Big Sky is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Discover great camping spots near Big Sky, reviewed by campers like you.
Red Cliff Campground is located in the scenic Gallatin Canyon, on the Bozeman Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest, in Montana. Bozeman is 46 miles north of the campground and West Yellowstone is 45 miles south. The campground is adjacent to the Gallatin River and Highway 191. The surrounding area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including fishing, rafting, hiking and viewing local wildlife.
Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground. Anglers cast for rainbow, brown, brook and cutthroat trout, whitefish and Arctic grayling on the Gallatin River. Rafting and kayaking are popular activities as well. The Elkhorn Creek Trail, for hiking and horseback riding, begins at the south end of the campground.
Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground. Anglers cast for rainbow, brown, brook and cutthroat trout, whitefish and Arctic grayling on the Gallatin River. Rafting and kayaking are popular activities as well. The Elkhorn Creek Trail, for hiking and horseback riding, begins at the south end of the campground.
The campground sits next to the Gallatin River, at an elevation of 6,200 feet. Most campsites are situated among scattered pine and fir trees. Some sites are located in open meadows further from the river. A variety of wildlife makes its home in this scenic canyon. Visitors can often glimpse bald eagles, bighorn sheep, moose, elk, mountain goats, deer and coyotes. Black and grizzly bears also live in the canyon.
The west entrance to Yellowstone National Park is located 45 miles south of the campground, in the town of West Yellowstone. Visitors enjoy day trips to the park for unparalleled wildlife viewing, beautiful scenery and unique geologic features. The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in the town of West Yellowstone is a popular attraction. It showcases live grizzly bears, gray wolves and various birds of prey, and has a variety of exhibits and educational programs.
For facility specific information, please call (623) 910-0170.
$35 / night
Spire Rock Campground is located in scenic Gallatin Canyon on the Bozeman Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest, in southwestern Montana. It is 26 miles south of Bozeman. The surrounding area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including fishing, rafting, hiking and viewing local wildlife.
Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground. Anglers cast for rainbow, brown, brook and cutthroat trout, whitefish and Arctic grayling on the Gallatin River. Rafting and kayaking are popular activities as well. The popular Storm Castle Trail begins nearby. This steep, 3-mile one-way trail climbs to Storm Castle Rock, with excellent views of the canyon below. Garnet Mountain Lookout Trail also begins near the campground. The 3.5-mile trail climbs 2,800 feet in elevation, to the lookout.
Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground. Anglers cast for rainbow, brown, brook and cutthroat trout, whitefish and Arctic grayling on the Gallatin River. Rafting and kayaking are popular activities as well. The popular Storm Castle Trail begins nearby. This steep, 3-mile one-way trail climbs to Storm Castle Rock, with excellent views of the canyon below. Garnet Mountain Lookout Trail also begins near the campground. The 3.5-mile trail climbs 2,800 feet in elevation, to the lookout.
The campground sits next to Storm Castle Creek, a tributary of the Gallatin River, at an elevation of 5,600 feet. Most campsites are located along the creek and are surrounded by spruce and fir trees. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area. Visitors can often glimpse bald eagles, bighorn sheep, moose, elk, mountain goats, deer and coyotes. Black bears and grizzly bears also live in the canyon.
For facility specific information, please call (623) 910-0170.
$50 / night
Hood Creek Campground is located next to scenic Hyalite Reservoir, on the Bozeman Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest. It is 17 miles south of the city of Bozeman, Mont. The surrounding area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking and climbing.
Hyalite Reservoir offers many recreational activities, including boating, canoeing and fishing. Anglers fish for Yellowstone cutthroat, Arctic grayling and brook trout. Hyalite Creek offers fishing as well. Many hiking trails are found in Hyalite Canyon, including the popular Hyalite Peak Trail. This 7.5-mile one-way trail gains 3,450 feet in elevation as is climbs past numerous waterfalls to the beautiful Hyalite Lake and Hyalite Peak.
Hyalite Reservoir offers many recreational activities, including boating, canoeing and fishing. Anglers fish for Yellowstone cutthroat, Arctic grayling and brook trout. Hyalite Creek offers fishing as well. Many hiking trails are found in Hyalite Canyon, including the popular Hyalite Peak Trail. This 7.5-mile one-way trail gains 3,450 feet in elevation as is climbs past numerous waterfalls to the beautiful Hyalite Lake and Hyalite Peak.
The campground is situated on the banks of scenic Hyalite Reservoir, at an elevation of 6,700 feet. Some campsites lie in open meadows along the shoreline, while others are located among scattered pine and fir trees.
