Bozeman, MT (July 25, 2022) —Starting August 1st, fees will be charged at Battle Ridge and Blackmore Campgrounds on the Custer Gallatin National Forest, Bozeman Ranger District. The new fees will be $10/day at Battle Ridge Campground and $16/day at Blackmore Campground. Over the past 20+ years, these campgrounds have been available to the public for free, but as the community of Bozeman has grown and the number of camping visitors has increased, the campgrounds are experiencing increasing wear and tear. The new fees will allow for the continuation of high-quality national forest camping experiences close to Bozeman.
Battle Ridge Campground, in the Bridger Mountains north of Bozeman, provides 12 campsites with picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Blackmore Campground, along the outlet of Hyalite Lake, provides 10 campsites with picnic tables, fire rings, vault toilets, trash receptacles, and a water well nearby.
Battle Ridge Campground is operated by the Forest Service and fees will be collected through the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. This allows the Forest to use 95% of all fees collected to maintain the campground including repairing the water system, purchasing new picnic tables, and installing new toilets. The Blackmore Campground, along with most other campgrounds on the Bozeman Ranger District, is operated in partnership through a special use permit with Rocky Mountain Recreation Company. A percentage of fees collected at these sites is reinvested in improvements to the campgrounds including installation of new picnic tables at Blackmore Campground. The fees will also help provide funding for future investments such as new vault toilets and fire rings.
“While these new fees are a big change, they will allow for an improved camping experiences at two popular Bozeman area campgrounds”, says Corey Lewellen, Bozeman District Ranger. “New revenue will give us a chance to address deferred maintenance while also turning an eye toward future campground enhancements,”
For those looking for free camping options around Bozeman, there are numerous dispersed camping opportunities along Forest Service roads in the Bridger and Gallatin Mountains and at designated free sites in Hyalite Canyon. Camping is allowed within 300 feet of all roads on the Bozeman Ranger District with the exceptions of Hyalite Road #62, South Fork Hyalite Road #620, East Fork Hyalite Road #6280, and within a half mile of US Highway 191 in Gallatin Canyon.
