range, leaving carpets of seedlings growing into new lodgepole pine forests. Due to the rich wildlife habitats throughout the mountain range, the Elkhorns were designated a Wildlife Management Unit in 1986, the first of its kind in the nation. Collaborative groups composed of federal, state, and private land holders work toward habitat restoration and interpretation of the area's history.

Nearby Attractions

The Elkhorn Mountains are an island mountain range that provide open space, clean water and diverse animal and plant communities. The Elkhorns also provide livelihoods and places to hunt and recreate for the citizens in the surrounding communities and beyond. About 160,000 acres within the Elkhorn Mountains is managed by both the Helena and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests as a Wildlife Management Unit, the only one of its kind in the entire National Forest System. In addition, there is another 75,000 acres of foothills that is managed by the Bureau of Land Management as an Area of Critical Environment Concern.

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Location

Strawberry Cabin is located in Montana

Detail location of campground

Directions

Located about 15 miles south of Helena. From Interstate 15, take exit 187 for Montana City/MT-518. East on Jackson Creek road for 0.5 miles. Turn right/south onto Johns St (Papa Rays Pizza) and continue onto McClellan Creek road for four miles. Turn right/south onto Warm Springs Creek/Strawberry Lookout Rd and proceed 1.7 miles. Turn right/west onto the Strawberry Lookout Rd, proceed 1 mile to the cabin. NOTE: From October 15th through May 15th the road is closed to motorized vehicles for the last 1 mile so access is walk-in only. Snow conditions only allow driving to within about a mile of the turn to Strawberry Lookout road, thus requiring about 2-3 miles of snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Snowmobiling is not allowed in this area.

Address

Helena Ranger District, 2880 Skyway Dr
Helena, MT 59602

Coordinates

46.4755556 N
111.9152778 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Hike-In
    Backcountry sites.

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Site Types

  • Cabins

Features

For Campers

  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Pull-Through Sites

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General Info

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5.0

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1 Review

Reviewed Jul. 25, 2021

Worth the hike for a winter advanture

Staying at Strawberry lookout cabin in December was a great experience, well worth the 1 mile uphill hike to the cabin.  Our Venturing Crew stayed the night after pulling gear in a sled to the top in light snow.  Everyone had a great time at the cabin.  The cabin has a wood stove and firewood was provided.  Keep the fire small or you will cook in the little cabin, even when its cold outside.  A propane stove was provided but you will need to bring fuel.  The propane lantern was broken, but luckily we took along our own light sources.  Pots, pans, dishes and utensils are available in the cabin.  Plenty of games were in the cabinet to keep everyone entertained.  The cabin has two bunk beds, and a table with chairs.  Water is not available so you will need to bring it with you.  A vault toilet is next to the cabin.  Outside has a picnic table next to a fire ring.  Plenty of room if your group is to big for the cabin to set up tents.

Month of VisitDecember
  • Review photo of Strawberry Cabin by Dexter I., July 25, 2021
  • Review photo of Strawberry Cabin by Dexter I., July 25, 2021
  • Review photo of Strawberry Cabin by Dexter I., July 25, 2021
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are fires allowed at Strawberry Cabin?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Strawberry Cabin, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Strawberry Cabin?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Strawberry Cabin. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Strawberry Cabin, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Strawberry Cabin?

    There are 1 campsites at Strawberry Cabin and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts