1
Pull-thru
USFSKootenai National Forest · Montana
Gem Peak Lookout Rental
Overview The gem peak lookout is located in the Cabinet Ranger District, situated above the Clark Fork River Area at the southern end of the Cabinet Mountain Wilderness.
Sites1all reservable
Elev.6,060ft
Comf.Jun-Sep4 months
Max rigtents1 pull-thru
Electricnonesites
From Missoula4h17real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 6,060 ft, Gem Peak Lookout Rental has a 4-month comfortable window (Jun-Sep). Winter nights average around 14°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 1 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Of the sites, 1 pull-through. Within about 4 miles: 5 peaks.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and cool nights. Softest on shade.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
Jun-Sep
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
85%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Jun 14
Last spring frost; first fall frost Sep 21.
49°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Missoula
153 mi
4h17
02
Helena
266 mi
6h13
03
Bozeman
355 mi
7h34
04
Billings
496 mi
9h55
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 8.2 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 1 SITES
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
1
Prime
1
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Peaks
5
Water & Access
To nearest major road
8.2 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.