Where To Go Camping in Montana
Montana is renowned for its hiking and camping opportunities. With some of the best national parks and forests in the country, it’s easy to see why so many people head to Big Sky Country each summer.
RVs, travel trailers, tents, and the like, will all find something desirable in this rugged state, home to stunning stretches of the Rocky Mountains
Best Times to Go Camping in Montana
Summer is by far the top time, though not the only season, to camp in Montana. The state has long days during the summer and relatively moderate weather.
For example, Glacier National Park tends to see highs in the mid-70s during July and August, meaning peak season here can be quite comfortable during the days. Nighttime lows, however, can easily be 30 degrees lower than daytime highs in the summer and 20 degrees lower in the colder months.
There are some warmer sections in Montana, though. The Bitterroot Valley (near Bitterroot National Forest) in the southwest sees summer temperatures in the mid-80s F. Since it’s on the border with Idaho, travelers wanting to head toward the Pacific Northwest should keep the Bitterroot Valley area in mind.
Montana, like most of the West, tends to follow the traditional season of late May to early September. While campers can find accommodations in mid-spring and mid-fall, summer is going to have the most options. Glacier National Park has overnight lows below freezing starting in late September and doesn’t trend above freezing until late April or early May.
Self-contained campers can enjoy Montana year-round, but it takes a lot of dedication and know-how to camp after the season wraps up. RV travelers will likely have more off-season success than tent campers, but the options are still going to be slim outside of the traditional season. While you can cold-weather camp here, only a select few will even want to consider it, and most are better off waiting until at least late spring.
Anytime you’re visiting Montana, you want to come prepared. Weather can change quickly, so layers are a must. No matter when you’re camping, make sure to know the best practices for camping in bear country, especially grizzlies.
National Park Service Sites in Montana
Montana has 10 National Park Service (NPS) sites, and three of those offer camping. Of the three though, only two offer camping within the state lines. Some of Yellowstone National Park stretches into Montana, but all campsites are in Wyoming. However, there are several northern campgrounds in Yellowstone reasonably close to the Montana border.
Glacier National Park is the most visited outdoor destination in Montana. Some of the most popular sites in Glacier, like the Going-to-the-Sun Road, are open seasonally. While Going-to-the-Sun Road is partially open year-round, snow and cold weather shut down decent portions of it starting in September or October.
Keep the possibility of early winter in mind when planning trips to Glacier (or really anywhere in Montana), as seasonal amenities can shut down earlier than expected.
- Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
- Glacier National Park
- Yellowstone National Park (no campsites in Montana, but several just across the border into Wyoming)
National Forests in Montana
Montana’s national forests have gone through several phases of restructuring, leaving some confusion about how many national forests there are. Officially, there are nine national forests. While previously that number was higher, restructuring has combined some forests, making them jointly managed.
The Custer Gallatin National Forest, for example, was previously two independent national forests, the Custer and the Gallatin. However, often as a cost-saving measure for the United States Forest Service (USFS), these federal lands were combined under one management.
- Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
- Bitterroot National Forest
- Caribou-Targhee National Forest
- Custer Gallatin National Forest
- Flathead National Forest
- Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
- Idaho Panhandle National Forests (mainly in Idaho, with small portions in Montana and Washington)
- Kootenai National Forest
- Lolo National Forest
Best Free Camping in Montana
29% of Montana is managed by the federal government, which is a lesser amount than most Western states. Of that, about two-thirds are managed by the United States Forest Service, and nearly all the remaining federal land (except NPS land) is run by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This means that almost all federal land in Montana is fair game for free camping.
Some of the most popular dispersed campsites here include Beaver Creek Road (FR 985) in the Custer Gallatin National Forest, Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area, and Blankenship Bridge near Glacier National Park.
Montana State and Public Parks
Montana has 55 state parks, and 20 of them offer camping. These state parks are an outstanding option for those looking to skip the rising number of crowds in Glacier National Park and the most popular national forests.
The Montana State Parks website allows visitors, also, to easily find unique camping experiences in the parks, like cabins, yurts, and tipis. These 10 state parks are some of the most exciting spots in the system.
- Medicine Rocks State Park
- Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park
- Whitefish Lake State Park
- Sluice Boxes State Park
- Makoshika State Park
- Wayfarers State Park
- Brush Lake State Park
- Thompson Falls State Park
- Missouri Headwaters State Park
- Salmon Lake State Park
RV Resorts and Unique Stays
Big Sky Country isn’t short on comfortable stays. While many of the unique spots here are glamping-oriented, Montana has several popular RV resorts for travelers looking to park their rig in luxury. These six all deserve a spot on your shortlist.
- Under Canvas West Yellowstone
- The Resort at Paws Up
- The Nugget RV Resort
- Yellowstone Hot Springs
- Birdland Bay RV Resort
- Dreamcatcher Tipi Hotel
Montana offers some of the most beautiful summers you can find in the Lower 48. While tourism is on the rise here and crowd numbers are growing, a camping trip to Big Sky Country is always worth it.