For facility specific information, please call (623) 910-0170.
$185 / night
Beaver Creek Campground is located near the Madison River and Earthquake Lake, less than 30 minutes from West Yellowstone and Yellowstone National Park. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, boating and hiking opportunities, as well as its close proximity to Yellowstone.
Earthquake Lake offers fishing and canoeing and can be accessed via trails from within the campground, or less than a mile away on the highway. A visitor center is nearby, with interpretive displays, as well as information on the 1959 earthquake and subsequent landslide that formed the lake. Hebgen Lake is considered Montana's premier still-water fishing lake. Anglers will find a healthy population of brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout. Boating and swimming are popular activities on the lake. The Cabin Creek Trail begins at nearby Cabin Creek Campground. This 6-mile trail is open to hikers and horseback riders.
Earthquake Lake offers fishing and canoeing and can be accessed via trails from within the campground, or less than a mile away on the highway. A visitor center is nearby, with interpretive displays, as well as information on the 1959 earthquake and subsequent landslide that formed the lake. Hebgen Lake is considered Montana's premier still-water fishing lake. Anglers will find a healthy population of brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout. Boating and swimming are popular activities on the lake. The Cabin Creek Trail begins at nearby Cabin Creek Campground. This 6-mile trail is open to hikers and horseback riders.
The campground is situated on a hillside above the Madison River and Earthquake Lake. Hebgen Lake is also nearby. A forest of pine, Douglas fir and aspen forest the campground. Plentiful grasses and summer wildflowers cover the forest floor.
West Yellowstone offers dining, shopping and lodging options. The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is a popular attraction, with live grizzlies, gray wolves and birds of prey, and a variety of educational exhibits and programs. Yellowstone National Park offers unparalleled wildlife viewing opportunities, breathtaking scenery and unique geological features.
For facility specific information, please call (623) 910-0170.
$26 / night
Madison Arm Resort RV Resort & Campground, only minutes from Yellowstone National Park, is located just off Highway 191 and Highway 20.
We offer perfect summer camping with very special facilities including, RV sites, tent campsites, and cabins among pine trees, wildlife and mountain vistas. And do we have activities... boating, fishing, swimming. We're close to white water rafting, hiking, biking, back packing, mountain climbing, horseback riding, golf, and tennis
Here you'll intimately experience the grandeur of the Yellowstone wilderness. This is a great overnight destination as you enjoy sightseeing Yellowstone National Park or it is a great fishing vacation.
Hebgen Lake has abundant trout fishing - whether you use a wet or dry fly, troll, tube, or bank fish, you are sure to find the fishing enjoyable. Our resort has marina facilities that include boat and motor rentals, canoes, kayaks, launch ramp, docking, and fuel. Boat slips are equipped with convenience outlets to allow charging of your electric trolling motor battery.
Madison Arm Resort is open from May 15th to October 1st.
Langohr Campground is located in scenic Hyalite Canyon on the Bozeman Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest. It is located just 12 miles south of Bozeman, Mont. The surrounding area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including fishing, hiking and climbing.
Hyalite Creek provides great fishing for Yellowstone cutthroat, Arctic grayling and brook trout. Many hiking trails can be found in Hyalite Canyon.
Hyalite Creek provides great fishing for Yellowstone cutthroat, Arctic grayling and brook trout. Many hiking trails can be found in Hyalite Canyon.
The campground sits next to Hyalite Creek, at an elevation of 6,200 feet. Most campsites are situated in open meadows along the creek. Some are located among scattered pine and fir trees.
For facility specific information, please call (623) 910-0170.
Hyalite Reservoir is just 3.5 miles from the campground. The scenic 206-acre lake offers many recreational activities, including boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking, climbing and picnicking. The popular Hyalite Peak Trail begins near the reservoir. The 7.5-mile one-way trail gains 3,450 feet in elevation as is climbs past numerous waterfalls to beautiful Hyalite Lake and Peak.
$52 - $60 / night
High in the Caribou–Targhee National Forest, 90 miles northeast of Idaho Falls, Henrys Lake is a stone’s throw from the Continental Divide and the western boundary of Yellowstone National Park. Situated in a wide, flat basin, and surrounded by 10,000-foot peaks, this shallow alpine lake is as popular with migrating birds as it is with local sport fishers. The small state park at Henrys Lake is a great spot for spending a few days fishing, lounging and wildlife watching, or for exploring some of the area’s other attractions, including Yellowstone, Harriman State Park, Mesa Falls, and various hiking, horseback, and ATV trails.
