Brownes Lake Campground

About this campsite

Campground: Brownes Lake Campground.

Location

Brownes Lake Campground•MT

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Weather Forecast

via Open-Meteo

SUN☁️

21° / 6°

💧 1%

TODAY☁️

23° / 13°

💧 1%

TUE☁️

21° / 10°

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WED☀️

23° / 10°

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THU🌤️

23° / 10°

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Nearby Campsites

within 50km

12.8 km away

Dinner Station Campground

Campground: Dinner Station Campground.

12.9 km away

BIRCH CREEK CABIN

Overview Birch Creek Cabin is a historic log cabin with electricity. It provides access to a variety of hiking, ohv, and for cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails (depending on the season). A vaulted toilet lies 100' west of the cabin. Guests can typically access the cabin by vehicle, depending on conditions. The roads leading to the cabin are gravel - but suitable for passenger cars (depending on the season and snow levels). The final quarter-mile may be covered with impassible snow during the winter, requiring skis, snowshoes or snowmobile to complete the route. There is a reliable parking area just off of the Birch Creek Road near the Thief Creek Bridge. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities. Recreation An extensive network of hiking trails exists on the surrounding peaks and valleys. Some lead to alpine lakes, which offer quality mountain fishing. Grayling, cutthroat trout, brook trout and rainbow trout can all be found in the mountain waters. There are two popular cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails adjacent to the cabin. The Birch Creek Loop and the May Lake Ski Trail both traverse through the area. Old mining roads are plentiful in the area, providing excellent opportunities for exploration on foot, bike, ohv or horseback. Facilities The two-room log cabin is equipped with bunkbeds and mattress pads that will sleep up to four people. A separate kitchen has a table and chairs, an electric cook stove, pots and pans and basic eating and cooking utensils. A wood stove is available inside the cabin for heat. Firewood is provided, but not guaranteed . Please be conservative with wood, this will help us maintain the supply for heating purposes. An axe is provide but do not split wood inside the cabin or on the porch. Finally, if the wood supply is low please call the Dillon Ranger District at (406) 683-3900 and leave a message if calling outside of regular business hours. An outhouse with a vault toilet is available outside the cabin. Drinking water is unavailable at this time, sorry for any inconvenience. Guests will need to bring their own bedding, including blankets and pillows, as well as matches, food, toilet paper, garbage bags and other necessities. Wood may be available, but the supply cannot be guaranteed. Those staying at the cabin during the winter months will need to bring their own water for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes. Guests are asked to clean the cabin and carry out all trash upon departure. There is no cell phone reception at the cabin. Limited cell phone coverage may be obtained near the Forest Boundary to the east (carrier dependent). Natural Features The cabin sits below a historic Civilian Conservation Corps work camp at the confluence of Birch Creek and Thief Creek. It is situated on the eastern slopes of the Pioneer Mountains in southwestern Montana, and was used as a forest ranger station as early as 1908. A forested picnic area is nearby. An abundance of wildlife live in the area, including elk, moose, deer, pine marten, wolverine, northern goshawk, wolf, black bear and (rarely) grizzly bear. Nearby Attractions Farlin Mining Community, Torrey Mountain, Tweedy Mountain, Thief Creek Road (passable in summer and fall), Aspen Picnic Area, Dinner Station Campground, Bond Lake Trailhead, Deerhead Lake Trailhead, Minneopa Trailhead. From Willow Creek Road - Gorge Lake Trailhead, Torrey Lake Trailhead, Rainbow Lake Trailheads

13.7 km away

Glen Campground

Campground: Glen Campground.

14.5 km away

Canyon Creek Campground

Campground: Canyon Creek Campground.

17.2 km away

CANYON CREEK CABIN

Overview Canyon Creek Cabin is located in the middle of an old mining district. Historic sites that can be explored on foot or on a bike are nearby. A variety of trails exist in the area, as does abundant wildlife. The cabin is a quaint location for guests to enjoy the scenic Pioneer Mountains in southwestern Montana. The cabin is accessible by a four-wheel drive or high clearance vehicle, depending on conditions. Snowmobiles, skis or snowshoes may be necessary during the months between December and April each year. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities. Recreation A variety of old roads exist in the area, providing plentiful hiking and biking opportunities. A trail climbs 5 miles up to a group of glacial lakes in the Pioneer Mountains, and can be accessed near the ranch on Forest Road 7401. Charcoal kilns, which date back to mining days, are situated in the area near the cabin, as another point of exploration. Hunting is a popular activity. Canyon Creek is available for fishing. Anglers might see brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout, among other species, in the cold creek. Fishing is also available in the lakes in the area. The trails and roadways provide excellent snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. Guests must realize the potential for avalanche danger, and carry and know how to use proper backcountry equipment, including a beacon, shovel and probe while recreating (learn about avalanche danger ). Facilities The small wood cabin can accommodate four people and is equipped with bunkbeds. A fold-down table and folding chairs are also provided, as well as a wood stove for heat. Firewood is also available but is not guaranteed. A variety of equipment is available inside the cabin, including a saw, an axe and some dishes and pans. A broom, dust pan, shovel, bucket and a propane stove may also be available. The cabin has no electricity or running water. An outside vault toilet is provided. Guests will need to bring water for drinking, cooking and cleaning, as well as bedding, matches, food, propane fuel canisters and necessary cooking equipment, among other amenities. Water from the creek must be treated before drinking or cooking use. Guests are asked to replenish the split firewood supply and clean the cabin prior to leaving. Natural Features The cabin was built in 1930 to be used as a guard station. It is situated at the base of a sheer cliff in the eastern Pioneer Mountain Range at an elevation of about 7,300 feet. The Wise River runs nearby and a mountain creek is adjacent to the cabin. The cliff and surrounding area is home to many mountain goats. Moose can usually be found in nearby willow bottoms. During the winter, deer and elk can be seen on their winter range located up and down-canyon from the cabin. Black bears also frequent the area. Nearby Attractions A short drive takes visitors to Vipond Park where there are spectacular wildflowers in early summer. Glendale, an old smelter town, is nearby. There isn't much left of Glendale, just a few old buildings, the red brick smelter stack and the foundations of many buildings. Two cemeteries are located nearby. Most of the area around Glendale is privately owned.