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Initial Creek Campground

This free campground is located on the West Fork Stillwater Road and is near the West Fork Stillwater Trail (#90). The campground is maintained from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but is opened the rest of the year without services. There is a 16 day stay limit for all Beartooth Ranger District campgrounds.

For a road map of the area, which shows campground locations, please see our Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM)

Reservations
No Reservations. This campground does not use a reservation system, it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Be aware the campground may fill up on weekends & holidays during the summer months and you should arrive in the early afternoon to ensure there is a space available for the night. There is a 16 day stay limit.  Some sites in campground have bear resistant food storage lockers. Individual camp sites vary in size, but the max trailer length is 20ft.

Initial Creek Campground remains open year-round. However, in the off-season, the roads to the campground are not plowed and the campground is not maintained. There is no water and no services. Please pack out all of your trash.

Directions from district office:
Drive north on US Hwy 212 for 2.1 miles. Turn left (west) onto MT-78 and drive 30 miles. Turn left (west) onto MT-419 towards Fishtail. Drive through Nye and for a total of 25.9 miles. Immediately after the Stillwater Mine, turn right (west) onto the West Fork Stillwater Rd (FR 2846). Drive 7.8 miles to the trailhead.

*The West Fork Stillwater Rd is a rough road. High clearance vehicles are advised.

Information:
Beartooth Ranger District Office
6811 US Hwy 212
Red Lodge, MT 59068
(406) 446-2103

Activities