Red Cliff Campground

Custer Gallatin National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Gallatin Gateway, MT, MT

Price: From $26 per night

Price range: $26–$35 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (272 reviews)

Season: May through October

Red Cliff Campground is located in the scenic Gallatin Canyon, on the Bozeman Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest, in Montana. Bozeman is 46 miles north of the campground and West Yellowstone is 45 miles south. The campground is adjacent to the Gallatin River and Highway 191.

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

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

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

Red Cliff Campground sits on the scenic Gallatin River in Gallatin Canyon with excellent hiking, fishing, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Campers praise it as a lovely spot with all sites featuring fire rings and picnic tables, plus a free dump station.

Wildlife alert: Moose, Wapiti (Elk), Mule Deer, Bald Eagles, and American Goshawks present in the area. Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes also verified nearby.

Insider tips for Red Cliff Campground: Book early — this is a popular federal campground with limited availability. South loop (1/2 of campground) has electric hookups on select sites; request these sites if needed. Free dump station on-site; potable water available but no water/sewer hookups. Hiking trail departs from south end of campground.

Skip Red Cliff Campground if: You need water or sewer hookups — only electric available on select sites in south loop.. You prefer to camp during winter months — seasonal closure November through April.. You dislike crowds — RV side can get busy during peak season..

Best time to visit Red Cliff Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: Eldridge Guard Station (West Yellowstone, MT), Yellow Mule Cabin (BOZEMAN, MT), Windy Pass Cabin (Gallatin Gateway, MT), Wapiti Cabin (WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Red Cliff Campground

Cell signal at Red Cliff Campground (Gallatin Gateway, 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.

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

Red Cliff Campground

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Gallatin Gateway, MT, MT★ 4.4 (272 reviews)From $26/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Red Cliff Campground is located in the scenic Gallatin Canyon, on the Bozeman Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest, in Montana. Bozeman is 46 miles north of the campground and West Yellowstone is 45 miles south. The campground is adjacent to the Gallatin River and Highway 191.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesBackpackersSites: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
Hookups27 electric sites
Bear boxesYes — at every site
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

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 water or sewer hookups — only electric available on select sites in south loop.✕ You prefer to camp during winter months — seasonal closure November through April.✕ You dislike crowds — RV side can get busy during peak season.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with limited availability.

South loop (1/2 of campground) has electric hookups on select sites; request these sites if needed.

Free dump station on-site; potable water available but no water/sewer hookups.

Hiking trail departs from south end of campground.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

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: Moose, Wapiti (Elk), Mule Deer, Bald Eagles, and American Goshawks present in the area. Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes also verified nearby.

Location

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

From Bozeman, travel south on Highway 191 for 46 miles to the campground. From West Yellowstone, take Highway 191 north for 45 miles.

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 Red Cliff Campground cost per night?+
Red Cliff Campground costs $26–$35 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Red Cliff Campground open?+
Red Cliff Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Red Cliff Campground have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Red Cliff Campground?+
Red Cliff Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Red Cliff Campground?+
Red Cliff 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 Red Cliff Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Red Cliff Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Red Cliff Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Red Cliff Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
●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★ 4.4 (272)
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 Red Cliff Campground cost per night?+
What season is Red Cliff Campground open?+
Does Red Cliff Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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