Entry No. 10 — the Missoula file — filed under: outdoor-weird
Double Arrow Lookout (overnight fire tower rental)
Sleep inside a working-era fire lookout: this 1933 tower stands on a 20-foot base with a wraparound catwalk and sweeping views over the Seeley Valley and the Swan Mountains. Recently renovated and listed on the National Historic Lookout Register, the single-room cab has a cook stove, fridge, heat, electricity, and sleeping for up to four (two beds plus two cots). You haul in your own water, bedding, and food, and use a vault toilet a short walk away, but you get a 360-degree perch above the trees all to yourselves. Bookable on recreation.gov; summer season only (roughly late May through early September).
The story
You are sitting inside a wooden cab suspended twenty feet above the timber, looking straight across the Seeley Valley toward the jagged ridge of the Swan Mountains. Erected in 1933, Double Arrow Lookout spent decades as a working front-line guardhouse for spotting wildland blazes in the Lolo National Forest. Decommissioned after modern aviation changed fire detection, it earned a spot on the National Historic Lookout Register and underwent a full overhaul by a Forest Service historic preservation team to save its aging timbers.
What makes this place unusual among fire lookout rentals is the collision of roughing it and unexpected comfort. Most historic towers offer little more than a floor, a wood stove, and a wind-swept balcony. Double Arrow actually has electricity, heat, a cooktop, and a full refrigerator. You didn't hear it from us, but having cold drinks in a 1930s timber tower while looking down on the forest canopy feels like an absurd luxury—even if you still have to walk down the stairs to use a vault toilet.
What it's like
Reaching the lookout requires grinding up a steep, rutted dirt and gravel forest road where low-slung cars will suffer, so high clearance is essential. Once you lug your gear up the stairs and onto the wraparound catwalk, you'll find a compact single-room cab outfitted with two beds and two cots for up to four people. The trade-off for electric lights and a fridge is zero running water: you must haul every drop of water you need for cooking, drinking, and washing up, and pack out every scrap of trash when you leave.
The move: Book a clear night, drive up the rough access road, and spend the evening on the catwalk watching the valley and stars from your own fire tower.
📍 Before you go Reserve well ahead on recreation.gov (~$75/night); fire lookouts book months out. Typically open Fri-before-Labor-Day through Tue-after-Memorial-Day. High-clearance vehicle needed for the steep dirt/gravel road; bring all water and bedding.
- 📍 Seeley Lake (day trip from Missoula)
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Lolo National Forest, near Seeley Lake, MT 59868
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Smokejumper Visitor Center — Pair a night in an authentic 1930s lookout with a visit to the nation's largest smokejumper base to see the aerial side of Montana's fire history.
- The Jack Saloon — Grab a heavy meal and a drink inside a logger-built cedar cabin before heading off the grid into the surrounding National Forest.
- Garden of One Thousand Buddhas — Follow up a quiet night above the valley trees with a serene walk among 1,000 identical statues in the Jocko Valley.
Good to know
How do I book a night at Double Arrow Lookout?
Reservations are made exclusively through recreation.gov for around $75 per night. The tower is open seasonally from roughly late May through early September, and nights book out months in advance.
What amenities are included inside the tower?
The single-room cab has electricity, heat, a cook stove, a refrigerator, and sleeping accommodations for up to four people (two beds and two cots).
Is there running water or a restroom inside?
No. There is no running water in the lookout, so you must bring your own drinking and washing water. A Forest Service vault toilet is located on the ground a short walk from the base of the tower.
What kind of vehicle do I need to get there?
A high-clearance vehicle is required due to the steep, rough dirt and gravel access road leading up to the site.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: fs.usda.gov · recreation.gov · nbcmontana.com · Official site
last checked: 2026-06-24