ESSENTIALS - Montana and Wyoming - page 795

in the non-peak season ($12 for residents, $20 for nonresidents). Many now offer yurts,
tipis, and cabins for an additional fee. Cars with Montana license plates are allowed free
admission to all state parks, while nonresidents are charged $5 per vehicle per park, or they
can buy a $25 pass that will permit them free entrance to any of the state parks for one year,
plus discounts on camping.
Wyoming manages 11 state parks ( www.wyoparks.state.wy.us ) and 10 historic sites ran-
ging from battlefields and museums to parks with hot mineral soaking springs. Daily use
fees are $4 for historic sites and $6 for state parks for nonresidents, and overnight camping
permits range $10 for residents-$17 for nonresidents. Sites can be reserved online no more
than 90 days in advance for dates May 15-September 15.
FOREST SERVICE CABINS AND LOOKOUTS
Imagine waking up in your own rustic cabin, nestled in the woods next to a rambling
stream. You stoke the fire, mix up a pot of cowboy coffee, and enjoy a sunny break-
fast on the porch with a 10,000-foot peak looming overhead. There is no one else
around. Now imagine that you have to pay less than $50 per night for this. Too good
to be true? Well, thanks to the U.S. Forest Service cabin rental system, it isn't.
There are literally hundreds of these cabins in Montana and Wyoming, most situ-
ated in locations that some people pay millions of dollars to own a piece of. Many are
old ranger stations, very few are still used by the Forest Service, and all have their
own unique charms. Cabins come in all different shapes and sizes, from extremely
remote backcountry sites and mountaintop fire lookouts to larger cabins with elec-
tricity and motor vehicle access. Either way, they offer an unparalleled way to enjoy
the outdoors.
Each national forest has a number of cabins for rent. You can find a list for
Montana ( www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r1/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5238768 ) and for
Wyoming ( www.fs.fed.us/r2/recreation/rentals ) . All cabins must be reserved online
( www.recreation.gov ) , where you can enter when you want to stay, and a list of avail-
able cabins will come up. Cabins range from $20 for small, two-room units to up-
ward of $150 for larger rentals that sleep up to 10 people.
Cabins typically have bunk beds (bring your own bedding), wood stoves, wood,
and pots and pans. Some have more, some have less. Toilet facilities are usually out-