Eldridge Guard Station

Custer Gallatin National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: West Yellowstone, MT, MT

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (9 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Eldridge Guard Station is a primitive, rustic, log structure open year-round for recreational enjoyment. It provides access to several trails for summer hiking and biking, and winter skiing and snowmobiling. The cabin can be accessed by vehicle in warmer weather, but snow conditions may require a two mile trek on skis, snowshoes, or by snowmobile.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Firewood for Sale

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

Eldridge Guard Station is a primitive, rustic log structure offering year-round access to trails for summer hiking and biking, plus winter skiing and snowmobiling in the West Yellowstone area.

Wildlife alert: American Elk, Moose, Long-tailed Weasel, American Red Squirrel, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake present in the area.

Insider tips for Eldridge Guard Station: Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability. Warm weather vehicle access does not start until May when snow has melted. Winter access requires guests to trek two miles by ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile.

Skip Eldridge Guard Station if: You need hookups - no hookups available at this site.. You require amenities beyond fire rings, picnic tables, and drinking water - this is a primitive facility and guests must bring their own amenities.. You cannot arrange your own travel and safety provisions..

Best time to visit Eldridge Guard Station: May-September — Warm weather vehicle access begins in May when snow has melted. Summer hiking and biking available.. December-March — Winter activities including skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling available, though access requires two-mile trek by ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile..

Nearby campgrounds: Wapiti Cabin (WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT), Red Cliff Campground (Gallatin Gateway, MT), Yellow Mule Cabin (BOZEMAN, MT), Beaver Creek Cabin (Mt) (WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Eldridge Guard Station

Cell signal at Eldridge Guard Station (West Yellowstone, 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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Custer Gallatin National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Eldridge Guard Station

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West Yellowstone, MT, MT★ 4.8 (9 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Eldridge Guard Station is a primitive, rustic, log structure open year-round for recreational enjoyment. It provides access to several trails for summer hiking and biking, and winter skiing and snowmobiling. The cabin can be accessed by vehicle in warmer weather, but snow conditions may require a two mile trek on skis, snowshoes, or by snowmobile.

Best for:HikersWildlife watchersSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFirewood for Sale
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

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 require amenities beyond fire rings, picnic tables, and drinking water - this is a primitive facility and guests must bring their own amenities.✕ You cannot arrange your own travel and safety provisions.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability.

Warm weather vehicle access does not start until May when snow has melted.

Winter access requires guests to trek two miles by ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile.

Best: May-September

Warm weather vehicle access begins in May when snow has melted. Summer hiking and biking available.

Best: December-March

Winter activities including skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling available, though access requires two-mile trek by ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile.

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: American Elk, Moose, Long-tailed Weasel, American Red Squirrel, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
45.0698611, 111.3123056· Custer Gallatin National Forest
Getting there →

Please note: warm weather access doesn't start until May when snow has melted out. Summer Access: From West Yellowstone, Montana, proceed north on Highway 191 for approximately 33.5 miles. Turn left on Taylor Fork Road/Forest Service Road 134 and proceed for approximately 6.5 miles. The cabin will be on the left side of the road. Parking is in front of the cabin. Winter Access: From West Yellowstone, Montana, proceed north on Highway 191 for approximately 33.5 miles. Turn left on Taylor Fork Roa

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 Eldridge Guard Station cost per night?+
Eldridge Guard Station costs $75 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Eldridge Guard Station open?+
Eldridge Guard Station is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Eldridge Guard Station have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Eldridge Guard Station?+
Eldridge Guard Station is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Eldridge Guard Station?+
Eldridge Guard Station 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 Eldridge Guard Station?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Eldridge Guard Station is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Eldridge Guard Station open, and what are check-in times?+
Eldridge Guard Station is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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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.

$75 /night★ 4.8 (9)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
What to do when Yellowstone National Park is sold out →
FAQ
How much does Eldridge Guard Station cost per night?+
What season is Eldridge Guard Station open?+
Does Eldridge Guard Station have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Wapiti Cabin

WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT

From $65/night

Red Cliff Campground

Gallatin Gateway, MT

From $26/night

Yellow Mule Cabin

BOZEMAN, MT

From $55/night

Beaver Creek Cabin (Mt)

WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT

From $65/night

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