U.S. Forest Service · Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest · Montana

Benchmark Campground

Benchmark Camping area is located approximately 30 miles west of Augusta, Montana. It has 25 campsites and available from Summer until Fall. Bears may frequent the area; keep all food out of sight in approved containers and remove all food from area after eating. Mandatory food storage is required.

Closed for the seasonTakes reservations25 sitesFrom $10 per nightTents only

More like this: reservable in Montana · tent only in Montana

Benchmark Campground
Photo from the area. Forest Service - Northern Region (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
4fires
active
Rx D6 Horseshoe West Unit 37 (prescribed burn) · 34 mi away · 72 acres
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
Fees$10/night for single unit & $5/night for extra vehicle

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonMay
ForestHelena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
BookingCall the Rocky Mountain Ranger District for information regarding reservations for large groups.
Fees$10/night for single unit & $5/night for extra vehicle
RulesFollow food storage regulations, and pay attention to fire danger warnings.

Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Benchmark Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.67 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.92 inches of precipitationMarch: 0.82 inches of precipitationApril: 1.63 inches of precipitationMay: 2.93 inches of precipitationJune: 3.13 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.14 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.33 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.31 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.12 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.78 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.77 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 24.0°F averageFebruary: 24.1°F averageMarch: 30.5°F averageApril: 37.6°F averageMay: 45.9°F averageJune: 53.3°F averageJuly: 61.6°F averageAugust: 60.4°F averageSeptember: 51.9°F averageOctober: 41.2°F averageNovember: 31.2°F averageDecember: 23.9°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Gibson Dam, 10 miles from the campground at 4,590 feet, station USC00243489 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year.

Getting there

Coordinates47.4858° N, 112.8808° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Rx D6 Horseshoe West Unit 37

    34 mi from the campground · 72 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx D6 Horseshoe West Unit 20

    34 mi from the campground · 99 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx D6 Horseshoe West Unit 23

    34 mi from the campground · 115 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx D6 Horseshoe West Unit 38

    34 mi from the campground · 40 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Explore

Video

Benchmark Coach & RV Park Campground Review (RV Living Full Time)

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.3 mi
    Straight Creek ↗
    16.6 mi trail · hiking, horse · national_scenic_or_historic
  • 0.3 mi
    Fairview Creek ↗
    10.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 0.7 mi
    Benchmark Creek ↗
    7.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 0.7 mi
    Benchmark Corral Spur
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.8 mi
    14 Mile Connector
    0.08 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 0.8 mi
    Benchmark Cabin Spur
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Bob Marshall Wilderness, which overlaps Lolo National Forest.

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.

Guidebooks for Montana

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Montana
    Vicky Soderberg and Ken Soderberg, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon Montana, Wyoming and Idaho Camping
    Becky Lomax, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Montana
    Kenneth L. Graham, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Benchmark Campground?

Sites at Benchmark Campground take reservations. Call the Rocky Mountain Ranger District for information regarding reservations for large groups. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Benchmark Campground?

$10/night for single unit & $5/night for extra vehicle

Source: Forest Service

Is Benchmark Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026. Season May.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Benchmark Campground have?

25 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Benchmark Campground?

Benchmark Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Benchmark Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Van Deriet Campground (1 mi, first-come), South Fork Campground (1.1 mi), and Wood Lake Campground (5.7 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby