Custer Gallatin National Forest

Custer Gallatin National Forest The US Forest Service - Custer Gallatin National Forest official page.

The National Forest Foundation, chartered by Congress, engages Americans in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System, administers private gifts of funds and land for the benefit of the National Forests. http://www.nationalforests.org/

The Forest Service manages a system of 155 national forests, 20 national gr

asslands, and 222 research and experimental forests, as well as other special areas, covering more than 192 million acres of public land. The Forest Service has evolved into a 30,000 employee agency that manages the national forests for a number of multiple uses, including recreation, timber, wilderness, minerals, water, grazing, fish, and wildlife.

South Plateau Road #1700 in the Hebgen Lake Ranger District has been improved and is now open for motorized travel.
06/17/2026

South Plateau Road #1700 in the Hebgen Lake Ranger District has been improved and is now open for motorized travel.

It’s that time of year when seasonal closures are lifted and more roads and trails become available for motorized recrea...
06/16/2026

It’s that time of year when seasonal closures are lifted and more roads and trails become available for motorized recreation. Today, several of our gates across the Custer Gallatin are swinging open to welcome riders. Hooray! However, not all routes are open yet. Please check the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/custergallatin/maps-guides to confirm current access.

These opening dates are based on the seasonal allowances outlined in our Motor Vehicle Use Maps. These allowances are designed to protect forest infrastructure and sensitive resources such as soil, water, and vegetation, while also minimizing disturbance to wildlife during important times of the year.

Please note that some roads that typically open around this time may remain closed due to project work or impassable conditions. For the latest information, you can follow our page, contact your local district office, or check the closures listed on our website’s alerts page: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/custergallatin/alerts.

As always, please do not drive around closed gates; access will open as soon as conditions allow.

📸Forest Service photo by Kyle Marvinney showing trail work on Jackson Creek Trail #502 in preparation for today’s opening to wheeled vehicles 50 inches wide or less.

The opening of South Plateau Road #1700 in the Hebgen Lake Ranger District, originally scheduled for tomorrow, has been...
06/15/2026

The opening of South Plateau Road #1700 in the Hebgen Lake Ranger District, originally scheduled for tomorrow, has been delayed due to muddy conditions that are currently preventing full-size vehicle access.

Crews are actively working to address the issue, and repairs are expected to be completed by the end of the week. We will provide an update once the road is open for use.

Thank you for your patience, and please plan accordingly if you’re traveling in that area.

***Wildfire Final Update***6/12/2026, 12:30 p.m.Fire: Charlie Russell FireStart: 6/12/2026General Location: Beaver Cr ...
06/12/2026

***Wildfire Final Update***
6/12/2026, 12:30 p.m.
Fire: Charlie Russell Fire
Start: 6/12/2026
General Location: Beaver Cr Area (Southeast of Big Sky)
Size: 0.1 Ac.
Status: 100% Contained

Firefighters detected the Charlie Russel Fire at 6:45 a.m. this morning near the Beaver Creek Area on the Bozeman Ranger District. Fire personnel responded with an engine and a UTV with a tank on it to the location. The fire was contained at 12:00 p.m. today. A big thank you to our dedicated firefighters for their quick detection and swift response! This is the final update for the Charlie Russell Fire.

It’s Montana Noxious W**d Awareness Week! Here’s how you can get out, explore, and report invasive species across Montan...
06/12/2026

It’s Montana Noxious W**d Awareness Week!
Here’s how you can get out, explore, and report invasive species across Montana.

Early Detection and Rapid Response is key. The participant with the most verified Montana State listed noxious w**d reports, during Montana’s Noxious W**d Awareness Week will receive the grand prize sponsored by our friends at Corteva and kNOw**ds!

Go to https://mtnhp.mt.gov/submit/Report_Invasives to learn how to participate!

Your observations directly support Montana’s conservation efforts and help protect the landscapes we all depend on.


Photo 1: Yellow Toadflax. USDA FS photo.
Photo 2:Orange Hawkw**d. USDA FS photo.
Photo 3: Hoary Alyssum. USDA FS photo.

***Wildfire Update***6/11/2026The Speelmon Fire, located in the Long Pine Unit of the Sioux District, is officially 100%...
06/12/2026

***Wildfire Update***
6/11/2026

The Speelmon Fire, located in the Long Pine Unit of the Sioux District, is officially 100% contained as of 5:30 PM today.

Thank you to our county and federal resources who responded promptly to this incident.

The Custer Gallatin National Forest has started the Goose Creek Fuel Break Project in Gallatin and Park Counties. This p...
06/10/2026

The Custer Gallatin National Forest has started the Goose Creek Fuel Break Project in Gallatin and Park Counties. This project involves tree thinning along portions of Goose Creek Trail #439 and Bear Canyon Loop Trail #440 to help prevent wildfires and protect our community.

Trail closures are now in effect on these sections, specifically between the junction with Chestnut Mountain Trail #438 and the Trail Creek Cabin. Logging activities, equipment, and trucks will be present. Alternative access, including to the Trail Creek Cabin, can be achieved through the western portion of Bear Canyon trail system, the Chestnut Mountain Trail #458, and/or Newman Creek Trail #437, which all remain open. Other recreational opportunities in the area include trails in the northern Gallatin and Bangtail ranges.

Log trucks will be hauling timber out of the area. When sharing the roads with these large vehicles, please drive with caution and use situational awareness to ensure a safe and smooth journey. Be prepared to pull over and allow log trucks to pass.

This project is anticipated to run through October 15th, 2026, but may be completed sooner. Thank you for your support and patience as we work towards a safer and more resilient landscape!

The closure order and map can be viewed here:https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/custergallatin/alerts/goose-creek-parking-lot-tail-closure-order-number-01-11-06-26-05

***Wildfire Start***Name: Speelmon FireSize: 5 acres Location: North of Speelom Creek, located in the Long Pine Unit of ...
06/10/2026

***Wildfire Start***

Name: Speelmon Fire
Size: 5 acres
Location: North of Speelom Creek, located in the Long Pine Unit of the Sioux District.

Carter County, Forest Service, and Wildland Fire Service fire crews responding to the incident. Aerial resources en route.

National Trails Day isn’t just about getting outside — it’s about giving back to the places that give us so much. This w...
06/06/2026

National Trails Day isn’t just about getting outside — it’s about giving back to the places that give us so much. This weekend, volunteers and partners across the Custer Gallatin National Forest rolled up their sleeves to care for the trails we all love.

Shout out to Wild Montana for tackling Lava Lake trail maintenance and Friends of Hyalite for giving the Moser Creek trailhead a major refresh (pictured below)!

In honor of National Trail's Day on June 6th, we bring you the newest podcast episode of Forest in Focus- Crafting the ...
06/06/2026

In honor of National Trail's Day on June 6th, we bring you the newest podcast episode of Forest in Focus- Crafting the Wild: Voices of the Trail Crew.

Step behind the scenes of the Custer Gallatin National Forest, where the trails you hike don’t maintain themselves—they’re built, cleared, packed in, and protected by a community of people whose work is often invisible but always essential.
In this episode of Forest in Focus, we sit down with three trail experts whose lives revolve around tread, tools, stock, and the quiet miles in between.

Listen on our webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/custergallatin/multimedia/audio/crafting-wild-voices-trail-crew
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1x2NUQqVaQ6GyuDCeOhbLY?si=LlQU64S_QTKU4TQxroSwUw
Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crafting-the-wild-voices-of-the-trail-crew/id1870678434?i=1000771392649

Address

P. O. Box 130; 10 East Babcock
Bozeman, MT
59715

Telephone

+14065876701

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