USDA Forest Service · Montana
Thain Creek Campground
USDA Forest Service · Montana, United States
- Cost
- Overnight Use: Single Site: $10 per night
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 4,551 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
- THAIN CREEK CAMP SPUR (NFSR 8841-A) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Nearest town
- Great Falls, MT
About
US Forest Service campground. Thain Creek Campground is the only campground in the Highwood Mountains. One of the 19 campsites can accommodate a maximum trailer length of 40 feet. The campground is usually open from May through the middle of fall. A nearby trailhead leads up to Windy Mountain and back on a 6 mile loop trail, offering scenic views of the surrounding plains and faraway mountains. Other hikes are along Briggs Creek or from the North Fork Highwood Creek Trailhead. Please heed seasonal trail closures, as all trails in the Highwoods close either September 1st or Oct 15th . All campgrounds on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest are first-come, first-served. Reservations are not available. Camping is limited to 16 consecutive days in one location. A campground fee is required. Please pay at the self-serve campground fee station. Campsites cannot be reserved by simply paying for the site; camper must be present. A food storage order is in effect to prevent human-bear conflicts on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Store all unattended food and attractants properly. Please see Food Storage Order for specifics. Open and close dates can vary depending on snowfall conditions. Please call the local district office or check our website. Leashed dogs are welcome. Horses are not allowed in campgrounds. Motorized OHVs must stay on the campground road. The campgrounds include access to drinking water during the warmer months, and all have at least one handicap accessible vault toilet. Each campsite has a fire ring and/or grill, and a picnic table. Even if water is unavailable, campground fees are still required. Pack out what you pack in. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 21° | -26° | 51° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 32° | 14° | -31° | 59° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 42° | 26° | -7° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 47° | 29° | 1° | 71° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 59° | 40° | 30° | 78° | 5 of 11 |
| June | 68° | 48° | 39° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 81° | 57° | 46° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 56° | 46° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 70° | 49° | 33° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 57° | 38° | 18° | 77° | 3 of 10 |
| November | 45° | 30° | -3° | 65° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 37° | 25° | -8° | 53° | 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
- Canoe Launch Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 23 mi · 14 sites
- ChoCoFair Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 23 mi
- Sluice Boxes State Park · Montana State Parks · 24 mi
- Wood Bottom · Bureau of Land Management · 30 mi
- Wood Bottom Recreation Area - UMRBNM · Bureau of Land Management · 30 mi
All public campgrounds in Montana · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-06. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.