Crystal Lake Group Campsite

Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: White Sulphur Springs, MT, MT

Price: From $40 per night

Rating: 3.4 out of 5 (5 reviews)

Season: May through October

The Crystal Lake Group Campground is located in the beautiful Big Snowies south of Lewistown, Montana, at 5,700 feet. Home to the Crystal Lake recreation area, visitors enjoy hiking and fishing in the Snowies.The lake provides opportunities for swimming, fishing and canoeing. The various trails that stem from the Crystal Lake complex provide excellent views and interesting photo opportunities.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/crystal-lake-group-campsite to be notified when sites open up.

Crystal Lake Group Campsite offers excellent hiking, fishing, and water recreation in the scenic Big Snowies at 5,700 feet elevation. Campers praise the gorgeous lake, sparkling waterfalls, ice caves, and serene no-wake conditions ideal for canoeing.

Wildlife alert: Mountain lions, elk, and mule deer present in area; also ruffed grouse and dusky grouse

Insider tips for Crystal Lake Group Campsite: Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand Crystal Lake Road is narrow—RVs and large vehicles may find access challenging; high-clearance vehicles recommended Only 1 tent site available, so expect limited availability

Skip Crystal Lake Group Campsite if: You need hookups—no hookups available at this site. You prefer shaded campsites—recent tree removal has left the area wide open with minimal shade or privacy. You're traveling outside May-October—campground operates seasonally.

Best time to visit Crystal Lake Group Campsite: July-September — Peak season within May-October operating window; avoids early/late shoulder season weather.

Nearby campgrounds: Crystal Lake Cabin (STANFORD, MT), Judith Guard Station (STANFORD, MT), Hunters Spring Cabin (HARLOWTON, MT), Dry Wolf Cabin (STANFORD, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Crystal Lake Group Campsite

Cell signal at Crystal Lake Group Campsite (White Sulphur Springs, 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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Crystal Lake Group Campsite — photo 1
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Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Crystal Lake Group Campsite

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White Sulphur Springs, MT, MT★ 3.4 (5 reviews)From $40/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Crystal Lake Group Campground is located in the beautiful Big Snowies south of Lewistown, Montana, at 5,700 feet. Home to the Crystal Lake recreation area, visitors enjoy hiking and fishing in the Snowies.The lake provides opportunities for swimming, fishing and canoeing. The various trails that stem from the Crystal Lake complex provide excellent views and interesting photo opportunities.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites:Tent
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
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites1 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Fishing

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 hookups—no hookups available at this site✕ You prefer shaded campsites—recent tree removal has left the area wide open with minimal shade or privacy✕ You're traveling outside May-October—campground operates seasonally

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand

Crystal Lake Road is narrow

RVs and large vehicles may find access challenging; high-clearance vehicles recommended

Only 1 tent site available, so expect limited availability

Best: July-September

Peak season within May-October operating window; avoids early/late shoulder season weather

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: Mountain lions, elk, and mule deer present in area; also ruffed grouse and dusky grouse

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-566-2292 OR 406-236-5511· Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Getting there →

From Lewistown, drive west on Montana Highway 200/US 87 for about 8 miles. Turn left (south) on Crystal Lake Road. Continue south, following the well-signed directions to the lake for 20 miles. At the "T" junction, turn left and continue on to Crystal Lake. The last 6 miles is paved and mostly a single lane. On December 1, the paved section is gated, and access beyond the gate is by snowmobile, skis, snowshoes or hiking only.

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 — Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Crystal Lake Group Campsite cost per night?+
Crystal Lake Group Campsite costs $40 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Crystal Lake Group Campsite open?+
Crystal Lake Group Campsite is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Crystal Lake Group Campsite have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Crystal Lake Group Campsite?+
Crystal Lake Group Campsite is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Crystal Lake Group Campsite?+
Crystal Lake Group Campsite 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 Crystal Lake Group Campsite?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Crystal Lake Group Campsite is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Crystal Lake Group Campsite open, and what are check-in times?+
Crystal Lake Group Campsite is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
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●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.

$40 /night★ 3.4 (5)
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 Crystal Lake Group Campsite cost per night?+
What season is Crystal Lake Group Campsite open?+
Does Crystal Lake Group Campsite have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Crystal Lake Cabin

STANFORD, MT

From $60/night

Judith Guard Station

STANFORD, MT

From $60/night

Hunters Spring Cabin

HARLOWTON, MT

From $65/night

Dry Wolf Cabin

STANFORD, MT

From $55/night

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