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FacilitiesMap showing campground location near Boulder, Montana

Galena Gulch

9 ReviewsAdd Review
SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

Free and drive-in accessible just off Interstate 15, Galena Gulch sits on BLM land south of Boulder and runs along the Boulder River. The campground has roughly 10 established sites, each with a metal fire ring and picnic table, plus two ADA-accessible vault toilets. A recent fee of $10 per night has been reported by 2025 visitors, so confirm current rates before arriving. No hookups, no potable water, no showers.

Noise from I-15 is audible throughout the campground and comes up consistently in reviews. Cell coverage varies by carrier and by exact position within the site. Verizon users have reported little to no signal, while at least one AT&T user picked up a single bar of 4G. The sites are spread across grassy, open terrain and tend to fill on weekends, with turnover running high as many campers use it as an overnight stop rather than a multi-night base. Generators have been noted running at busy times.

For campers with larger rigs, flat space is available at the lower section of the campground. Those in trucks or vans can head up the hill, where a road on the right leads to more secluded spots with fire rings, though cow activity in the area is worth knowing about. Merry Widow Health Mine Camp lies a few miles west and provides another option in the same corridor. Pack in all water and supplies; the nearest services are back in Boulder, roughly 20 minutes away.

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Map & DirectionsGalena Gulch is located in Montana near Boulder

Detail location of campground
Public Campground

Directions

Take Exit 160 ( High Ore Rd) from I-15, and travel north on the paved road (parallels interstate) for about three-fourths of a mile, then turn east under the interstate and cross the bridge over the Boulder River to the site.

Coordinates

46.25431168267232 N
112.1837440474269 W

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Connectivity

Presented byT-MobileT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile5G
    Good Coverage
    Verified by 6 users
    Last on 8/28/26
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 10 users
    Last on 8/28/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&TLTE
    Some Coverage

Connectivity

Presented byT-MobileT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile5G
    Good Coverage
    Verified by 6 users
    Last on 8/28/26
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 10 users
    Last on 8/28/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&TLTE
    Some Coverage

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

  • ADA Access
  • Picnic Table
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Big Rig Friendly

FREE established camping

Enjoy camping on government land. Limited or no services at this camping area.

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Reviews9 Camper Reviews - Galena Gulch

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5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

33%
56%
11%
0%
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4.0

out of 5

9 Reviews

Campers regularly cited well-maintained grassy sites and clean facilities as highlights, though noise from I-15 and lack of water/hookups are noted drawbacks. Recently changed from free to $10/night but still considered excellent value.

SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile
Reviewed Jul. 17, 2025

Wonderful camp!

We went on a Sunday..there were about 3 other campers. All pulled out that evening so we had the Campground to ourselves! Very peaceful and the restrooms were clean and well stocked. Nice river nearby to cool off in and get water from. The fee was $10 per night. We stayed for 2

SiteGalena Gulch
Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed May. 23, 2025

Nice spot

Nice spot along a stream. Seems to be a weekend spot for locals from Helena. I was told by locals that it has been free until 2025 and is now $10. It's primitive with a picnic table, and sit was fairly level.

Site11
Month of VisitMay
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2024

if you're small, skip the campground

Big rigs have a great space at the bottom of the hill... but if you're in a truck, van, etc., head on up the hill. The road is in great shape. There are some pullouts, but look for a road on the right (veer left at the private drive; you'll see a sign) and you'll find a great site with a fire ring and somewhat level ground. Chances are it'll be COVERED in cow poop, but hey. It's quiet, aside from the mooing of cows, and totally private. There's probably more up the road, too, I just didn't go further. Solitude.

Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Jul. 20, 2022

Beautiful, but noisy

The campground views are really pretty, and it's next to the Boulder River, which is lovely. If you have a Razor, it's a cool place. There are pit toilets, no potable water, and it's pack it in/pack it out. Cell service (we have Verizon) is sketchy. A lot of campers were running generators, and it's right next to hwy 15. If you're looking for peace & quiet, this campground might not be for you. There are 9 sites.

Month of VisitJuly
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Reviewed Jun. 14, 2021

Nice convenient camp grounds

My 1st time here. Read the reviews and its pretty much what everyone says. FYI there are no showers or drinking water. The Boulder river is right on the edge so you can get water there or from a stream at the western end of the park. I was able to get 5g service here... Depends on where in the camp grounds you're located. Bring your own toilet paper... But that should be a given. 10 parking spots with fire rings and picnic benches. If you are into rough camping then keep driving up the first road past the camp grounds and there are plenty of spots to camp out.

Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Jun. 14, 2021

Didn’t stay but looked nice!

I planned to stay here but upon arriving, I only had 1 bar of 4G via ATT so had to relocate so I could work. The sites were clean, along the river and had a table & fire ring. I arrived around 2pm on a Sunday and 4 spots were taken. I imagine this place gets very busy on the weekends. The major drawback is how close it is to the interstate but it’s free! Vault toilet onsite. No other services.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Galena Gulch by Abby M., June 14, 2021
  • Review photo of Galena Gulch by Abby M., June 14, 2021
Reviewed Apr. 28, 2021

Right next to highway 15

Take exit 160 This spot is north of exit and you will go under the highway. Bridge is a bit scary, just go slow.

Month of VisitApril
Reviewed Jun. 27, 2019

Nice free BLM campground right off I-15

Galena Gulch Campground is a free nicely maintained BLM campground just off of interstate 15 south of Boulder Montana. This campground has 10 sites all with metal fire rings and picnic tables. Two ADA accessible vault toilets serve the campground. This is a trash-in trash-out campground. Be sure to bring your own water as there is no water at this campground. Most sites sit along the Boulder River. Camping is limited to 14 days. This is a busy campground despite it not being listed on the BLM's website and their being no indication from the interstate that the campground is present. The main drawbacks of this campground is the noise from I-15 and how busy the campground is. The sites are nicely spread out giving you plenty of room. The entire campground has nice grass covering and is well maintained making finding a good spot for your tent an easy choir.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Galena Gulch by Dexter I., June 27, 2019
  • Review photo of Galena Gulch by Dexter I., June 27, 2019
  • Review photo of Galena Gulch by Dexter I., June 27, 2019
  • (10) View All
Reviewed Aug. 29, 2018

BLM Free camping Outside of Boulder, MT

I I initially found this on free campsites. Com. Though the official website is listed as BLM, BLM actually doesn't have Galena Gulch on their site. However, this is a clean and mowed campsite that is largely grassy field next to the boulder River. The mountainous and forested Recreation area surrounded it though.

There is plenty of space for RVs, though there are no hookups of any kind. There is no water and no electricity and no cell phone service. I have Verizon. I took a star away because there wasn't any water but added it back because it was free!

There were probably a dozen official sites that had fire rings and a parking spur. While there were a couple sizable rigs there, if your RV is so big that you must have a pull through, you will probably find this Campground challenging.

There was a large grassy area and another smaller grassy area that were simply open with no fire ring or parking spur. However, it was very easy to park on the grass and several people could pitch tents there if they wanted. I did this.

There are two side-by-side pit toilets and an information board in the center. They were clean and stocked. Once again, I want to emphasize that there is no water here. The boulder river is directly adjacent but locals in Montana don't consider any water safe.

There were multiple people there with their dogs and a great number of sites filled with RVs. At the time I was there there were only two of us tenting.

Your GPS will get you here, nearly. Take the exit it tells you and follow the directions. However, my GPS told me that I had arrived and I was looking at the boulder River on the right and houses on the left and no Campground. What you have to do is go up the road another hundred feet and follow the sign to turn right to Galena Recreation Area. This takes you on an underpass under the freeway and immediately becomes a gravel road that goes over a one-lane bridge. You can't make any wrong turn here. As soon as you cross the bridge you will see the campground immediately on your right. From the time you make the right hand turn to the campground it is probably a couple hundred feet.From getting off the freeway to the campsite is probably less than a mile

I was there for 3 night and it was full every night. However, the turnover seems high as it appears most people use it as an overnight on their travels, especially since there are not any services there. But it's a pretty area. Some people bring their ATV and use the dirt road that runs through the recreation Area to drive around. You can use that road to hike to , also the radon health mine is right up the road.

Bring water and food as you would have to drive 20 minutes back to Boulder to get services. Boulder's a cute small town with a few restaurants, a grocery store, gas stations and a very wonderful Hot Springs Resort.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Galena Gulch by Milagros A., August 29, 2018
Showing results 1-9 of 9 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

What amenities are available at Galena Gulch Campground?

Galena Gulch Campground offers 10 sites, each equipped with metal fire rings and picnic tables. The campground features two ADA accessible vault toilets. There is no potable water or shower facilities available, so campers need to bring their own drinking water or filter from the Boulder River. Cell service varies throughout the campground, with some areas getting better reception than others. This is a trash-in, trash-out facility, so visitors must pack out all their garbage.

Where is Galena Gulch Campground located in Montana?

Galena Gulch Campground is located just south of Boulder, Montana, right off Interstate 15 at exit 160. The campground sits alongside the Boulder River in a mountainous, forested recreation area. To access the campground, you'll need to go north of the exit and travel under the highway via a bridge. The setting features a grassy field adjacent to the river, offering scenic views of the surrounding landscape.

Is Galena Gulch a BLM campground and are there fees?

Yes, Galena Gulch is a BLM campground. There is a $10 per night fee to camp here. The campground was previously free but now requires payment. No reservation system exists - sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. While maintained by the BLM, note that it may not be prominently featured on all BLM websites or materials. The campground remains well-maintained with mowed grass areas despite its primitive nature.

What are the best camping spots near Boulder, Montana including Galena Gulch?

Galena Gulch Campground is one of the top camping options near Boulder, offering riverfront sites in a scenic setting. For larger RVs, the sites at the bottom of the hill provide good space, while truck and van campers might prefer the spots up the hill accessible via a well-maintained road. The campground is popular with locals from Helena, especially on weekends. If you need better cell service or additional amenities than what Galena Gulch provides, there are other developed campgrounds in the surrounding Boulder and Butte areas. The Boulder River area offers several dispersed camping opportunities for those seeking more solitude.

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