Helena / Big Belts
4,000–8,500 ft · MT🚗 Directions
Helena NF, Big Belt and Little Belt Mountains. Mixed Douglas fir and lodgepole pine. Good king bolete habitat at mid-elevations. Drier continental climate than western MT.
Updated Apr 13, 6:34 PM
Foraging Potential35/100
✅Moisture
❌Soil Temp
❌No Freeze
✅No Drought
Precip 7d
0.20"
Precip 14d
2.30"
Soil Temp
22°F
SWE
Snow Water Equivalent — how much water is in the snowpack vs. normal. Declining SWE means snowmelt is adding moisture to the soil.219%
Drought
None
Snowmelt
accelerating
Limiting Factors
Soil too coldOutside season windowHard freeze in 48h
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Nearby Camping
Cromwell Dixon
developedUSFS6,000 ft~5 mi from center$10/night
15 sites
Helena NF near MacDonald Pass. Douglas fir and lodgepole at good elevation.
vault toiletfire ringpicnic table
Open Jun–Sep
Hooper Park Campground
developed~5 mi from centerFee required/night
Big Belt Dispersed
dispersedUSFS5,500 ft~6 mi from centerFree/night
Dispersed camping in the Big Belt Mountains east of Helena. Forest roads.
fire ring
Open May–Oct
Aspen Grove Campground
developed~6.1 mi from center
Aspen Grove Group Use Campground
developedUSFS~6.3 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Moose Creek
developedUSFS5,200 ft~8 mi from center$10/night
11 sites
South of Helena in the Elkhorns. Mixed conifer with good bolete potential.
vault toiletfire ring
Open May–Sep
Pine Grove Campground
dispersed~9.9 mi from centerFree/night
Moose Creek campground (free)
developed~12 mi from center
Flesher Pass Campground
developed~12.4 mi from center
Copper Creek Campground
developedUSFS~12.4 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Big Nelson Campground
developedUSFS~19.2 mi from centerFee required/night
Lolo National Forest
Browns Lake Campground
developed~19.7 mi from center
Harry Morgan Campground
developed~24.2 mi from center
Elliston Store CDT Camp
developed~24.8 mi from center
Cromwell Dixon Campground
developed~27.3 mi from center
Holter Lake Campground
developedBLM~29.5 mi from center<p>Each RV/trailer/tent costs $25 with a max of two of any combination per site. </p>/night
Monture Creek Campground
developedUSFS~30 mi from centerFee required/night
Lolo National Forest
Helena North KOA
developed~30.1 mi from center
Moose Creek Campground
developedUSFS~30.5 mi from center
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Drummond Campground
developed~30.8 mi from center
Log Gulch Campground
developedBLM~31.3 mi from center<p>Each individual RV/trailer/tent costs $25 with a max of two of any combination per site. </p>
<p>The group site fee is $50.00 plus $25.00 per night for the two camping sites reserved, for a total of $100.00 per night. </p>
<p>All day-use guests at the group area will be subject to the $5.00 per vehicle per day fee.</p>
<p>See staff with any questions.</p>/night
Departure Point
developedBLM~31.4 mi from center<p>Cost: $15/night $5 day-use* (Day-use 7a-10p)</p>/night
Helena Campground and RV Park
developed~32 mi from center
Upsata Lake Campground
developed~32 mi from center
Kading Campground
developedUSFS~33 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Russell Gates Memorial Campground
developed~34.4 mi from center
White Sandy Campground
developedBLM~35.4 mi from center<p>$25 per night per camping unit per site, with a maximum of 2 units per site. Group Loop-C Loop with Ramada/Pavilion is $140 per night with a maximum of 2 units per site (x6 sites = 12 units) with no additional fees.</p>
<p><strong>*** You must occupy your campsite every night that you have reserved. If you do not show up for 24 hours from "Check-In Time" (2:00 PM), you forfeit the use of that site and are not entitled to any refunds or discounts. ***</strong></p>
<p><strong>*** You must occupy the site you reserved and cannot change sites, or move to a different loop of the campground.***</strong></p>/night
Black Sandy State Park Campground
developed~35.4 mi from center
White Sandy Campground
developed~35.4 mi from center
Double Falls Campground
developedUSFS~35.5 mi from center
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
DONEY CABIN
developedUSFS~35.6 mi from centerThe cabin can be rented for up to seven consecutive nights. All fees are non-refundable. Any changes to scheduled dates may be assessed an additional fee by the National Recreation Reservation Service. The cabin is available year-round./night
DOUGLAS CREEK CABIN
developedUSFS~37 mi from center<p>Rental fee is currently $45 per night.</p>/night
Park Lake Campground
developed~37.4 mi from center
Clearwater Crossing Campground
developed~37.5 mi from center
Wood Lake Campground
developedUSFS~37.6 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Park Lake Campground
developedUSFS~37.6 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Harpers Lake
developed~38.2 mi from center
Legendary Lodge
developedDiocese of Helena~39 mi from center
Clark's Bay Day Use Area Shelter (MT)
