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Basin Montana Campground

Custer Gallatin National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: RED LODGE, MT, MT

Price: From $20 per night

Price range: $20–$33 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (152 reviews)

Season: May through October

Basin Campground is located 7 miles west of Red Lodge, Montana, along Forest Road 2071, which is paved all the way to the campground. The area is a popular location for hiking, backpacking and fishing. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with grill.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/basin-montana-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Basin Campground offers direct access to excellent fishing on the West Fork of Rock Creek and Wild Bill Lake, plus the Basin Lakes Trailhead is just across the road for immediate hiking and backpacking opportunities.

Wildlife alert: Gray wolves and moose have been documented in the area within the past research observations. Exercise standard precautions and store food securely.

Insider tips for Basin Montana Campground: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 29 sites and high demand Bring a fishing rod: accessible fishing dock on Wild Bill Lake and West Fork Rock Creek fishing are main draws Use the paved Forest Road 2071 approach (7 miles from Red Lodge); confirms easy vehicle access to trailheads

Skip Basin Montana Campground if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs. You want a campground open year-round—seasonal May through October only. You require full-facility amenities—only vault toilets and drinking water available.

Best time to visit Basin Montana Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only. Late summer through early fall — Access to fishing and water-based activities at Wild Bill Lake with kayaking and canoeing opportunities.

Nearby campgrounds: Cascade (RED LODGE, MT), Sheridan (RED LODGE, MT), Parkside (RED LODGE, MT), Rattin Campground (RED LODGE, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Basin Montana Campground

Cell signal at Basin Montana Campground (RED LODGE, MT): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

    Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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    CamperWatch›MT›Basin Montana Campground
    Basin Montana Campground — photo 1
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    Custer Gallatin National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

    Basin Montana Campground

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    RED LODGE, MT, MT★ 4.6 (152 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
    On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

    Basin Campground is located 7 miles west of Red Lodge, Montana, along Forest Road 2071, which is paved all the way to the campground. The area is a popular location for hiking, backpacking and fishing. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with grill.

    Best for:AnglersHikersSites:TentRV
    LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

    Verified facts

    RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
    Check-in2:00 PM
    Check-out12:00 PM
    SeasonMay through October
    Stay limit14 days
    Max RV45 ft
    HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    ADA sites6 sites
    PetsAllowed
    CampfiresAllowed
    Max/site6 people

    Amenities

    RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
    Essentials
    Fire RingsDrinking Water
    Recreation
    Picnic TablesFishing
    Family & Pets
    Vault Toilets

    Straight talk

    CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

    Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

    Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
    Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You want a campground open year-round—seasonal May through October only✕ You require full-facility amenities—only vault toilets and drinking water available

    Insider tips & when to go

    CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

    Book early

    this is a federal campground with only 29 sites and high demand

    Bring a fishing rod: accessible fishing dock on Wild Bill Lake and West Fork Rock Creek fishing are main draws

    Use the paved Forest Road 2071 approach (7 miles from Red Lodge); confirms easy vehicle access to trailheads

    Best: May-October

    Campground operates seasonally during these months only

    Best: Late summer through early fall

    Access to fishing and water-based activities at Wild Bill Lake with kayaking and canoeing opportunities

    Things to do nearby

    RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

    Conditions today

    Live
    at campground coordinates

    Cell signal

    FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
    T-Mobile
    4G · 0%
    Verizon
    4G · 0%
    AT&T
    4G · 0%

    FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

    Wildlife nearby

    iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
    Alert: Gray wolves and moose have been documented in the area within the past research observations. Exercise standard precautions and store food securely.

    Location

    Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
    Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
    406-587-9054· Custer Gallatin National Forest
    camping@rrmofa.com
    Getting there →

    From US Hwy 212 (Beartooth Scenic Byway), travel to the south end of Red Lodge, MT. Turn west on West Fork Rock Creek Road (Forest Road 2071), and proceed approximately 7 miles to the campground entrance on the right.

    Campground entrance

    Google Maps API

    Community

    #community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

    Pro tips

    • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Custer Gallatin National Forest fills fast in peak season.
    • Check current road conditions at Custer Gallatin National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
    • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

    Frequently asked questions

    RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
    How much does Basin Montana Campground cost per night?+
    Basin Montana Campground costs $20–$33 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What season is Basin Montana Campground open?+
    Basin Montana Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Does Basin Montana Campground have hookups?+
    No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What is the maximum RV length at Basin Montana Campground?+
    Basin Montana Campground can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet.
    How do I make reservations at Basin Montana Campground?+
    Basin Montana Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
    What is the cell service like at Basin Montana Campground?+
    According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Basin Montana Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
    What season is Basin Montana Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
    Basin Montana Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

    Official resources

    Print Facility MapRecreation Resource Management of America
    Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
    ●Data sources on this page
    Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
    recreation.gov · RIDB API
    National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
    api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
    Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
    airquality.googleapis.com
    iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
    api.inaturalist.org
    Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
    pollen.googleapis.com
    FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
    broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
    Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
    api.sunrise-sunset.org
    Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
    maps.googleapis.com
    RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
    ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

    CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

    $20 /night★ 4.6 (152)
    SeasonMay through October
    Check-in2:00 PM
    Check-out12:00 PM
    Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
    Dates full? Get an availability alert
    FAQ
    How much does Basin Montana Campground cost per night?+
    What season is Basin Montana Campground open?+
    Does Basin Montana Campground have hookups?+
    All 7 questions →

    Nearby Campgrounds

    Cascade

    RED LODGE, MT

    From $18/night

    Sheridan

    RED LODGE, MT

    From $18/night

    Parkside

    RED LODGE, MT

    From $20/night

    Rattin Campground

    RED LODGE, MT

    From $18/night

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    $20–33 /nightNo booking fees
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