Vigilante Campground
Vigilante Campground is located approximately 24 miles northeast of Helena in the Big Belt Mountains. To access the campground travel northeast of Helena on Highway #280, across the Missouri River to the small community of York. At York continue driving straight on Road #4 to the campground. This 7 acre campground provides access to the Hanging Valley National Recreation Trail and the scenic Trout Creek Canyon Trail.
More like this: first-come in Montana · tent only in Montana
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | $15/night for a single unit. $5/night for an extra vehicle. |
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. |
| Forest | Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest |
| Fees | $15/night for a single unit. $5/night for an extra vehicle. |
| Rules | Maximum length for trailers is 16ft. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 46.7669° N, 111.6506° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedKelly Gulch Rx
4 mi from the campground · 1,550 acres
- PrescribedWakina Sky Rx
25 mi from the campground · 300 acres
- PrescribedCoyote Divide Piles Rx
44 mi from the campground
- PrescribedGill Gulch Piles Rx
49 mi from the campground · 10 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 11.4 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Sierra ↗ | 19.9 mi |
| RV sales & service | D & D RV Center ↗ | 20.4 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 4.5 miNever Sweat Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 9.5 miClark's Bay Day Use Site ↗Day use
- 12 miMissouri River Fishing Access Site ↗Fishing site
- 13.8 miMeriwether Picnic Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miTrout Creek Canyon ↗3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.1 miHanging Valley ↗5.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_recreation_or_other
- 0.7 miBeartrap4.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.9 miMagpie Gulch0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.6 miMagpie Meadows Connection0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 3 miNever Sweat4.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 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
Gates of the Mountains Wilderness begins about 6.8 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 6.8 miGates of the Mountains Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 28,460 acres
- 7.1 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
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Guidebooks for Montana
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Reference
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to camp at Vigilante Campground?
$15/night for a single unit. $5/night for an extra vehicle.
Source: Forest Service
Is Vigilante Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Vigilante Campground?
Vigilante Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Vigilante Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Court Sheriff Campground (8 mi), Chinamen's Campground (8.2 mi), and Jo Bonner Campground (8.6 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby