Best Equestrian Camping near Cooke City, MT

Eagle Creek campground is a nice small 16 site campground a few miles above Gardiner Montana and only a few minutes from the Yellowstone entrance.  Getting to the campground requires a steep 2 mile drive which the road recommends 4 wheel drive for to help with the incline and to prevent washboard.  Sites sit in a grassy open area with willows and other small trees and bushes around the edge.  Small creek runs along the campground.  Site #1 would the site to get it you can, out of view from the rest of camp and has two picnic tables.  The site has a vault toilet.  All sites have a metal fire ring and picnic table. Bear proof food lockers for food storage at most sites.  No water or trash service.  I filtered water from the creek.  Their is a horse Corral adjacent to campground.  Campground was nice and quiet at night with great view of the night sky.  No cell service.

The campground is usually well maintained. I’ve camped here quite a few times, but this past week I was a little disappointed. The grass at the site was very long. The picnic table hadn’t been mowed under. The bathrooms were mostly clean. The sites here can accommodate larger trailers, but the road up to the campground can be washboard, depending on the time of year. The road within the campground was a little hard to navigate with my Mazda 6 - there was an area with a hole and also a larger bump. Some sites are pretty small, while others are quite large. There is very little shade during the day. You may get lucky with some early in the day or later, depending on your site location. Eagle Creek runs along some of the sites, which can make mosquitos an issue. There is a corral for horses and a large turn around area for trucks with trailers.

Water can be acquired at Arch Park in Gardiner.

Pack it in Pack it out

FCFS

Open all year

Sites:  10 Fees: $12.00 $5.00 for additional vehicle LIMIT: 16 day One bear box, picnic table on some sites, fire ring.  The gravel road in is very long and the last several miles the road narrows and it is rather bumpy. Nice size trailhead just as you turn into the campground. The pit toilet is right at the entrance and the toilet was very clean. The campground has been bush hogged and the sites are mowed so to speak.  Some sites had amenities and some didn't. I would not make the trip unless I am bringing my horses for the trail. Some sites had full sun, and some sites shade. The backdrop of the mountains is just beautiful.

Directions: 16 miles south of Big Timber, MT on US 298, 6.5 miles SW on County Road 30, 8 miles SW on West Boulder Road. Access is limited due to snow. Bring your supplies with you since it is so far back into the camp.

Pack it in, Pack it out,

LNT BTYFI

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I have visited this campground many times. The lakes around the campground are amazing for fishing and any other light water sports. I mostly fly fish and the streams feeding the lakes are great to fish. Fish of all types from whitefish to brown and rainbow trout. The campground is great and easy to camp in. I mostly tent camo and have yet to find a camp spot I didn't like. Great place for family camping and anyone else looking for great views and awesome fishing. Also an easy drive to the mystic lake trailhead.

Lots of campsites most in the woods with only a few next to the creek between the two lakes. I got there on Saturday at 3 pm and there were only 2 spots open. With the final gone within 30 minutes. Bathroom are a little far from the sites and don’t smell great but most of the sites have campers or RVs with many people spending the night to hike up to mystic or kayak in emerald lake.

This campground did the job. We wanted to stay close to Yellowstone and it was pretty cheap… it was packed though. I’m sure everything is in the area during august though. Our site was also supposed to have a bear box and it didn’t. It would have been helpful but it wasn’t a huge deal. The campground host was really awesome though and was so helpful. The bathrooms were super clean!

Stayed here for two nights in late June, to facilitate visits to Yellowstone.  Chose site 7, which is on a cul-de-sac so is the most private and secluded of the sites.  Most sites are out in the open and close to other sites.  Creek ran within a few feet of our site, and we were screened by aspen trees.  Great views!  Very quiet, no problem with misbehaving campers.  Decent outhouse.  No water, and you must pack out your trash.  Bear lockers are provided for you to secure your food and other "smellies" away from bears (this is grizzly country).  Access road is steep and rough.  Unfortunately, generators are allowed but luckily no one near us was using a generator when we were there.  The vibe was relaxed and low-key.  We reserved this site online (recreation.gov) six months in advance.  They sent us reminders several times.  Apparently, some bozos reserve a site and then don't show up.

Great, inexpensive campground minutes from the north entrance of Yellowstone.

First come first serve. We got in about 4 on a summer Tuesday and took the last spot. When we left at 8 on Thursday there were 3 or 4 vacant spots already.

Nice creek on one side. Huge variety of site sizes, some fit 3 or 4 tents, some barely 1.

I visited early in season and was glad to find this place it was close to Gardiner and was very satisfied with my stay other than waking to snow but it was early in season and wouldn't change it for the world. its located not far from the entrance to Yellowstone and was happy to pay the smaller fee than staying in yellowstone

It's a gorgeous drive up to the campground. Lots of wildlife in this area. I stayed here one cold week of March to get up before dawn and wolf watch in the park. I haven't stayed since but am up that road regularly- winter and summer views do not disappoint! There's a fire pit in each site, and a few scattered vault toilets. Some sites are a little close but there's lots of foliage to give you some space. Definitely an active bear area. I'd stay here again and probably will soon!

When it comes to Yellowstone camping can be difficult unless you plan far in advance and prices can soar in the summer months.   For those wanting a little better price points and convenient access to the northern most entrance visiting the Gallatin National Forest is a great option for finding that perfect location and still maintaining access.

I visited this area and was very impressed with the campground and the spacing it provided.   But more importantly I was happy to see that unlike the Yellowstone campgrounds which lack cell signal, at this location I was able to utilize my services through AT&T.    Sure that might not be something everyone considers when traveling, but when you work remotely being able to access the internet through my cell phone is very important.  I had been in the park for several days so stopping here was a good catch up opportunity.

The sites were each well spaced and offered a soft grassy pad for my tent when staying, unlike the darkened dry grassy lands around.   It was almost as though this location was an oasis, despite having no services.

Each sight provides a bear box, picnic table and fire ring, overall very standard for this area.    Additionally there were basic vault toilets which were very well maintained.  One person at the campground actually joked about that being a great hiding place should a bear enter camp...lol

Camping at this location has a 16 night limit and sites are only $7 per night, which is $20 less expensive than the closest Yellowstone campground.  Similar rules apply to this campground as others in the area.   There are no trash services so you have to pack in and out all of your trash.   Generators can be use throughout the camp during certain hours and there are fire restrictions during certain conditions and times (posted on the entry kiosk).   This is an honor system campground with a pay box at the entry, however I did notice it was patrolled at least once nightly by area Forest Service, unlike the pull off sites just beyond camp.

TIPS:

• If you need anything you can stop off just before turning onto the road at any number of stores, shops or restaurants in the low laying community.
• If you need high speed WIFI Subway in the local community has the best access for free.
• West Entrance allows you to split to to east which is where you will spot more wildlife versus the Western side of the park where you will find more of the geothermal features.

Awesome camp spot we stayed at for 3 nights. Road up to campground is def needed for 4WD.