Montana · Camping

Vigilante Campground

May–Sep
best months

Is Vigilante Campground open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

  • At 4,416 ft
  • Helena Ranger DistrictHelena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

Vigilante Campground is a 7-acre Forest Service site in the Helena Ranger District of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, about 24 miles northeast of Helena in the Big Belt Mountains. The route in from Helena runs northeast on Highway #280 across the Missouri River to the community of York, then straight on Road #4 to the campground. The site has vault toilets, and a fee is charged for stays. It serves as a base for two trails: the Hanging Valley National Recreation Trail and the scenic Trout Creek Canyon Trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 81°F with lows near 44°F, while winter highs sit in the mid-30s. Trout Creek Canyon and Beartrap are both within a mile, and Magpie Gulch is about 2.6 miles away. West Big Belts Gfa - Magpie Creek Cua is a campground roughly 3.4 miles off.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Vigilante Campground

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    2. Feb

      37° / 15°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      45° / 21°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      53° / 28°

      8 wet

    5. May

      62° / 35°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      70° / 41°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 44°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 43°

      7 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 37°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      56° / 30°

      7 wet

    11. Nov

      43° / 22°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cascade 20 Sse, MT, 16.2 mi away at 4,600 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.