Beartooth Ranger District

The Beartooth Ranger District is nestled in south central Montana and encompasses the Beartooth and Pryor Mountain Ranges, adjacent to Shoshone National Forest.

The area serves as the northeastern gateway to Yellowstone National Park and is home to the Beartooth Scenic Byway, Red Lodge Ski Resort, the Pryor Mountains and four national recreation trails. The district office is located in Red Lodge, MT, 65 miles from Montana’s largest city, Billings.

Recreational opportunities abound on the Beartooth district including hiking, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, camping, downhill skiing and snowboarding, as well as cross-country skiing. A number of camping facilities and picnic areas on the district provide for popular jumping-off spots for day hikes into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Please be aware that travelling in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness comes with additional regulations. Please know what is expected of visitors before entering the wilderness.

For more information on recreation on the Beartooth Ranger District, please go here.

For local conditions contact Beartooth Ranger District at 406-446-2103

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Prior to any day or multi-day trek recreationalists should:

  • Check local conditions by calling the Beartooth Ranger District 
  • Understand backcountry travel, leave no trace principles and the district's food storage order 
  • Understand how to safely travel in bear country.

Most camping and picnic facilities on the district are open Memorial Day – Labor Day, many have the ability to be open earlier and later pending snow levels and conditions any given year.  

 
Popular campgrounds and picnic areas on the district  
For more information, go to Camping & Cabins or Picnicking on the Beartooth RD Recreation page

Main Fork Rock Creek: (Hwy 212): Greenough Lake, Limber Pine, Parkside, M-K, Rattin, Sheridan

West Fork Rock Creek (FS Road 2071): Basin, Cascade, Palisades, Wild Bill Lake Picnic Area

East Rosebud (FS Road 2177): East Rosebud, Jimmy Joe, Sand Dunes Picnic Area

West Rosebud (FS Road 2072): Emerald Lake, Pine Grove

Stillwater Valley: Woodbine, Initial Creek, Old Nye Picnic Area

Pryor Mountains: Sage Creek, Big Ice Cave Picnic Area