Best Cabin Camping near Custer Gallatin National Forest

I come to this campground every single year and have for the past 9 years in a row (14 trips total).  This campground has all the amenities you may need or want!  Tent camping, cabin, RV, etc.  And I have done them all there.  There is a laundry room, showers, outdoor activities like biking, ice cream, mini-golf, playground, etc.  I typically rent a cabin nowadays.  I have stayed in the one-bedroom, and the two-bedroom deluxe with kitchen and bathroom/shower.  Both are great!  I highly recommend coming to this campground and cannot wait until I am there again this year!  

This campground is only 6 miles from the West Entrance.

I camped here twice last summer when I worked in the park as a wildlife research technician studying bats (This cabin may only be available for park staff). The hike in is best done as a through hike with a planned pick up on the other side. The trail is hard to follow in some areas. Starts out flat then you go up Mary Mountain where the cabin is located. The Mary mountain cabin is small but has enough bedding for up to 5 or 6 people. It has bunk beds, cots, tons of sleeping bags and pads. There is a cute porch, pic nic table, fire pit, and a double seated outhouse. Locks up nicely as there are definitely bears in the area. The small lake in front of the cabin is cold and clear. One of my favorite places in the park!

Without going into the plethora of reasons that you should visit Yellowstone, let me say that this campground stands on its own as a family-approved space. The views are fantastic (can you go wrong out in that part of the country) and the amenities are unparalleled in a campground.

There is every type of facility that you can imagine: washing, hot showers, dining, store, indoor heated pool, hot tub, etc. I mean, is this even camping? I was less than impressed with those features when we arrived and more with the fact that I was with my teenage daughter, younger brother, and father to see Yellowstone NP, but boy did that indoor pool and come in handy when it rained and got a bit chilly. The hot tub helped ease the hiking woes my body was taking in from the long hikes in the area.

Did you know there are so many stars? You feel like you can see them all from that darn KOA. The energy of the campground is palpable as the sites are only separated by a rustic wood fence. It is a busy place, so I was okay with that part. These days I prefer to be away from everyone or at least further 10', but my daughter loved it.

The main thing here is that I would recommend staying within Yellowstone if that is your purpose of your visit. It does book up fast, though, so this is still a viable option. I think we paid more for the KOA site vs. Grant Campground at the southern end of Yellowstone a couple of years later, but there is no comparison to what people paid to stay in town near the West Gate to YNP.

Oh, be ready for a LOOOONNGG wait at the YNP gate and DEFINITELY have your annual pass already purchased. We had a pass so we were able to skip about 30 minutes of a waiting to get in, but you still need to navigate four roads converging 1-2 miles out from the park's entrance. You've been warned.

About 20 minutes south of Bozeman, MT on scenic Hyalite Canyon Road sits Langohr Campground. There are 19 spacious single sites and the 20th site is a group picnic site for day use. Langohr Campground runs along Hyalite Creek and is tucked inside Custer Gallatin National Forest in a small open meadow with Douglas fir, Lodgepole pine, and Englemann Spruce. 

I was fortunate to find a campsite as a walk-in even after arriving mid-afternoon at the beginning of June 2019 because it was too late to reserve online. Each site does have a picnic table and fire ring, and electrical sites are available. Some are drive-in or back into sites, and a few are literally next to Hyalite Creek which is an added bonus. A heavy snowfall occurred a week before and remnants of it were scattered along the campground. Good thing I brought a snow scraper to clear the picnic table of snow. The fee is $20.00 per campsite for two vehicles and $8.00 for any additional vehicles. The group picnic site is $45.00 for day use. I paid cash for the site, but I believe you may also pay by credit card.

Many of the campers were settling in and had parked RVs and pop-ups. Pets are allowed but must be on a leash as wildlife such as bears, deers, moose, and elk frequent the area. Bear lockers should be used for food storage or properly stored in vehicles. There are huge bear safe trash and recycling containers near the entrance for campers to use. The bathroom is clean, free of odor and bugs, and it is a vault toilet. There are no showers, dump station, or camp store, but you are close to Bozeman.  The camp host was settled on site 11 and sells firewood for $6.00. You can take a walk along the Hyalite Creek or drive 3.5 miles south down to Hyalite Reservoir for other activities such as fishing, kayaking, canoeing, climbing, hiking, and boating. The night sky was pretty spectacular especially with the trees around on a clear day.

The campground has alot of spots available for tent and rv campers. They also have a few cabins as well. The cabins just have beds in them and no other amenities. The bathrooms were the cleanest ive ever seen for a campground to include their showers. The water is great for drinking and the lake is easy to access from 80% of the camping spots. They have pavilions for picnics and large areas for dogs and kids to play. The water on the south side of the lake by the dock is Shallow for quite a ways so swimming with kids is doable. The lake is forgiving for kayaks and other small watercraft until the wind picks up then it can be dangerous. The staff was awesome, they had bear bins for your trash and the park was well maintained. If your looking for a nice getaway give this park a shot, you won't be disappointed.

The Maxey Cabin, although sparse in its' appointments, is a magical destination that is accesible year round. With two sleeping cabins, a large sun deck, fire pit and outdoor swing, this forest service cabin offers the active ncabin camper a gateway to the many recreation opportunities available in the world famous Hyalite Canyon recreation area- Bozeman's backyard.

The main cabin offers a table and chairs, two double bunk beds, wood stove for heat and a small counter area for preparing your meals. Guests need to bring their own water supply and all cooking supplies including stove, pots and pans and utensils. The second cabin has two single bunk beds and a table.

Invite your friends because they will want to share in the quiet solitude of Maxey cabin and there is plenty of room. At approximately a 35 minute drive from Bozeman, the convenience of this retreat is unmatched.

Excellently maintained and kept clean throughout, visitors to Maxey cabin can survey the surrounding mountains from the large front deck. Once you've been, you'll wonder why you haven't been before and not want to tell your friends.

If you are planning a weekend excursion, be prepared to reserve your spot 6 months in advance as reservations typically are in high demand.