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Recreation
Welcome to the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest! The accessible forest landscape here provides abundant opportunities for local residents and visitors to enjoy our wildlife, history and scenery. Roads and trails support a balance of motorized and non-motorized recreation including: hiking. biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, OHV riding, snowmobiling and driving for pleasure.
Current Recreation Conditions
| Area Name | Status | Area Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Aspen Campground | Closed | water not available |
| Aspen Grove Group Use Campground | Closed | Reservable at www.recreation.gov |
| Aspen Grove Picnic Area | Open | |
| Bar Gulch Cabin | Temporarily Closed | cabin closed for public safety and wildland fire suppression efforts of Horse Gulch Fire |
| Benchmark Campground | Closed | As of 8/23/24 water is not available at the site. |
| Calf Creek Cabin | Open | The last 7 miles of the road is closed from approximately 12/1 through 5/15. It is a designated groomed snowmobile trail. Travel the last 7 miles must be made by skiing, snowmobiling or walking. Due to snow conditions, travel on Forest Service Road #119 may be limited through the end of May. Please call (406) 547-3361 or (406) 236-5511 to verify the road condition. |
| Cave Mountain Campground | Closed | |
| Copper Creek Campground | Closed | |
| Coulter Campground | Closed | Closed as of Sept. 25, 2024; Will reopen in Spring 2025 |
| Cromwell Dixon Campground | Closed | As of October 17, 2024 this campground is closed for the winter season |
| Crystal Lake Cabin | Open | |
| Crystal Lake Campground | Closed | closed for winter, will reopen in Spring 2025 |
| Cummings Cabin | Open | |
| Dearborn Trailhead | Open | |
| Deep Creek Picnic Area | Closed | This site is closed due to flooding damage. Check "alerts/notices" for the latest update. |
| Double Falls Campground | Closed | |
| Dry Wolf Cabin | Open | |
| Dry Wolf Campground | Closed | water not available |
| Eagle Guard Cabin | Open | Non-motorized access only 12/2 to 5/15 |
| Ear Mountain Cabin | Open | |
| Elk Creek Trailhead | Open | |
| Elko Campground | Closed | |
| Forest Lake Camping Area | Open | open year-round |
| Gibson Boating Site | Open | |
| Gipsy Lake Day Picnic Area | Open | |
| Granite Butte Lookout | Open | Granite Butte is located atop the Continental Divide and is exposed to harsh site conditions. Strong winds are common year round and temperatures drop to below zero temperatures in the winter months. Winter renters should be prepared for a 4 mile ski or snowmobile trip into the tower and to bring appropriate cold weather camping equipment and gear. Winter renters are encouraged to check weather conditions and to call the Lincoln Ranger Station for current conditions. |
| Grasshopper Campground | Closed | Water not currently available. |
| Green Gulch Dispersed Camp Campground | Closed | no water |
| Hay Canyon Campground | Open | No water year round |
| Home Gulch Campground | Closed | |
| Hunters Spring Cabin | Open | Water not currently available. |
| Indian Flats Cabin | Open | |
| Indian Meadows Cabin | Open | |
| Indian Meadows Trailhead | Open | |
| Jellison Place Campground | None | this is a dispersed camp area, not a campground |
| Judith Guard Station Cabin | Open | Call Ranger District office or Supervisor's Office for updated information on weather and road conditions. |
| Judith Station Day Use Area | Open | Water is not available |
| Jumping Creek Campground | Closed | Water not currenly available. |
| Kading Cabin | Open | Cabin will be closed 6.10.24 to 10.04.24 for maintenance |
| Kading Campground | Closed | As of October 17, 2024 this campground is closed for the winter season |
| Kings Hill Cabin | Open | Contact WSS Ranger District for current weather and road conditions |
| Kings Hill Campground | Closed | Closed for winter, will reopen in spring 2025 |
| Logging Creek Campground | Closed | water not available |
| Lost Horse Cabin | Open | |
| Many Pines Campground | Closed | water not available |
| Marias Pass Historic Site Interpretive Site | Open | |
| Meriwether Picnic Area | Open | Facilities are closed as of September 25, 2024 and will reopen in May 2025 |
| Mill Falls Campground | Closed | |
| Miller Cabin | Open | No firewood provided from June 1st - August 31. |
| Monument Peak Lookout | Open | Call Ranger District or Supervisor's Office for updated weather and road conditions |
| Moose Creek Cabin | Open | |
| Moose Creek Campground | Closed | As of October 17, 2024 this campground is closed for the winter season |
| Moose Creek Campground - Little Belt Mountains | Closed | Water not currenly available. |
| Mortimer Gulch Campground | Closed | No water available |
| Nevada Creek Cabin | Open | |
| Park Lake Campground | Closed | As of October 17, 2024 this campground is closed for the winter season |
| Park Lake Day Use Area | Open | |
| Richardson Campground | Open | Water not available; call the Belt Creek-White Sulphur Spring RD for conditions - road can get impassable |
| Rillway Cabin | Open | |
| Silver Crest Winter Recreation Area | Open | closed for summer |
| Skidway Campground | Closed | As of 10/10/24 this campground is closed for the season |
| South Fork Campground | Closed | |
| South Fork Sun Trailhead | Open | |
| Spring Creek Campground | Closed | Water not currently available. |
| Strawberry Lookout Cabin | Open | Non-motorized access only for last mile - 10/15 to 5/15 |
| Summit Campground | Closed | As of November 4, 2024, the campground is closed for the season |
| Summit Trailhead | Open | |
| Ten Mile Picnic Area | Open | |
| Thain Creek Campground | Closed | no water available |
| Thompson Guard Station | Open | Winter access to the cabin is via a 4-mile stretch of road passable by snowmobile, snowshoe, skis or dog sled. |
| Timber Creek Dispersed Campground | None | |
| Van Deriet Campground | Closed | |
| Vigilante Campground | Closed | As of October 17, 2024 this campground is closed for the winter season |
| West Fork Cabin | Open | Contact the ranger district office for current weather and road conditions |
| West Fork Teton Campground | Closed | |
| Wood Lake Campground | Closed | |
| Wood Lake Picnic Site | Open |
Spotlights
Mann Gulch Trail
The Mann Gulch Trail is ~3.4 miles long. It begins in the Meriwether Picnic Site (near the Ranger Cabin) and extends to the upper end of Mann Gulch (T13N, R2W, Sec 8).
At the top of the ridge, take time to read the series of signs that detail the historic Mann Gulch Fire, a lightning-caused 1949 blaze that took the lives of 13 wildland firefighters.
In 2024, the CR Anderson Middle School Mann Gulch club successfully nominated the Mann Gulch Overlook Trail as a national recreation trail.
Highlights
- Hunters With Disabilities
These maps show access routes for hunters with disabilities that are licensed as required by the State of Montana. Access requirements and specifics are defined in the first page of this brochure.