Campers visiting Henrys Lake State Park will find more than 80 tent and RV sites situated near the lake’s eastern shore. Sites are equipped with electrical and water hookups, picnic tables, and fire pits with cooking grills. Some sites are ADA accessible. Campground amenities include flush restrooms, showers, picnic areas. A dump station is located onsite. The park also has a few camping cabins for rent. Dogs are permitted in the park, but must remain leashed. Camping is available from mid-May through mid-October. Sites are $20–$31/night; cabins are $50–$55/night; reservations are accepted.
For fishing on the lake, the park has a boat ramp and fish cleaning station. Yellowstone cutthroat is the most common at Henrys Lake, but there is also a significant number of cutthroat-rainbow (cut-bow) hybrids. Paddlers can launch from the beach area; kayak rentals are available. Wildlife watching from the park’s 3 miles of hiking and biking trails—as well as the lake’s shoreline–can be exceptional. Besides the prolific number of migrating birds, including waterfowl, eagles and hawks, there are frequent sightings of deer, moose, and antelope. The park also hosts seasonal nature programs.
$60 - $70 / night
Take a deep breath and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the Livingston/Paradise Valley KOA. Built in 1967, this KOA has a more relaxed pace and genuine Montana old charm. Our campground in Livingston, Montana, is on the Yellowstone River, near Gardiner, and offers a plethora of fun. Reserve a Deluxe Cabin or Deluxe Patio RV Site on the river, or pick one of the Mountain View Pull-Thrus. The campground offers fishing, hammocks, pavilion and has planned activities throughout the summer. Within minutes from the campground, guests also enjoy hiking, biking and horseback riding. Make sure to stop by Downtown Livingston and experience a true Montana Rodeo, fine dining, live music and museums.
Ways to Stay at Livingston/Paradise Valley KOA Holiday
Stay at Livingston/Paradise Valley KOA Holiday to experience camping near Yellowstone National Park North. Our KOA Campground offers many ways to stay, including:
Our KOA Campground is a pet-friendly campground in Livingston, and near Gardiner, Montana. Many of our campsites can accommodate your beloved pets so they do not miss out on the camping fun.
Our Amenities and Recreation
Whether you are traveling with friends or family, you will enjoy the amenities and activities Livingston/Paradise Valley KOA Holiday offers around the campground. Being right on the Yellowstone River and near the Yellowstone north entrance, you will have plenty of opportunities for fishing, bird watching and catching gorgeous views of the sunset. Our campground strives to help campers have the best time whenever they visit for a quick getaway or an extended vacation. Amenities we have available include:
We also host multiple events throughout the camping season so you can participate in all kinds of fun activities without even leaving the campground. Join the ice cream socials to try locally made ice cream or participate in a scavenger hunt for a chance to win a prize. You can also spread out under the pavilion for Thursday movie nights or join in the kids' crafts every Saturday morning with the Discover Summer Activities for Explorers and Adventurers crew.
Local Attractions
Many attractions and tourist spots are near our Livingston campground. You can explore the local area and get off the campground for the day by checking out each location. From the Absaroka-Beartooth mountains to Downtown Livingston and Paradise Valley, you will have plenty of opportunities to discover new things. Some popular attractions you and your traveling companions can enjoy include:
Reserve Your Campsite at Livingston/Paradise Valley KOA Holiday
You and your family can enjoy Yellowstone River camping while staying at Livingston/Paradise Valley KOA Holiday. Our campground makes the perfect base camp for your adventures, whether you plan on hiking through the mountains or relaxing in the hot springs. Get ready for your trip to Montana by booking your campsite at Livingston/Paradise Valley KOA Holiday today!
This is a spacious campground covering nearly 20 acres of wilderness around beautiful Wade Lake. Fish Your National Forests: This site can be accessed by Passenger Car; Fish available include: Trout; Types of fishing available include: Wade, Shore, Motorized boat, Float tube, Fly, Spin, Bait, Ice; ADA Accessible fishing access with fishing pier and boat launch.
I’m not sure why this place isn’t 5/5! We booked this site last minute as we have been exploring Yellowstone with no registrations for overnight stays. We called at 6pm (when they close) looking for space and the host said she will stay open for 30 mins till we get there. She was so very sweet and welcoming. Site was very clean, bathrooms were the cleanest we have experienced at camp sites. And the BEST views! Nice to have a designated sink for washing dishes. No bear boxes but kept everything in the car and we were good. Very bumpy road to get to the campground but sometimes it takes a rough road to get off the beaten path :) only thing was that each site has big metal fire pits and ours was totally missing. The sites next to us were vacant so we just stole the one from there.