developedBLM~39.7 mi from center<p>$5.00/vehicle for day use per vehicle or walk-in group if parking outsite the site and can be paid for on site at the self-serve fee station. The fee covers the use of the facility. A $50.00 annual day-use pass is available for frequent users and is may be purchased online on recreation.gov, search Chain of Lakes Recreation Site - Clark's Bay. The group reservation area can be reserved for $50.00 per day. This fee does not cover the vehicles, which cost $5.00 per vehicle. Reservations can only be made through recreation.gov and are not available on-site.</p>/night
Devil's Elbow Campground
developedBLM~39.8 mi from center<p>Additional Camping Units: $25 per day/night <br> Loop C: $50 per reservation for the Ramada/Pavilion plus $25 per night for each site. Max of 2 RVs or tents per site. Each RV/tent costs $25.<br></p>
<p><strong>*** You must occupy your campsite every night that you have reserved. If you do not show up for 24 hours from "Check-In Time" (2:00 PM), you forfeit the use of that site and are not entitled to any refunds or discounts. ***</strong></p>
<p><strong>*** You must occupy the site you reserved and cannot change sites, or move to a different loop of the campground.***</strong></p>/night
Salmon Lake Campground
developed~39.9 mi from center
Devils Elbow Campground
developed~40 mi from center
Van Deriet Campground
developedUSFS~41.7 mi from center
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Alahambra RV park
developed~42.4 mi from center
Benchmark Campground
developed~42.6 mi from center
Benchmark Campground
developedUSFS~42.6 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Ninemile Prairie Camground
developed~42.7 mi from center
South Fork Campground
developedUSFS~43.7 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Cromwell Dixon Campground
developedUSFS~43.9 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Orofino Campground and Picnic Area
developedUSFS~44.3 mi from centerFee required/night
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
Orofino Campground
developed~44.3 mi from center
Riverside Campground
developedFederal~44.3 mi from center<p>We only charge fees during "Peak Seasons" the 1st weekend of May through the second weekend of September.</p>/night
Corricks Riverbend Campground
developed~44.4 mi from center
Whitehouse Campground
developedUSFS~44.7 mi from center
Whitehouse Campground
developedUSFS~44.7 mi from centerFee required/night
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
COURT SHERIFF CAMPGROUND
developedFederal~45.4 mi from center<p>We only charge fees during "Peak Seasons" the 1st weekend of May through the second weekend of September.</p>/night
Court Sheriff Campground
developedBureau of Reclamation~45.4 mi from center
Campground 1
developedBureau oo Land Management~45.6 mi from center
Chinamen's Campground
developedFederal~45.6 mi from center<p>We only charge fees during "Peak Seasons" the 1st weekend of May through the second weekend of September.</p>/night
Racetrack Campground and Picnic Area
developedUSFS~45.7 mi from centerFee required/night
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
Racetrack Campground
developed~45.7 mi from center
Lady Smith
developedUSFS~45.7 mi from center
Vigilante Campground
developedUSFS~45.8 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Fish Hawk Campground
developedBureau of Reclamation~45.9 mi from center
RACETRACK CABIN
developedUSFS~46.3 mi from center<p>The cabin can be rented for up to seven consecutive nights. Any changes to scheduled dates may be assessed an additional fee by the National Recreation Reservation Service. The cabin is available year-round.</p>/night
Big Larch Campground
developedUSFS~46.5 mi from centerFee required/night
Lolo National Forest
Jo Bonner Campground
developedFederal~46.8 mi from center<p>We only charge fees during "Peak Seasons" the 1st weekend of May through the second weekend of September.</p>/night
Rocky Mountain Range
developedUSFS~46.9 mi from center
River Point Campground
developedUSFS~47.4 mi from centerFee required/night
Lolo National Forest
River Point Campground
developed~47.4 mi from center
Thibodeau Campground
developed~47.6 mi from center
Seeley Lake Campground
developedUSFS~47.7 mi from centerFee required/night
Lolo National Forest
Crittenden Campground
developed~48 mi from center
Hidden Lake Campground
developedUSFS~48.7 mi from center
Lolo National Forest
Hidden Lake Camground
developed~48.7 mi from center
Galena Gulch Campground
developedBLM~48.8 mi from center
12 sites
Hellgate Campground
developed~49.2 mi from center
Hellgate Campground
developedFederal~49.4 mi from center<p>We only charge fees during "Peak Seasons" the 1st weekend of May through the second weekend of September.</p>/night
Mortimer Gulch Campground
developedUSFS~49.7 mi from centerFee required/night
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Home Gulch Campground
developedUSFS~49.8 mi from center
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
⚠ Road Access Notice
Always verify road access is public before following GPS directions to mountain areas. Many forest roads are seasonal, gated, or require 4WD. Dispersed camping follows USFS/BLM rules (typically 14-day limit). Check ranger district offices for current road and campground conditions.