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Partnerships

The Custer Gallatin National Forest works with many partners to accomplish the Forest Service mission by, “Caring for the Land and Serving People.” Our partners include land management agencies across all levels of government, non-profit and for-profit entities, educational institutions, and communities. By turning their interests into action, our partners help us achieve common goals across our diverse landscape. Here are some of our partners who are at the core of the important work we do.

Success! Upper Deer Creek Restoration Project

Upper Deer Creek Restoration Project

In just one year, this site now has a new boat launch, an accessible fishing platform, two new parking lots, a beautiful gravel path and nearly 400 new plants and trees.

A HUGE THANK YOU to our partners, the Gallatin River Task Force, Trout Unlimited, and the Gallatin Invasive Species Alliance, and to our generous donors and tireless volunteers for all your support. Thank you for making this restoration project a gigantic success!

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Custer Gallatin Working Group

A forest scene with snow on the ground, clumps of snow in the branches of pine trees, a mountain in the distance, partly cloudy.

The Custer Gallatin Working Group is collaborative supporting the Custer Gallatin National Forest.

CGWG members represent a wide range of stakeholder interests in the management of the Custer Gallatin. Since its formation the CGWG has engaged on several projects to assist the Forest Service with public outreach, planning and funding advocacy.

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Local/Regional/National

  • Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Foundation - A non-profit group whose mission is to support stewardship of the A-B Wilderness and foster appreciation of all wildlands.
     

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    A photo of 9 people standing next to each other facing forward, holding hand tools like shovels and rakes in the outdoors in a high elevation mountain area with no trees.

    Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Foundation Trail volunteers on the Red Lodge Creek Plateau.

    Courtesy photo by AB Wilderness Foundation.

     

