Deer Creek Cabin (mt)

The Todd family began building Deer Creek Cabin in 1953 and finished it in 1960. They used it as a retreat while they grazed cattle on federal lands in the summer and hunted in the fall. The cabin has survived two forest fires. Gallatin National Forest assumed ownership in 1993. The cabin is open year-round, but access is challenging. There are three routes to the cabin that can be used by equestrians, hikers and ATVs in the summer, and by snowshoes, skis and snowmobiles during the winter; these trails are marked as to uses. Snowmobilers will need to park their trailers down low on the Iron Mountain Road, keeping the road passable for others. These 4- to 5-mile routes may ford creeks, with creek depths varying from 6 inches to several feet in the spring. Some basic conveniences are provided, but guests will need to bring most of their own amenities. There are numerous trails around the cabin that provide opportunities for exploration. Experienced cross-country skiers and snowshoers will find a challenging winter landscape. Anglers can fish for trout in the nearby creek, and the area offers good big game and bird hunting opportunities in the fall. The single-room cabin has a wood cook stove and a wood heating stove. It can sleep up to four people on a provided double bed and set of bunk beds, but there are no mattresses, so bring your own sleeping pads. Other amenities include basic cooking supplies, a table with chairs, some cleaning gear, a propane-fueled lantern and cookstove, axe, maul, bucket and shovel; bring propane canisters for the lantern and stove. A campfire ring and outhouse with pit toilet are located outside the cabin. Livestock may be kept at the adjacent corral and in a partially fenced pasture. No water or electricity is provided, so guests must bring their own drinking water or treat water taken from the creek. Items such as battery-powered flashlights or lanterns, bedding, matches, extra toilet paper and dish soap are not provided. This remote location provides habitat for a variety of wildlife, including bear, moose, antelope, elk and deer, and many species of birds also inhabit the area. Blackened trees from a 2006 forest fire still line the nearby hillsides.