Was able to snag a primitive spot for one night. This campground isnt too far off I90 near 3 Forks, MT. No cell service (ATT) at the campground but 5g at the caverns. Hosts were super friendly and nice. I was in A7 which had a nice shade tree. Did not use the facilities so can’t speak to that. They had a guest speaker that night share about the bat population in MT. Very interesting!! Be sure to unhook and get to the caverns early in the morning to get a reservation to tour. We did the Paradise tour as my son is in a wheelchair. The classic tour looked super cool though!
Stayed 8-1-24
Good: KOA like expected, but great view.
Bad: Mile long dirt road to get to entrance.
Would I stay again: ?, I might try West entrance next time.
Really enjoyed the stay. Really nice shower are. Nice electric hook-ups at the rv sites. Only some sites have septic, and unfortunately, the dump station was down during our visit, but we got to hear stories from a native American. It was truly an amazing stay. We also enjoyed bird watching and kayaking. Of course, our main point of the visit was Yellowstone not very far away. ( gas and other stuff is cheaper in Montana)
This was the smallest campground we have ever stayed at. All hookups worked but your neighbors are truly only 4 feet away. This is not the place to go if you like hanging out outside the camper. Location to Yellowstone is great and if you only need a space to sleep and have full hookups, it’s fine.
I booked 2 nights on Recreation.gov less than 3 weeks in advance. I was camping while working an event in Big Sky.
The campground is quite large, and this time of year, completely full every night. It is right on the river and very close to the highway. This means it is not quiet. Still, it’s 10 minutes to Big Sky, clean and well equipped. Overall a good choice in this area if you can make a reservation.
There are bear-safe food storage lockers, fire rings, and picnic tables at each camp site. Long before the bears eat you, the mosquitoes and deer flies will. Bug spray advised. Pit toilets are well-used but reasonably clean. The on-site hosts make sure to mark reservation cards on each site, and put signs at the entrance when the campgrounds is full. This kept traffic inside the campground to a minimum. Much appreciated.
Smaller mosquitoes but pretty with amenities
Nice campground near Adjacent to Gallatin River. Some sites are actually right next to the river. Our site, 43, up on the hill, would be perfect except for the proximity of the vault toilet. The vault toilet was extremely clean and did not smell at all, inside the room, however, at our campsite, every now and then, we would get an unpleasant waft. Camp sites are well spaced and some even have hook ups (not 43). Our site was unique and nice as it was tri-level. Level 1 is parking/trailer, level 2 is fire ring and table, level 3 is an area to set up a tent.
Driving to the campsite on a washboard gravel road was rough and dusty. The park is nice with lake views. The camp host was phenomenal. Our cord did not reach the electrical box so they loaned us an extension. I was a little disappointed with the shower pressure. It was a great place to stay and see Yellowstone
Little on the pricier end however there are a number of amenities such as laundry (additional cost), dish wash station, and hot showers at no additional cost.
Tent sites were a bit small but do-able and it was nice being on the water.
Quick access to west Yellowstone.
The Paradise tour was really easy and it was spectacular!
Carter Lake south shore. NIce pull through sites with electric. Dump station with easy access. Many sites on the lake and more with lake view. Many shaded sites. Boats allowed. Very pleasant experience.
Cherry Creek Campground comprises a total of nine campsites, per Recreation.gov and seeing for myself camping here for almost a week. The campsite is first come/first serve, and as of June to July 2024, there is a $23 per campsite fee for a max of 8 people and one vehicle. This fee is relatively low compared to other NPS campgrounds, honestly. It is very well-maintained and clean and consists of one vault toilet (aka: “outhouse”, as well as one large garbage container that is bear protected located at the end of the dirt road/entrance to main campground. There are also several bear protected containers located for every two sites allowing storage for campers’ food and food-related items and supplies helping campers stay safe from frequent bears in the area by storing their food, spices, herbs, pots, pans, dutch ovens, anything aromatic that would attract bears (perfumes, cologne, toothpaste, etc. included, FYI) set away from the campsites, at the end of the vehicle parking for each campsite, so close to the site’s fire pit to use, but also at a good distance away from your tent. There is also an information board next to the campsites’ vault toilet and bear protected garbage container with notices on any warning or alerts in the area, bear education, and policies and rules of the campground. There is also small containers to retrieve envelopes with attached receipts to pay the site’s fees with cash and deposit it in the dropbox next to the board, or else you are able to scan a QR code to pay online. It is a pack in/pack out (including all garbage) campsite. It has a lovely meadow area, allows pets on leash, and right off the banks of Hebgen Lake. It’s so beautiful! We will come again!