  • Back Country Horsemen of Montana - A non-profit organization dedicated to assuring the ability of everyone to enjoy the wild open spaces of Montana on horseback.
  • Beartooth Recreational Trails Association - A non-profit, volunteer community organization that helps maintain summer trails and manages the XC ski trail grooming on the West Fork Road, south of Red Lodge.
  • Big Sky Community Organization - A non-profit community organization based in Big Sky, dedicated to open spaces, land acquisition, providing support for managing local trails and trailheads.
  • Boy Scouts of America – A national youth-oriented organization with local chapters, that supports various recreation and restoration projects on the Forest.
  • The Bozeman Municipal Watershed Fuels Reduction Project (BMW) - is a joint effort between the City of Bozeman and Custer Gallatin National Forest which aims to reduce forest fuel loads.  100% of Bozeman’s water supply comes from our shared national forests, the BMW project is an effort to be good stewards of our forests and also maintain a high-quality, predictable water supply for Bozeman residents.
  • Bridger Bowl Ski area - A non-profit community ski area, located in the Bridger Mountains, north of Bozeman. Part of the ski area is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Bridger Ski Foundation – A non-profit organization that provides groomed XC ski trails to the Bozeman area community
  • Campfire Lodge Resort - A for-profit summer resort on the Madison River, near West Yellowstone, Montana. This is a historic resort located on the Forest, between Hebgen Lake and Earthquake Lake, authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Camp Mimanagish - A non-profit, 3-season organizational camp and conference center in the Main Boulder Canyon, surrounded by the Absaroka Wilderness. The Camp is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Camp Needmore - A historic, rustic camp on the Forest maintained by Carter County that offers facilities for groups and hunters.
  • Covered Wagon Ranch - A for-profit resort that is one of the oldest continuously operating dude ranches in Gallatin Canyon. The Ranch is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Crosscut Mountain Sports Center - A non-profit, year-round hub for human-powered recreation north of Bozeman, Montana. Part of the Center’s trail system is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Friends of Hyalite - A volunteer organization whose mission is dedicated to stewardship of, access to, and support for year-round recreation in Hyalite Canyon. Friends of Hyalite works with the Forest Service to care for Hyalite Canyon, one of the most heavily visited Forest Service recreation areas in Montana.
  • Friends of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center - A non-profit organization that supports the Avalanche Center through fundraising and education efforts to reduce avalanche fatalities.
  • Gallatin Empire Lions Club, Hyalite Youth Camp - A non-profit, youth-oriented camp located on Hyalite Reservoir, south of Bozeman. The Camp is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Gallatin Invasive Species Alliance - A non-profit organization working to protect natural resources from the threats of invasive species
  • Gallatin River Task Force - A non-profit organization dedicated to solving problems and creating a healthy Gallatin River Watershed.
  • Gallatin Valley Land Trust - A non-profit organization that connects people to the landscapes that surround us through the conservation of open spaces and creation of trail systems, especially those that link communities to the National Forest.
  • Geological Society of America - GeoCorps - Offers students and recent graduates short-term geoscience opportunities on the Forest.
  • Greater Yellowstone Coalition - A non-profit dedicated to protecting the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
  • Lion's Beartooth Mountain Youth Camp - A non-profit youth-oriented camp located on the Lake Fork of Rock Creek, next to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, outside of Red Lodge. The Camp is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Livingston Bicycle Club - A local volunteer group that promotes stewardship, maintenance and building of trails.
  • Lone Mountain Ranch - A for-profit year-round dude and ski ranch in Big Sky, Montana. Parts of the Ranch’s trail system is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Madison Arm Resort - A for-profit summer resort on the shore of Hebgen Lake, near West Yellowstone, Montana. The Resort is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Montana Conservation Corps - MCC Mission: Inspiring young people through hands-on conservation service to be leaders, stewards of the land, and engaged citizens who improve their communities.
  • Montana Trail Vehicle Riders Association – A volunteer organization that provides motorized trail maintenance.
  • Mule Deer Foundation – A conservation organization dedicated to restoring, improving and protecting mule deer and black-tailed deer habitat, access, trails and land acquisition projects.
  • National Wild Turkey Federation - A national non-profit organization that focuses efforts on maintaining wild turkey habitat, populations, and hunting opportunities.
  • Northwestern Energy - A power utility company that provides matching funds for recreation site projects through its Missouri-Madison River Comprehensive Recreation Plan
  • Red Lodge Mountain - A for-profit ski resort located just outside Red Lodge. Part of the ski area is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Snowmobile Clubs - Volunteer organizations that provide maps and education in their local areas:
  • Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation – A conservation organization that supports elk habitat enhancement and restoration, access, trails and land acquisition projects.
  • Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association - A volunteer organization that provides education and trail maintenance.
  • Templed Hills Camp - A non-profit, 3-season, organizational camp and conference center in the mountains east of Paradise Valley. The Camp is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Timbercrest Camp - A non-profit Girl Scouts camp in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains outside of Red Lodge. The Camp is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Trout Unlimited - A national non-profit organization dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.
  • Westminster Spires Camp - A non-profit youth-oriented camp located along the shore of Rock Creek and at the base of Westminster Spires south of Red Lodge. The Camp is authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation - A non-profit community organization that manages the grooming on the world-class Rendezvous (Nordic) Ski Trails through a partnership agreement and also offers a variety of race events that are authorized by a FS special use permit.
  • Wild Montana - A non-profit volunteer organization that provide Wilderness Ambassadors, education and performs trail maintenance.
  • Yellowstone Forever - The official non-profit fundraising and educational organization for Yellowstone National Park, that also manages and operates the Earthquake Lake Visitor Center Bookstore.
  • Yellowstone Historic Center - A non-profit community organization in West Yellowstone that preserves and provides education about the history of the area, and plays a critical role in successfully bringing from vision to reality the historic Yellowstone Shortline Rail Trail project.

Government Agencies

The Forest works with other government agencies to provide services such as weed control, road maintenance, law enforcement and firefighting, as well as habitat and natural resource management.

July 18, 2016 - The signing of the Good Neighbor Authority agreement allowing the state of Montana to collaborate on federal restoration projects.

 

Montana

South Dakota

Federal

Last updated June 10th, 2025

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