CM Campgrounds MapFederal campground finder

STAR MEADOWS GUARD STATION

Whitefish, Montana · USDA Forest Service

Lake/waterNo pets
STAR MEADOWS GUARD STATION — official Recreation.gov photo

Photo: Recreation.gov

About

The Star Meadows Guard Station has all the rustic feel of a remote Forest Service cabin while still being accessible by paved road from Whitefish. Furnished with a refrigerator/freezer, range and oven, microwave, coffeemaker, pots and pans, dishes and silverware, and electric heat, this cabin has everything you need to come and enjoy some time in the Forest. Nearby Tally Lake and Sylvia Lake offer opportunities for water play and fishing and a centralized location in the Tally Lake District to access miles of hiking, biking or horseback riding trails with a trailhead right behind the cabin. Enjoy a large backyard area for family games, or just sit in front of the campfire with s’mores and make some memories. Star Meadows Guard Station is 23 miles from Whitefish on Forest Service Road #539. The road is paved and open year-round. The Star Meadows Guard Station was built in 1941 to house Forest Service personnel and stock for the Tally Lake District. It was built to replace a 1908 building at the same location. The site operated as a work center when the Ranger Station was located at Tally Lake. In 1953, the District Office moved to Whitefish. The station housed fire suppression crews, contractors, and timber camps, and served as a staging area for engineers designing and building the roads on the District. During the winter months, the road was not plowed, and the site was inaccessible. In 1991 a cultural survey found that the facilities were historically significant and were placed on the National Historic Register. In 2001, A Passport in Time project (PIT) funded the beginning of the restoration. There is plenty of opportunity for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking in the area surrounding the cabin. Trail #171A starts in the back yard and goes all the way to Sylvia Lake approximately 10 miles away. In the winter, visitors enjoy cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Snowmobiling can be enjoyed on designated trails, but is not permitted on the cabin grounds. Big game hunting in the national forest lands is a popular activity enjoyed by visitors, as well as fishing in Sheppard Creek behind the cabin, other nearby mountain streams and Tally Lake, which is about 11 miles east of the cabin. Guests at the cabin also enjoy ample open space for yard games and other outdoor group activities.The Star Meadow Guard Station is a two-room cabin. The bedroom has two bunk beds with queen on bottom and full on top and sleeps 6. The second room is the kitchen area

Directions

STAR MEADOW GUARD STATION 5250 Star Meadows Road Whitefish, Montana 59937 Travel from Whitefish west on Highway 93 approximately 12 miles to mile marker 139, turn left onto Farm to Market Road. Continue 1.7 miles; turn right onto the Star Meadows Road. Continue to mile marker 15 located almost across from the cabin driveway.

Location

Map tiles © OpenStreetMap.

Details

State
Montana
City / area
Whitefish
Agency
USDA Forest Service
Parent area
Flathead National Forest
Campsites
1
Reservable
Yes
Typical price
$75 / night
Rating
4.58 / 5 (45 reviews on Recreation.gov)
Equipment
See Recreation.gov

Reserve on Recreation.gov

Nearby campgrounds