This place seems to be nicer than nearby campsites, but stinky toilets with no toilet paper, outdoor shower with cold water for $54 for a small camper was quite disappointing. Trains and highway noises are extremely loud as others mentioned
Great hosts, clean and well maintained. They do have drop in non reservation sites, but recommend getting reservations as well as cave tour reservations on line In Advance. Walk in for the cave tours without reservations best between 9 and 11 am. Beware, it's a 2mi hike uphill from the campground of you don't want to drive your rv up the caves! Deer visited camp at night! Check weather report, strong winds and we had thunderstorms. Warm showers $3. (Cave tours not included in camp fee, dump is $5 also). Some hiking in area, but .. bears!
The area is stunning, but we could not get to the campground. Our campervan felt like it was going to tip over because of the ruts. Will try again in a car someday
This small campground is tucked away on beautiful hebgen lake. It is a forrest Service campground with pit toilets, very clean. It has picnic tables and fire rings at its established sites. It is a rather long bumpy road into the main campground area on the Lake. There are two more primitive sites along the road coming in, these dont have lake views but are very private, if you needed to run a generator, you really dont have neighbors at either of these sites. Keep following the road in to the final 5 sites or so on the lake with the pit toilets.
We barely fit our tent into our site and had to back our truck up all the way to the tent in order to fit. The staff is super friendly, though. Restrooms with 2 showers, dish washing station, and laundry. Close to town. At 9 pm, a light went on above our tent. It was so bright on the white top of our tent that it was like the sun was directly above us. We had to dig out a tarp and cover the top of the tent. So, I might avoid site 36 when staying here.
Beautiful facilities and friendly helpful staff. Lots of trees, minimal road noise
Horrible location, lots of foot and vehicle traffic, very small camping spaces. Cars go as fast as they want, I was right on the main road AND next to the walking path. Yeah it sucked . Never again.
Stopped here to find several spots available. You can reserve online or just show up and pay at the fee station. Each space has its own bear box, table and grill. We stayed in a back in non Hookup site. There are Electric sites available too.
We stayed her for 1 night on a road trip in one of the tent sites and it was perfect. There were several options to put our tent on our site including an area covered by trees and secluded from the rest of the park. It was right on the Yellowstone River. The staff was VERY friendly!
Staff friendly, view lovely.
Definitely peeved that there is a $30 upcharge for non-residents and they only give discounts to Idaho military. Interesting!! North Carolina should consider doing this since we have BEAUTIFUL state parks too. Do what Idaho is doing to everyone else...kind of sad...would have given five stars if wasn't for this....army vet of 22 years.
Campsite 1 was probably not the best choice but we loved the view… so did our wild life friends
For sure there is 1 grizzly that’s pretty big. He checked out our truck tent.
Mountain Goats will come in your camp and they will do what goats do and want to check you out. They are not scared
The restrooms are shutdown in the camp but the lake access restroom down the hill does work
1 bear box for the whole camp ground so be prepared to store food in car or tree
Decent vault toilets and several of them. For the price the lack of water is not great but overall was worth it. One way road so keep that in mind if you have a large trailer.
We had a rooftop tent that worked well but tent users may find some sites a little close and overgrown
Site 18 I would not use if you have a tent. 17 backs into your site some and river access is limited between both sites
Clean and flat pull up spots. If you’re ok with road noise and don’t want the “window knock” on your Campervan then this is a option for the night.
We came in late and it was already dark. That may have contributed to the confusion in where to go when we first got there, but once we were there it was fine. Not a lot of privacy between spots but to pull in, set up camp and leave the next day it was worth it.
We LOVED visiting with the horses and they were very friendly and did not even mind when our dogs barked at them.
Biggest negative is that you can hear all the highway noise and trucks like to jake-break in this area. On the other side of the highway there were railroad tracks. The train blew its horn through this area ‘frequently and when it stopped you could hear all the train cars smashing together. This woke me up a couple times throughout the night but otherwise fine.
There is a pit toilet, with hand sanitizer.
We camped in a tent with our 2 dogs and young toddler.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Big Sky, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Big Sky, MT is Red Cliff Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 20 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Big Sky, MT?
TheDyrt.com has all 25 glamping camping locations near Big Sky, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
