0
Pull-thru
USFSLolo National Forest · Montana
West Fork Butte Lookout
Overview West Fork Butte Lookout is an ideal place for guests to experience the mountains south of Missoula from a unique vantage point.
Sites1all reservable
Elev.5,364ft
Comf.Jun-Sep4 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Missoula1h42real 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 5,364 ft, West Fork Butte Lookout has a 4-month comfortable window (Jun-Sep). Winter nights average around 18°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 1 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Within about 4 miles: 1 peak, lake or river access.
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.
82%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Jun 10
Last spring frost; first fall frost Sep 26.
50°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Missoula
36 mi
1h42
02
Helena
150 mi
3h40
03
Bozeman
239 mi
5h02
04
Billings
380 mi
7h23
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 3 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 1 SITES
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
1
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Trail segments
20
Peaks
1
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
3 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.