USDA Forest Service · Montana
Emerald Lake Campground
USDA Forest Service · Montana, United States
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 6,342 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- EMERALD LAKE SOUTH LOOP (NFSR 2072D) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Custer Gallatin National Forest
- Nearest town
- Alpine
- Address
- MT
- Activities
- <p> <a href="http://prdp2fs.ess.usda.gov/recarea/gallatin/recarea/?recid=60865">Pine Grove Campground</a>, which has more sites, is also in the West Rosebud drainage.</p> , <p> For detailed information on Mystic Lake, Emerald Lake and West Rosebud Lake, go to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks' <a href="http://fwp.mt.gov/regions/r5/mountainlakes.html">Mountain Lakes Guide</a>.</p> <p> For detailed information on fishing in West Rosebud Creek, go to <a href="http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/mFish/">MFISH</a>.</p> , <p> Mystic Lake is a very popular hiking destination. It is less than 3 miles to the lake, which provides scenic views, hiking opportunities, and fishing.</p> , <p> Picnicking is allowed in vacant campsites. If visitors stay 30 minutes or less, the site is free. For longer day-use stays, the fee is half price the overnight fee. The overnight fee for Emerald Lake Campground is $9 per site.</p>
About
Emerald Lake is in the West Rosebud drainage and is nestled in the trees between Emerald Lake and West Rosebud Lake. West Rosebud Trail (#19), Pine Grove Campground, Emerald Lake Fishing Access and West Rosebud Lake Fishing Access are also located in the West Rosebud drainage.
There is a 16 day maximum stay in all Beartooth Ranger District campgrounds. For a road map of the area, with locations of campgrounds, please see our Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM).
Camp sites: 32
Host: No
Max trailer length: 30ft
Accessible Facilities: Toilet
Trash Pickup: Centrally located Bear resistant dumpster
Firewood: No. Don't move firewood to other areas or bring in outside firewood. Prevent the spread of tree-killing insects by obtaining firewood near your destination and burning it there.
Reservations:
No Reservations: This campground does not use a reservation system; it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Be aware that the campground is very popular and may fill up on weekends & holidays during the summer months. You should arrive early to ensure there is a space available for the night. There is a 16 day stay limit. Some sites are equipped with bear resistant food storage lockers.
This campground is maintained from approximately Memorial Day to Labor Day (call district office for exact season dates). During these dates there is a fee to stay in the campground (listed below).
Outside of the peak summer dates (Memorial Day- Labor Day), the campground remains ungated, free, and available for use (no services, not maintained, roads are not plowed). If you visit outside the peak fee season, please bring your own water, toilet paper (outhouse will remain open), and please pack out your trash.
Directions from district office:
Drive north on US Hwy 212 for 2.1 miles and turn left (west) onto MT-78. Drive 30.0 miles and turn left (west) onto MT-419 towards Fishtail. Drive 4.4 miles (through Fishtail) and turn left (south) onto West Rosebud Rd. Drive 6.5 miles and turn left (south) to continue on West Rosebud Rd. Drive 12.4 miles to the campground, on the left.
Information:
Beartooth Ranger District
6811 US Hwy 212
Red Lodge, MT 59068
(406) 446-2103
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 15° | -22° | 43° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 30° | 14° | -19° | 47° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 38° | 21° | 5° | 55° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 43° | 26° | 1° | 61° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 51° | 35° | 17° | 70° | 7 of 11 |
| June | 66° | 44° | 31° | 88° | 1 of 11 |
| July | 77° | 53° | 41° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 76° | 52° | 44° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 67° | 44° | 19° | 80° | 3 of 11 |
| October | 51° | 33° | 14° | 71° | 9 of 10 |
| November | 41° | 23° | -11° | 61° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 32° | 16° | -3° | 45° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Pine Grove Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- East Rosebud Campground · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi
- Jimmy Joe Campground · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi
- Woodbine Campground · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 44 sites
- Cascade · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi · 30 sites
All public campgrounds in Montana · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.