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McCart Lookout is a historic tower located on McCart Peak, east of Sula. It has been restored to reflect a lookout of the 1940s, including the stove, furniture, dishes and other small touches. It offers a unique chance for visitors to camp on a mountain peak, on the border of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, in a rustic, old-time setting. The tower provides spectacular views of the surrounding western Montana wilderness.
The trail to reach the tower continues south and joins the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, which extends 3,100 miles across the United States, from the borders of Mexico to Canada. While it might take about six months to complete, a variety of day hikes and points of exploration are available within the area of the lookout tower. Trails can be enjoyed on foot or on horseback. Backpackers also enjoy the terrain. Aside from hiking and horseback riding, the area is replete with wildlife and offers scenic views. A lookout journal is kept inside, providing instructions of what to do in case of emergency or a storm. Danger from lightning is largely abated due to a lightning rod implanted at the structure.
McCart Lookout is a historic "L4" lookout located on Mccart Peak east of the Bitterroot Valley. The lookout is a one room cabin with a bed platform suitable for two people. Bedding is not provided. The lookout can accommodate up to four. Others are welcome to tent camp in the area. The lookout measures 14ft.X14ft. with a 30 inch catwalk around the outside. There is a wood stove for heat. You may have to saw your own wood from dead and down material found nearby. A bow saw and ax are provided. A two burner propane camp stove and lanterns are provided. Propane is not provided, you will need to **bring your own propane canisters**. Utensils for cooking and eating are provided. There is no water available near the lookout so please **bring your own water**. An outdoor toilet serves the lookout. You will need to **provide your own toilet paper**. There is a small corral for two or three head of stock.
The lookout is built on a 10 foot tall tower, with narrow steps and catwalk. This may pose a hazard for children and pets. Guests are responsible for their own safety.
Remember, guests will need to bring their own water for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes, as well as propane fuel canisters for cooking and lighting. **Guests are also responsible for their own bedding, towels, soap, toilet paper and garbage bags**. The facility does not provide trash receptacles; all garbage must be carried out, and the tower must be cleaned by guests prior to leaving. Do not leave anything you bring, even if you think it will benefit other renters
The tower is accessed by a moderate, 1.5-mile hike from the parking area. Snowmobiles and other off-road vehicles are not allowed on the trail, however, horses and other livestock are welcome. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
The tower is situated east of the Bitterroot Valley, at an elevation of 7,115 feet. It was named for William McCart, who settled the area but failed to complete his homestead entry to patent. It is poised on the edge of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness and offers beautiful views of the Pintler Mountains to the east and the Bitterroot Mountains to the west.
The Bitterroot forest is home to many species of wildlife, from mule deer, whitetail deer, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, black bear, mountain lions, and moose, to many varieties of smaller animals and birds.
A variety of natural hot springs exist in the area, including the the Lost Trail Hot Springs, which is located about 13 miles northwest of the tower. It provides swimming and additional amenities, including a general store and lodging.
From Missoula, Montana, travel south on Highway 93 for approximately 90 miles to Sula. Go east on Highway 472 for about 15 miles and then south on Forest Road 5765/McCart Road for about 6 miles to the Johnson Peak Trailhead. Hike about 1.5 miles to the lookout tower.
The lookout can be reserved up to 180 days in advance. Changes in scheduled reservation dates may be assessed an additional fee by the National Recreation Reservation Service.
Nice old lookout tower that you can rent out to stay in overnight. Spots fill up fast though.
The road to the trailhead is a decent single lane but rough. A low clearance vehicle could scrape bottom but our Explorer managed fine. The hike in is moderately difficult for us infrequent hikers because it is all uphill but clearly defined and well built. There are a few trees that have fallen across the trail and I wish I had brought a sharp axe to clear them.
The tower is a solid, comfortable living space for 2 people. There is a double bed with a soft thin mattress. For more than 2 people you would want to bring your own sleeping mat. The propane stove, lantern, pots and pans are in good shape. One 1lb propane tank lasted us 3 days on the stove and 4+ on the lantern. There is a cupboard full of entertainment like cards, cribbage board, novels and writing supplies.
There is a heavy splitting axe and 2 bow saws for wood. There was a lot of cut logs available that only had to be carried up to the base and split.
The woodstove is serviceable but a bit finicky. It was tricky to keep going but the weather and wood were wet. Balancing the flue and incoming air was tricky. Some parts are showing their age and rusting out so be gentle putting wood inside.
There is no cell phone reception. We had an inReach Mini and it worked great.
Hiking to the spring for water is a lot easier than carrying it from the trailhead but it is tricky to find. The side trail is marked by a small stone cairn but not well defined. I left a map and instructions with the other literature.
The view is spectacular but the nearby trees are tall enough to block some of the view of the lower valley. It rained for most of our visit but sometimes we could see the valleys full of clouds rolling by underneath us. It was spectacular.
The outhouse is solid and clean but a long rocky hike, especially in the dark. We brought a bucket for late night emergencies and it was a good thing. The tricky trail and rain made it worth having.
Our first hike in tower visit. It was a little harder than we thought, but we made it :) The hike up was beautiful in itself, and even better once we reached the top.
The outhouse is close enough but the trail to it is a little treacherous (I avoided going there at night).
Such a gorgeous view and so peaceful. It rained the whole 3 days we were there and we thoroughly enjoyed holding up in the tower withthe cozy heat from the wood stove.
We did some hiking (despite the rain) and the view was absolutely worth getting a little wet.
Next year we want to try a new tower (we want to see them all) but we would definitely come back here again.
