Recreation


A Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness sign nailed to a tree next to a trail in the forest

Discover an Area by Activity

Select an activity to find an area to visit.

Our recreation opportunities are organized by activity and by corridor. To browse by activity type, use the drop-down menu above to select your activity of choice.

To browse recreation areas by location, click on the corridor name below. Learn more about each corridor on the Travel Planner page.

The table below highlights the status and current conditions of popular recreation locations on the forest. For more information about each location, click on the link under Area Name to navigate to the page dedicated to each location.

Sites that are open seasonally are typically open during the summer months, but precise opening and closing dates vary by location. Please click on the Area Name for opening and closing dates for specific locations for the current season.

This table is not an exhaustive list of recreation opportunities on the forest. For more information, please click the corridor names above or the activity names in the left-hand column.

Current Recreation Conditions

Area Name Status Area Conditions
Apgar Campground Closed Closed Apgar is closed for winter and opens for the 2025 season on May 1.
Aquarius Campground and Purple Beach Group Site Closed Closed Open season: May 24 - Oct. 14.
Bald Mountain Lookout Closed Closed Open seasonally by reservation only. Reservations are accepted on www.Recreation.gov and typically fill several months in advance.
Boyd Creek Campground Open Open Fees collected during open season. Visitors may use the campground in the off season, but should note that services such as restroom cleaning will not be provided. Access may be limited seasonally due to snow. 
Bridge Creek Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
CCC Campground Open Open Services such as restroom cleaning only offered during the summer season. Access may be limited seasonally due to snow. 
Castle Butte Lookout Closed Closed Open seasonally by reservation only. Reservations are accepted on www.Recreation.gov and typically fill several months in advance.
Castle Creek Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow. Water system is on.
Cedars Campground None None Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Clark Mountain/Orogrande Trailhead Open Open
Crooked River Campground #3 Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Crooked River Campground #4 Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Ditch Creek Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Dixie Meadow Campground Open Open
Elk Creek Campground Open Open Some sites are reservable; reservations are accepted on www.Recreation.gov. Open seasonally.
Elk Summit Campground Closed Closed Opens in July, Closes due to snow in autumn. Stock allowed in Loop A and B. No Stock allowed in Loop C on Hoodoo Lake.
Fish Creek Campground Open Open  No camp host on site. Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow. The Fish Creek Pavilion is an on-site picnic area that can be reserved for day use. The nearby Fish Creek Group Site is a primative, dispersed camping site that can be reserved for up to 75 people.
Fish Lake Trailhead None None Fish Lake Trail 419 is currently closed to all motorized use along its entire length by Forest Order 01-17-53-23-001.
Five Mile Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
French Gulch Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Glade Creek Group Campground Closed Closed
Glover Campground Open Open Fee season May- September. Fees collected during open season. Visitors may use the campground in the off season, but should note that services such as restroom cleaning will not be provided. Access may be limited seasonally due to snow.
Granite Springs Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Halfway House Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Hidden Creek Campground Closed Closed Open seasonally May 31-October 14.
Iron Phone Junction Campground Open Open
Jerry Johnson Campground Closed Closed Reopened in 2024, but closed seasonally in the winter
Johnson Bar Campground & Group Site Open Open Individual campsites are open year-'round; fees collected during open season. Visitors may use the campground in the off season, but should note that services such as restroom cleaning will not be provided. Access may be limited seasonally due to snow. Group site only open seasonally and can be reserved on www.Recreation.gov.
Kelly Forks Cabin Open Open Open seasonally. Reservations accepted on www.Recreation.gov. Operating Season: June 14-October
Kelly Forks Campground Closed Closed Open seasonally| May 24-October 14.
Knife Edge Campground and River Access Open Open Open year round as snow allows.
Laird Park Campground Closed Closed Open seasonally May-November.
Leggett Creek Campground Open Open Open year round as snow allows.
Limber Luke Campground and Trailhead Open Open
Little Boulder Campground Closed Closed Open seasonally. Operating Season | May 20-October 30
