About this place
The Ruby Creek Recreation Area sits on the Upper Madison River. There are 22 camping sites.
The boat launch and its parking are separate, a little way off.
A volunteer host is on site for part of the year.
The facts
- Cost
- Free to camp
- Type
- Open area. Camp anywhere within it
- Managed by
- Bureau of Land Management
Getting there
About 20 miles south of Ennis, off US Highway 287. Turn west off US Highway 287 onto Johnny Gulch Rd and travel 3 miles. The campgrounds are on the left, before the T junction in the road. For the day use area and the boat launch, turn left at the T; both are on the left shortly after it.
Coordinates 45.22607, -112.11793
Open in Google Maps Agency page
What is near here
There is another spot of ours within reach, and some better-known places further out.
- Black Butte Directions
- Lee Metcalf Wilderness Directions
- Lee Metcalf Wilderness Directions
- Hilgard Peak Directions
- Mount Jefferson Directions
Every distance on this page is the driving distance. A short distance can still take a long time. The road may be closed for the season, covered in snow, or washed out. Many of these roads are dirt. Plan your route before you leave home. Out here there is often no phone signal to look it up on the way.
Nearest town and supplies
- Alder, MT Directions
- Ennis, MT Directions
Ennis is big enough that you’d normally expect fuel and somewhere to buy food. Nobody from here has been to check, so don’t count on it if you’re running low.
Have you been here?
Fees and access change, and the records do not always keep up. If you have been, tell us what you found.
Thank you, that is recorded. It helps the next person.
Add road notes for this site
The thing we cannot get from any government record is what the drive in is actually like. If you have done it, this is the most useful thing you can leave behind. We read everything before it appears, and we print a first name with it if you give one.
Thank you. A person will read it before it goes on the page.
Where this information comes from
The description on this page is ours. The facts in it, and the fee and facility details below it, come from the Bureau of Land Management’s own records, read in August 2026; opened and read by a person on 2026-08-27.