Montana Outdoor Intelligence
Best Campgrounds in Montana
USFS / NPS / FWP State Parks / BLM
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Montana's campground network ranges from the shuttle-served campgrounds at Glacier National Park to remote roadside pull-offs along the Beartooth Highway. PeakScout tracks availability and conditions across the state's dispersed and developed sites. Grizzly bear activity means certain campgrounds in the Bitterroot, Flathead, and Gallatin drainages have special food storage rules — we flag them. Montana's state parks (managed by FWP via ReserveAmerica) require reservations for peak summer weekends; most USFS sites are walk-in only.
Explore More in Montana
🏕️ 118 campgrounds tracked
Central Montana
Ackley Lake State Park
🏔️ 4,000 ft
$24/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 26 sites $24/night
🏞️ NPS
Glacier National Park
Apgar Campground - Glacier NP
🏔️ 3,200 ft
$23/night
📅 Reservable 🚐 RV Sites 📍 194 sites $23/night
🏕 Campground
🌐 View & Reserve →
Custer-Gallatin National Forest — Absaroka District
Aspen Campground — Boulder River
🏔️ 4,900 ft
$12/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 24 sites $12/night
🏕 Campground
Missouri River Breaks
BLM Missouri Breaks Dispersed
🏔️ 2,500 ft
Free / donation
🌲 Dispersed Free
🏕 Dispersed
Kootenai National Forest — Cabinet District
Bad Medicine Campground
🏔️ 2,230 ft
$10/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 17 sites $10/night
🏕 Campground
Southwest Montana
Bannack State Park
🏔️ 5,837 ft
$24/night
📅 Reservable 🚐 RV Sites 📍 29 sites $24/night
🏞️ NPS
🌐 View & Reserve →
Central Montana
Bean Lake FAS
🏔️ 3,500 ft
Free / donation
📍 3 sites Free
🏕 Campground
Custer-Gallatin National Forest — Beartooth District
Beartooth Lake Campground
🏔️ 9,000 ft
$15/night
📅 Reservable 🚐 RV Sites 📍 21 sites $15/night
🏕 Campground
🌐 View & Reserve →
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest — Wise River District
Beaver Creek Campground
🏔️ 6,000 ft
$12/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 15 sites $12/night
🏕 Campground
Southwest Montana
Beavertail Hill State Park
🏔️ 3,615 ft
$26/night
📅 Reservable 🚐 RV Sites ⚡ Hookups 📍 20 sites $26/night
🏞️ NPS
🌐 View & Reserve →
Flathead National Forest — North Fork
Big Creek Campground
🏔️ 3,200 ft
$15/night
📅 Reservable 🚐 RV Sites 📍 22 sites $15/night
🏕 Campground
🌐 View & Reserve →
Flathead National Forest — Spotted Bear District
Big Creek Campground (South Fork)
🏔️ 4,000 ft
$0/night
📍 4 sites $0/night
🏕 Campground
BLM — Pryor Mountains / Bighorn Canyon
Bighorn Canyon BLM Campground
🏔️ 3,600 ft
$0/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 16 sites $0/night
🏕 Campground
Bitterroot National Forest — Stevensville District
Black Bear Campground
🏔️ 3,800 ft
$8/night
📍 8 sites $8/night
🏕 Campground
Central Montana
Black Sandy State Park
🏔️ 3,835 ft
$24/night
📅 Reservable 🚐 RV Sites ⚡ Hookups 📍 30 sites $24/night
🏞️ NPS
🌐 View & Reserve →
BLM — Dillon Field Office
Blacktail Campground
🏔️ 5,100 ft
$0/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 8 sites $0/night
🏕 Campground
Bitterroot National Forest — West Fork District
Blodgett Canyon Campground
🏔️ 3,600 ft
$0/night
📍 6 sites $0/night
🏕 Campground
Lolo National Forest — Missoula District
Blue Mountain Recreation Area
🏔️ 3,100 ft
$0/night
📍 7 sites $0/night
🏕 Campground
Northeast Montana
Brush Lake State Park
🏔️ 1,900 ft
$24/night
📅 Reservable 🚐 RV Sites ⚡ Hookups 📍 18 sites $24/night
🏞️ NPS
Kootenai National Forest — Troy District
Bull Lake Campground
🏔️ 2,260 ft
$10/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 18 sites $10/night
🏕 Campground
Flathead Reservation — CSKT
CSKT Finley Point Tribal Camping Area
🏔️ 2,893 ft
$12/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 15 sites $12/night
🏕 Campground
Custer-Gallatin National Forest — Dispersed
Cabin Creek Dispersed Area
🏔️ 6,200 ft
$0/night
🌲 Dispersed $0/night
🏕 Dispersed
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest — Philipsburg District
Cable Mountain Campground
🏔️ 6,500 ft
$10/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 11 sites $10/night
🏕 Campground
Custer-Gallatin National Forest — Beartooth District
Canyon Creek Campground
🏔️ 7,100 ft
$14/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 22 sites $14/night
🏕 Campground
Custer-Gallatin National Forest — Absaroka District
Chippy Park Campground
🏔️ 5,200 ft
$12/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 15 sites $12/night
🏕 Campground
Eastern Montana
Cooney State Park
🏔️ 4,500 ft
$24/night
📅 Reservable 🚐 RV Sites ⚡ Hookups 📍 70 sites $24/night
🏞️ NPS
🌐 View & Reserve →
Central Montana
Cottonwood FAS – Canyon Ferry Lake
🏔️ 3,800 ft
Free / donation
📍 4 sites Free
🏕 Campground
BLM — Upper Missouri River Breaks
Cow Creek Dispersed Camping
🏔️ 2,700 ft
$0/night
🌲 Dispersed $0/night
🏕 Dispersed
Blackfeet Reservation
Cut Bank Campground — Blackfeet Tribe
🏔️ 4,100 ft
$15/night
🚐 RV Sites 📍 20 sites $15/night
🏕 Campground
Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest — Helena District
Deadman Gulch Campground
🏔️ 5,400 ft
$8/night
📍 6 sites $8/night
🏕 Campground
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need reservations for Glacier National Park campgrounds?
Many GNP campgrounds (Apgar, Many Glacier, Fish Creek, St. Mary) require reservations May–October via recreation.gov ($20–25/night + $35 vehicle entry). Some campgrounds within the park are first-come, first-served. Reserve early — they sell out months in advance for July–August.
What are bear-resistant food storage rules in Montana?
In bear country (west of the Divide), you must store all food and scented items in a bear-resistant canister or hung 10 ft high and 4 ft from the trunk. USFS and GNP require certified bear-resistant containers in the backcountry. Violations result in campsite closures and fines.
When do Montana campgrounds open?
Most lower-elevation USFS campgrounds open May 1–June 1. High-elevation sites (above 6,000 ft) typically open mid-June. FWP state park campgrounds generally open April–October depending on the park.
What is dispersed camping like in Montana?
Dispersed camping on USFS and BLM land is generally free and unrestricted outside of day-use-only areas. Popular dispersed areas include the Seeley Lake corridor, Lincoln Valley, and the Beartooth Front. Most have no services — pack in/pack out.
Get Campsite Availability Alerts
PeakScout monitors recreation.gov, CPW ReserveAmerica, and BLM booking systems — and emails you the moment your favorite campground opens up.
📬 Set Up Campsite Alerts →
📡 Data sources: Campground availability from recreation.gov (federal), ReserveAmerica (CPW state parks MT/CO, FWP MT), and BLM booking systems. Fire restriction tiers from USFS/BLM/CDPS announcements updated in real-time. Fees, amenities, and site counts from RIDB + agency feeds.