Hornet Lookout
October 2026
About
Overview
Hornet Lookout provides guests with astounding 360-degree views of the surrounding terrain, including Glacier National Park and Kintla Lake on clear days. On some nights, the Northern Lights may be seen from the lookout. Visitors also enjoy access to a variety of recreational activities.
Access to the lookout requires a one-mile hike from the trailhead at the parking area. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Recreation
Hiking and mountain biking on the gravel roads and trails are among the activities available in the area. Viewing wildlife is another rewarding pastime.
Facilities
The two-story lookout sits at ground level. The ground level provides a living space for two guests and the second story is a small loft used solely for full views of the region. The lookout's rustic accommodations include a propane cook stove, propane lantern, two cots, a small wood stove for heat. A pit toilet is provided outside the lookout. Pets are allowed, but cleaning up after them is required.
No water is available. Guests should pack their own bedding, water, first aid kit and food, among other necessities. Click here for more cabin details.
Natural Features
The scenic lookout is perched atop Hornet Peak, at an elevation of 6,744 feet. Nearby peaks include Wedge Mountain and Akinkoka Peak. The rustic lookout was built in 1922 and, in its prime, played an integral role for detecting forest fires in the North Fork area. A 2003 wildfire charred the surrounding area, but wildflowers and bear grass are making a comeback.
Glacier View Ranger District is bordered on the east by the North Fork of the Flathead River and Glacier National Park. To the north is Canada and west is the Montana's Kootenai National Forest.
Nearby Attractions
Glacier National Park and the Wild and Scenic North Fork of the Flathead River are nearby.
Amenities
Phone: 406-387-3800
Is HORNET LOOKOUT fully booked?
A campground showing no availability is almost never full for good. People cancel — plans change, weather turns, someone books three weekends and keeps one — and the site goes straight back into the booking system, usually without warning and often at odd hours. The reason sold-out campgrounds feel impossible is not that sites never free up; it is that nobody is watching at the moment they do.
CampHawk watches HORNET LOOKOUT in Hungry Horse, MT for you. We recheck it every 15 seconds, around the clock, and the moment a site opens we send a text, an email and a push notification — and on Recreation.gov we can put the site straight into your cart, so it is held while you get to your phone.
Searching is free and needs no account — the calendar above is live right now. Watching HORNET LOOKOUT for cancellations is the paid part.