Thain Creek Campground
Thain Creek Campground is the only campground in the Highwood Mountains. One of the 19 campsites can accommodate a maximum trailer length of 40 feet. The campground is usually open from May through the middle of fall. A nearby trailhead leads up to Windy Mountain and back on a 6 mile loop trail, offering scenic views of the surrounding plains and faraway mountains. Other hikes are along Briggs Creek or from the North Fork Highwood Creek Trailhead. Please heed seasonal trail closures, as all trails in the Highwoods close either September 1st or Oct 15th. Reservations are not available.
More like this: first-come in Montana · tent only in Montana
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | $10 per night for single unit |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Season | May to November |
| Forest | Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest |
| Fees | $10 per night for single unit |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 47.4756° N, 110.5853° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedCoyote Divide Piles Rx
37 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Fairgrounds RV Dump ↗ | 23.4 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Couger Canyon Lodge ↗ | 28.6 mi |
| RV sales & service | Pierce RV Supercenter ↗ | 30.4 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Trails nearby
- 0.2 miWindy Mountain ↗4.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 0.3 miThain Creek2.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 0.4 miBriggs Creek3.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 0.4 miNorth Fork Highwood Creek ↗6.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 0.5 miHighwoods Environmental Ed1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.5 miCenter Ridge ↗5.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest begins about 3.7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 3.7 miHelena-Lewis and Clark National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,177,729 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Guidebooks for Montana
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Reference
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to camp at Thain Creek Campground?
$10 per night for single unit
Source: Forest Service
Is Thain Creek Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026. Season May to November.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Thain Creek Campground have?
19 sites.
Source: Forest Service
Can I bring an RV to Thain Creek Campground?
Thain Creek Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Thain Creek Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Logging Creek Campground (32.6 mi, first-come), Aspen Campground (34.5 mi, first-come), and Many Pines Campground (40.2 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby