The higher you get, the better the stargazing. Sitting at an elevation of 6,496 feet and positioned northeast of Virginia Peak and south of Mount Elmo, Forest Lake is one of Montana’s hidden gems.

This lesser-known beauty of the Treasure State is full of westslope cutthroat trout, which means you can spend the day fishing or boating and then camp out under a sky full of stars at the nearby Forest Lake Campground. The stargazing opportunity here is so good, in fact, that Forest Lake was given a Class-1 rating on the Bortle Scale, a rating that identifies it as an excellent dark-sky site.

This area is frequented by bears, so make sure to store your goods properly and dispose of waste responsibly! To learn more about bear safety, visit: Be Bear Aware.

During the Day

• Take a day trip to White Sulphur Springs and relax in their hot springs.
• Explore the forest and hike the trails and lengthy ATV paths.
• Canoe, kayak and fish the lake or Martinsdale Reservoir and Musselshell River.

Getting There

FROM WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS: Go south on HWY 89 8 miles, turn left and continue on HWY 89 for 8 miles. Turn left onto HWY 294 and go 21¾ miles, turning right onto Cottonwood Creek Road. Go 6¼ miles and turn right onto Forest Lake Road, then go 11½ miles and the campground will be on the right.

Note: A 4x4 high-clearance vehicle is recommended for Forest Lake Road.