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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.
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.
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](http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/flathead/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=66318&actid=101).
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.
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.
From Hungry Horse, travel east on Highway 2 for 51 miles, then 8 miles south on Skyland Road 569. Park in the plowed area along Highway 2, then hike, snowmobile, ski or snowshoe approximately 8 miles along the groomed trail. The cabin is not accessible by car.
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.
Challenge Cabin was awesome. Kinda small but plenty of room to sleep about 5 people with the beds upstairs. The Woodstove keeps it plenty warm. You may need to keep the upstairs window open at night. Beautiful scenery.
Amazing. Breathtaking. Secluded. Majestic. Awe inspiring. It's a good half-day's cross country ski in from the main road (probably less if you actually know how to ski), but once you're there, you feel like you're the last person on earth. The wood shed was fully stocked, the stove burned well all night, the cabin was comfortable, and the scenery was incredible. Would go back there in a heartbeat.
