3.297 reviewsPrice
$15/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
12 campsites
Season
Open seasonally, May...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Check Policy
Price
$15/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
12 campsites
Season
Open seasonally, May...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Check Policy
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Learn more about alerts →Racetrack Campground And Picnic Area
88 Business Loop Philipsburg, MT 59858
Tent campers and small-trailer owners (under 22 feet) who want a creek-side site among Douglas Firs and don't need hookups or garbage service. Racetrack Creek is reportedly full of brook trout, and the large sites fill slowly enough that July weekends rarely feel packed.
Bigger rigs will have a bad time on Forest Road 169, and anyone who needs cell coverage is out of luck. No dump station on-site means RVers have to drive to Indian Creek Campground in Deer Lodge for waste disposal. Bring cash: no card payments accepted.
Reference information about Racetrack Campground And Picnic Area sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>This campground has restrooms, water, and a group picnic area. Racetrack Creek flows through the south edge of the campground and the terrain of this campground offers a private experience surrounded by nature. The campground has 13 units. The maximum recommended trailer length for the area is 22 feet. Please limit your stay to 16 days.</p>
The elevation is 5,160 ft. The campground is located along Racetrack Creek and is pack it in, pack it out. Some sites are open and others are shaded by mature, tall Douglas Fir trees. Convenient to the campground and interesting day trips, are the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, operated by the National Park Service, and the old Montana Territorial Prison. Just outside Deer Lodge, MT is the Grant-Kohrs Ranch that was started in 1862. Congress established it as a National Historic Site in 1972. A tour of the ranch will provide "an understanding of the frontier cattle era of the nation's history." Built with convict labor in 1871, the Territorial Montana Prison is a fascinating place to tour. The prison is located in Deer Lodge and operated until 1979. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Open May 15 through September 15, weather permitting.
Water spigot is hand pump.
The parking aprons are gravel. There is a waste station at the Indian Creek Campground (private) in Deer Lodge, behind the Conoco gas station on Hallenback Rd. The fee is $3 and includes water tank fill-up.
From Deer Lodge, MT, take Interstate 90 (Business) south 0.9 miles to Interstate 90. Continue onto Interstate 90 east 6.9 miles to Racetrack exit ( Exit 195). At the end of exit ramp, turn right and go 1 mile to "T" intersection. Turn left at intersection onto "Yellowstone TR" (a dirt road) and go 0.8 miles to another "T" intersection and campground sign. Turn right at sign and go 9.3 miles, following campground signs, to Racetrack Campground sign. Turn left into campground.
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Summer is the most reliable season here, with daytime highs around 65-85°F and nights dropping to 40-55°F. The campground operates late May through September, when road access and water service are dependable. Weekend sites fill up during July and August, though the small size means it rarely feels crowded. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Snow and freezing temperatures close the campground in winter, and road conditions can linger into late spring at this elevation.
Open mid-May to mid-September; summer temps 65–85°F and reviews favor summer visits.
Racetrack Campground offers basic yet essential amenities needed for a camping experience. It features restrooms, potable water from a hand-pump water spigot, picnic tables, and a group picnic area. According to the official description, the campground has 13 units with a 'pack it in, pack it out' trash policy due to the lack of garbage services. While basic, these facilities provide a suitable setup for campers seeking a quiet and natural environment.
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