Hood Creek Campground

Custer Gallatin National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Bozeman, MT, MT

Price: From $26 per night

Price range: $26–$185 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (109 reviews)

Season: May through October

Hood Creek Campground is located next to scenic Hyalite Reservoir, on the Bozeman Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest. It is 17 miles south of the city of Bozeman, Mont. The surrounding area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking and climbing.For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.The campground offers sites for both overnight camping and day-use picnicking.

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

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

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

Located next to scenic Hyalite Reservoir on the Gallatin National Forest with well-spaced, private sites and amazing lake/mountain views. Offers diverse recreation including boating, fishing for Yellowstone cutthroat and Arctic grayling, hiking, and wildlife viewing.

Wildlife alert: Mountain lions present in area. Also expect mountain goats, American red squirrels, and birds including gray jays and American dippers.

Insider tips for Hood Creek Campground: Book early — it's a popular federal campground with limited 24 sites. Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available. 17 miles south of Bozeman via Hyalite Canyon Road for scenic access to hiking, mountain biking, and backpacking in the area.

Skip Hood Creek Campground if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at most sites.. You want a quiet camping experience — Google reviews note noise issues with motorcycles and late-night activity.. You're on a tight budget — prices have increased significantly in recent years..

Best time to visit Hood Creek Campground: May-October — Official operating season per RIDB..

Nearby campgrounds: Hyalite Pavilion (Bozeman, MT), Maxey Cabin (BOZEMAN, MT), Chisholm Campground (Bozeman, MT), Window Rock Cabin (BOZEMAN, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Hood Creek Campground

Cell signal at Hood Creek Campground (Bozeman, 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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Hood Creek Campground — photo 1
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Custer Gallatin National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Hood Creek Campground

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Bozeman, MT, MT★ 4.2 (109 reviews)From $26/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Hood Creek Campground is located next to scenic Hyalite Reservoir, on the Bozeman Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest. It is 17 miles south of the city of Bozeman, Mont. The surrounding area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking and climbing.For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.The campground offers sites for both overnight camping and day-use picnicking.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesBackpackersSites: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 sites1 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

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

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 at most sites.✕ You want a quiet camping experience — Google reviews note noise issues with motorcycles and late-night activity.✕ You're on a tight budget — prices have increased significantly in recent years.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

it's a popular federal campground with limited 24 sites.

Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available.

17 miles south of Bozeman via Hyalite Canyon Road for scenic access to hiking, mountain biking, and backpacking in the area.

Best: May-October

Official operating season per RIDB.

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 present in area. Also expect mountain goats, American red squirrels, and birds including gray jays and American dippers.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(406)646-1012· Custer Gallatin National Forest
Getting there →

From Main Street in Bozeman, travel south on 19th Avenue for 7 miles, to the paved Hyalite Canyon Road. Turn left and continue 10 miles to the campground.

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.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Hood Creek Campground cost per night?+
Hood Creek Campground costs $26–$185 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Hood Creek Campground open?+
Hood Creek Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Hood Creek Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Hood Creek Campground?+
Hood Creek Campground can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet.
How do I make reservations at Hood Creek Campground?+
Hood Creek 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 Hood Creek Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Hood Creek Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Hood Creek Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Hood Creek Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
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.

$26 /night★ 4.2 (109)
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 Hood Creek Campground cost per night?+
What season is Hood Creek Campground open?+
Does Hood Creek Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Hyalite Pavilion

Bozeman, MT

From $160/night

Maxey Cabin

BOZEMAN, MT

From $65/night

Chisholm Campground

Bozeman, MT

From $26/night

Window Rock Cabin

BOZEMAN, MT

From $65/night

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