Lolo Creek Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Lookout Butte Lookout Open Open Open seasonally by reservation only. Reservations are accepted on www.Recreation.gov and typically fill several months in advance.
Mackay Bar Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Mallard Creek Campground Open Open
Meadow Creek Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Newsome Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Noe Creek Campground Closed Closed Open seasonally, May 24-October 14. 
North Fork Slate Creek Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
O'Hara Campground Closed Closed Open seasonally May 12- September 18. Some sites are reservable; reservations are accepted on www.Recreation.gov.
Orogrande Campground #1 and #2 Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Orogrande Campground #3 and #4 Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Orogrande Summit Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Oxbow Campsite Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Partridge Creek Campground Closed Closed Open seasonally.
Poet Creek Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Powell Campground Closed Closed Open May 15-October 31
Race Creek Campground Open Open Open year-yound, but may not be accessible due to snow. No toilet service November-March. 
Rackliff Campground Open Open  Fee Season May 12- September 30. Fees collected during open season. Visitors may use the campground in the off season, but should note that services such as restroom cleaning will not be provided. Access may be limited seasonally due to snow.
Rainy Day Campground Open Open
Red River Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow. No campground host.
Rocky Bluff Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Sam's Creek Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Selway Falls Campground Closed Closed Opens when snowmelt allows. Fees collected during open season. Visitors may use the campground in the off season, but should note that services such as restroom cleaning will not be provided. Access may be limited seasonally due to snow.
Sing Lee Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Six Mile Campground Open Open
Slide Creek Dispersed Site Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow. No toilet service October-March.
Slims Camp Closed Closed Closed due to snow. Will reopen in spring when snow melts.
South Fork Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Spring Bar Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow. 
Table Meadows Campground Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Trapper Creek Camp Area Open Open Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Twenty-five Mile Bar Dispersed Site Open Open Open year round but may be inaccessible due to snow.
Twenty-mile Bar Dispersed Site Open Open Services such as restroom cleaning only offered during the summer season. Access may be limited seasonally due to snow.
Washington Creek Campground Closed Closed Open seasonally. 2024 Operating Season | May 24-October 14
Weitas Creek Campground None None Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Wendover Campground Closed Closed Campground closed due to damage from 2024 severe windstorm.
White Sand Campground Closed Closed Opened seasonally as snow allows.
Whitehouse Campground Closed Closed Closed due to damage from severe windstorm in 2024.
Whitewater Boating Site Open Open Access to this remote site is via a rough road with many tight switchbacks, not recommended for vehicles towing trailers.
Wild Goose Campground Closed Closed Open seasonally, May 1-September 25. 
Wilderness Gateway Campground Closed Closed Opens may 14, closes September 30
Wildhorse Campground Closed Closed Open year-round, but might not be accessible because of snow.
Windy Saddle Trailhead Open Open

Spotlights

Lolo Pass Visitor Center

The Lolo Pass Visitor center covered in snow

The Lolo Pass Visitor Center, constructed in 2002, echoes the log-built architecture of historic Forest Service ranger stations. The visitor center is a prominent landmark along Highway 12, the Lewis & Clark Highway. It offers displays and information on the Lewis and Clark journey across the Bitterroot Mountains and the 1877 flight of the Nez Perce Indians, and provides historical, natural, and general information about the area.  Not only is it a recreational destination for winter sports enthusiasts, but also doubles as a rest area at the Montana/Idaho border along Highway 12. The facility includes an interpretive center, small book store & gift shop, 24-hour restrooms, a covered picnic area, picnic tables and short interpretive trails with benches. Stop by for a complimentary cup of hot chocolate, tea or coffee and experience the Lolo Pass Visitor Center!

Click here to see the Montana Department of Transportation’s 24-hour web camera view of road conditions for Highway 12 at the Montana/Idaho state line (there’s a snow depth gauge in the image to the far right/center).