Gallatin National Forest

Cave Lake in the Crazy Mountains

Gallatin National Forest is comprised of 2.1 million acres spanning 6 mountain ranges and includes parts of 2 designated National Wilderness Areas: the Lee Metcalf and the Absaroka-Beartooth in the Greater Yellowstone Area.

Gallatin National Forest was established in 1899 as part of the largest intact ecosystem in the 48 contiguous states. These snow-capped mountain peaks and blue-ribbon trout streams are just part of the whole, because this is also prime habitat for gray wolf, bald eagle, Canada lynx, grizzly bear, mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose, elk, mountain lion, black bear, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, bison, coyote and wolverine.

As usual in a western National Forest, a significant portion of the property is covered with native grasses and sagebrush. Higher elevations support populations of Douglas fir, aspen, cottonwood and several species of spruce. The Gallatin National Forest has more than 4,000 miles of streams and rivers, making this area one of the preeminent fly-fishing regions in the world. Among those flowing waters are several major tributaries of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. The forest also contains more than 700 high mountain lakes and reservoirs.

There are also more than 2,290 miles of trails in the Gallatin National Forest. Many of these trails provide access to the wilderness areas and interlink with trails in Yellowstone National Park. Gallatin offers nearly 40 developed campgrounds, plus numerous picnic areas and rentable Forest Service cabins.

The landslide that created Quake Lake
Aerial view of the 1959 landslide that created Quake Lake

Quake Lake on the Madison River was formed by an earthquake and landslide in 1959. The earthquake killed 28 people and the landslide created a lake 6 miles long and 190 feet deep. Measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale, that earthquake dropped the bottom of Hebgen Lake some 20' while it raised fault scarps 20' high near the lake. Another 32,000 acres of land near Hebgen Lake subsided at least 10'. Most of the people who died were camping along the shores at Hebgen Lake and they died when the waters of the lake shifted violently. Aftershocks registering up to 6.5 went on for months afterward. The dam itself was washed over by the heaving waters and developed some serious cracks. The Army Corps of Engineers mobilized quickly and patched the dam before there were any problems. Then they acted to create a spillway for Quake Lake before the rapidly rising waters could blow out that natural dam and cause more problems downstream.

A distant view of mountains across Fairy Lake
Fairy Lake
One of the mountains in view at Half Moon Trailhead
The view at Half Moon Trailhead
Top photo courtesy of TheArmchairExplorer, CCA-by-SA 4.0 License
Photo of the landslide at Quake Lake courtesy of the USGS
Other photos courtesy of the US Forest Service
 

Campgrounds & Picnic Areas

TYhe following list has not been updated to account for any damage that may have occurred over the last several years due to wildfires.

Aspen Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water

Baker's Hole Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Electrical Hookups

Battle Ridge Campground
Tent Camping Drinking Water

Battle Ridge Picnic Area
Picnicking Drinking Water

Bear Creek Campground
Tent Camping

Beaver Creek Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed

Big Beaver Campground
Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping

Big Timber Picnic Area
Handicapped AccessiblePicnicking

Blackmore Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking

Cabin Creek Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed

Canyon Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping

Cherry Creek Campground
Tent Camping

Chief Joseph Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup

Chippy Park Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water

Chisholm Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Cinnabar Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking

Clarks Fork Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking Trash Pickup

Colter Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup

Eagle Creek Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Stock Facilities

East Boulder Campground
Tent Camping

Fairy Lake Campground
Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water

Falls Creek Campground
Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water

Greek Creek Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Halfmoon Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water

Halfmoon Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking Drinking Water

Hell's Canyon Campground
Tent Camping

Hick's Park Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water

Hood Creek Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Hood Creek Group Campground / Picnic Area
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Picnicking Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

La Duke Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking

Langohr Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Langohr Group Picnic Area
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Picnicking Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Lonesomehurst Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Electrical Hookups

Moose Creek Flat Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Moose Creek Flat Picnic Area
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Picnicking Drinking Water Trash PickupReservable

Moose Creek Group Site
Fee Site Tent Camping Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Natural Bridge Falls Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking Drinking Water

Palisade Falls Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking

Pine Creek Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Pine Creek Group Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Pine Creek Picnic Area
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Picnicking Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Quake Lake Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking Drinking Water

Rainbow Point Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Electrical Hookups Reservable

Rainbow Point Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed

Red Cliff Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Electrical Hookups Reservable

Red Cliff Group Campground
Fee Site Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Red Cliff Picnic Area
Fee Site Picnicking Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Shields River Dispersed Site
Tent Camping Stock Facilities

Shipping Corrals Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking

Snowbank Campground
Fee Site Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Snowbank Group Campground
Fee Site Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Soda Butte Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup

Spanish Creek Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking Drinking Water

Sphinx Creek Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking

Spire Rock Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Spire Rock Group Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Spring Creek Campground
Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping

Spruce Creek Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking

Swan Creek Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Trash Pickup Campfires allowed Reservable

Timber Camp Campground
Tent Camping

Tom Miner Campground
Fee Site Handicapped Accessible Tent Camping Drinking Water Stock Facilities

West Boulder Campground
Fee Site Tent Camping Drinking Water

Yankee Jim Picnic Area
Handicapped Accessible Picnicking