Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge
Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge is a 8,834-acre (3,575 ha) National Wildlife Refuge of the United States located in Montana. Established in 1999, it is one of the newest National Wildlife Refuges in the U.S. and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The refuge was originally a sprawling horse and cattle ranch dating back to the late 19th century and was known as the Lost Trail Ranch. The refuge consists of prairie and wetlands, and has a wide diversity of plant and animal species, including over 100 species of birds such as canada geese, sandhill crane, wood duck, green-winged teals and herons. Several species of grouse also inhabit the refuge. Predatory bird species such as the great horned owl and red-tailed hawk are also found here.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 8,907 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| FWS region | Region 6 |
| Center point | 48.1790, -114.8925 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 14) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 2 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Most refuges do not allow overnight camping. The campgrounds listed are outside the refuge.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx D5 Tree Farm Piles
47 mi from the center point · 90 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge?
8,907 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge in?
Montana.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Meadow Peak Lookout, 5.8 miles out. 2 in all are within ten miles. Most refuges do not allow camping inside the refuge, so the campgrounds listed are outside it.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 48.179, -114.892. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Is there a fire near Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Rx D5 Tree Farm Piles at 47 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 14 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Sources
- Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
- States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Description: Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.