Montana's first state park sits at 4,948 feet near Whitehall, combining a limestone cavern system with a developed campground. Sites accommodate tents, RVs, and big rigs, with cabins and tipi rentals also available. Fees run $28-$44 per night. The cavern tours are the main draw, but the park also offers hiking, fishing, and biking access.
The campground accommodates a variety of camping preferences, including tent sites, RV sites with electrical hookups, cabins, and a tipi. Group and primitive camping are also available.
Historical Significance
This is Montana's first state park. The caverns formed over millions of years through water dissolving and redepositing limestone. Early explorers discovered the cave system, though reviews and park data don't specify exact dates or names.Weather and SeasonsSummer brings the most reliable weather and full park services. At this elevation, daytime highs run low 70s to low 80s°F, with nights dropping into the 40s-50s°F. The caverns stay a constant 45-50°F, making them a cool retreat on hot afternoons. May through September is the prime camping window when cabins, tipis, and above-ground recreation are fully accessible. Weekends get busy. Winter transforms the area into snow country, though the park remains open year-round.
Natural Features and SceneryThe park's signature feature is its extensively decorated limestone cavern, filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and rare helictite formations. Inside, temperatures hold steady at 45-50°F year-round. Above ground, hiking trails climb to 360-degree viewpoints across the surrounding terrain. Deer move through the campground regularly. The landscape mixes open areas with scattered vegetation. Some sites lack shade, according to reviews, while others are better covered. Colorful limestone outcroppings mark the surface terrain.
Geological RegionDiscover one of the Northwest's most spectacular underground treasures, where ancient geological forces have sculpted a subterranean palace. This limestone wonderland ranks among the region's most extensively decorated caverns, adorned with nature's chandelier-like stalactites hanging from the ceiling, mighty stalagmites rising from the floor, and the rare, gravity-defying helictites that twist and curl in impossible formations.
Scenic Views360° scenic mountain views observed from the campground.
Lodging & AccommodationsThe park provides three cabins and a tipi for accommodations, with users describing the cabins as quaint but noting issues such as broken screens, missing screen door arms, and non-functional keys. Cabins include a fan but lack ladders for bunk beds.
Programs & ActivitiesThe park provides guided tours of the limestone caverns from May to September, focusing on geology, early exploration, and ecology.