★ Field-verified · Dave's ownUSFS · dispersedFree
Gallatin County
Drive-up · U.S. Forest Service · Gallatin County, MT · 44.69494, -111.26496
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Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on U.S. Forest Service land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
A secluded, primitive campsite in the National Forest west of Yellowstone, near the city of West Yellowstone. Next to picturesque creek, and features a fire ring, but no other conveniences. This is a nice place to stay due to its proximity to town and Yellowstone. Other boondockers may be present at neighboring sites. Some cell service. Enough room for one or two vehicles. Somewhat recommended.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 6,822 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- FFuel6 mi
- LLaundry8 mi
- HHardware8 mi
- ShShower8 mi
- DDump8 mi
- GGrocery8 mi
- @Mail8 mi
- OOutfitter8 mi
- MMechanic17 mi
- WWater20 mi
- +Urgent care27 mi
- RxPharmacy54 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
The read: water is a real 20-mi drive, fuel & food sit about 6 mi out.
Not within 60 mi: Propane. Plan those before you head up.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Access
Drive-up
Land
U.S. Forest Service · dispersed
Elevation
6,822 ft
County
Gallatin County, MT
Coordinates
44.69494, -111.26496
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Resupply lookup unavailable — try the map links below.
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
Had a signal
Getting there
Any vehicle managed it
Fire ring
Yes
Toilet on site
No
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Vault / pit toiletBasin Station · ~1.7 mi NE · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletHorse Butte · ~5.1 mi NE · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletSpring Creek Camp Area · ~6.2 mi N · USFS
- Vault / pit toiletRainbow Point Campground · ~7.3 mi NE · USFS
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Lonesomehurst 1~2.9 mi
- Cherrycr Disp 2~3.4 mi
- Cherrycr Disp 1~3.5 mi
- Cherry Creek Campground~3.9 mi
Snow, and when this opens
The nearest automatic snow station is Whiskey Creek at 6,790 ft, about 8 miles away. That is about the height of this camp, so it is a fair proxy. We do not repeat a depth here, because any number we stored would be stale by the time you read it — the station publishes today's.
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (Gallatin County, MT). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Winter vs summer roads →Water on public land →What “dispersed” means here →How to read this page →All field notes →
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →