Home, Small Home: Montana Mobile Cabins for Green Living or Rental Retreat

Who says that bigger is better?  Small homes are increasing in popularity.  They can be thriftier to keep than regular-sized homes and support green living.  Mobile cabins, or small homes that resemble log cabins, fit especially well into Montana's Big Sky Country landscape.  Mobile cabins are also a housing option for people residing in mobile home parks. Mobile cabins often serve as accommodations for travel campgrounds, such as KOA Kampgrounds.  Mobile cabin or small-house enthusiasts in Montana have a couple of in-state builders available to serve their needs, as well as rentals available for vacationers.

Montana Mobile Cabins was established by Shotgun Construction and is located in the southwestern Montana town of Whitehall. This company specializes in creating one-of-a-kind artisan mobile cabins built in the traditional rustic log-cabin style. The customer is a part of the design process, ensuring that each cabin is unique.

These cabins are intended for small acreage and can be placed on a foundation of the buyer’s choosing at the buyer’s expense. Cabin sizes range from 6-by-9 feet for a playhouse up to 18-by-24 feet. The base price of a Montana Mobile Cabins home is $165 per square foot as of March 2010 with added costs for options such as plumbing, porches and cabinetry.

Similar to Montana Mobile Cabins, this family owned subsidiary of Marvin Erickson Construction works with customers to create unique small homes, guest houses, portable businesses and mobile cabins or sheds. Montana Cabin Exchange cabins can be as large as 11-by-24 feet and are deliverable to a permanent location or equipped with a trailer and axle to provide mobility.

Although buyers are welcome to design a custom cabin, they also can choose from one of the Montana Cabin Exchange’s established plans. These options cater to a range of styles and purposes, including such designs as the Mountain Chalet, the Ice Cream and the Espresso Shops, and an English Tudor style home. Depending on size and amenities, these mobile cabins range from $7,000 to $11,000 in price as of March 2010.

For those who do not wish to purchase a mobile cabin or are simply looking for a comfortable and cozy vacation spot, Montana is peppered with rental cabins. Gaynors’ Resorts located near Glacier National Park in Whitefish, Montana, offers luxurious two-bedroom cabins equipped with pots and pans, washer and dryer plus supplies, paper products, and some basic food items and cost between $350 and $550 per night depending on the season (phone: 406-862-3802). Another Montana rental option is the Historic Tamarack Lodge in Hungry Horse. This location also offers easy access to Glacier National Park and is open year-round, with cabins available for family-sized groups and smaller at season-dependent rates ranging between $50 and $200 (phone: 877-387-4420). More Montana mobile cabin rentals are listed on the Resorts and Lodges travel accommodations website (see the Resources section below).

The Small House Movement is the result of accumulating concerns over environmental impact and economics. Many individuals, families, and even communities across the globe have turned to this more sustainable and often more affordable lifestyle. Montana Mobile Cabins may not be as thrifty as other small house architects and builders, but through their homes and those of the Montana Cabin Exchange the seed of the Small House Movement has been planted in Big Sky Country. For those who are not ready to go small, however, Montana overs a vast selection of quality mobile cabins for rent.