Parkside Campground And Group Campsites

Closed — Closed for the season. The campground operates with full services from late May through early September. Outside the fee season, the campground remains ungated and available for free camping, but with no water, limited maintenance, and roads not plowed.

About

Parkside Campground is located 12 miles south of Red Lodge, Montana along the Main Fork of Rock Creek at the base of the iconic Beartooth Highway switchbacks. The campground sits in the shadow of the Beartooth Range within Custer Gallatin National Forest, surrounded by aspen and pine forest at 7,150 feet elevation. The facility includes 26 single-family sites (three of which are accessible), two group sites accommodating up to 50 people, and a picnic area. The campground provides access to excellent fishing in Rock Creek and nearby 5-acre Greenough Lake, which offers rainbow trout fishing and opportunities for canoeing and kayaking. The Beartooth Wilderness can be accessed via the nearby Hellroaring and Lake Fork trailheads. The Parkside National Recreation Trail offers hiking and mountain biking, while Hellroaring Road is open to off-road vehicles. Wildlife including grizzly bears, deer, and elk inhabit the surrounding area. The Beartooth Highway, deemed "the most beautiful drive in America" by Charles Kuralt, provides spectacular scenic driving from Red Lodge to Cooke City. Yellowstone National Park's Northeast Entrance is 55 miles from the campground. The charming town of Red Lodge offers dining, lodging, galleries, and summer events including the Home of Champions Rodeo and Festival of Nations.

Directions

From Red Lodge, drive south on US Highway 212 toward Cooke City for 10.7 miles. Turn right onto Main Fork Road (Forest Road 2421) and continue 0.4 miles to the campground entrance on the right.

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