Lolo Creek Campground

Our experience here has been great the one time we stayed. Yes, there is road noise because the road is close... there's also some access to the creek. Its a great place to pull off and stop for the evening. I personally prefer quieter camp areas, so I don't know that I would come back just to stay here... but if I were in the area and needed a place to sleep I wouldn't hesitate.

Despite how this site has it listed, the sign says Lolo Creek Campground . This is in Montana . https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/lolo/recarea/?recid=10268

This this is a well-maintained forest service Campground right on Highway 12 about 15 minutes. (20 miles) north of Lolo the town. There is an adjacent day-use picnic area with about 3 or 4 picnic tables pretty well separated and in the woods. I believe they each have a grill with them. If the campsite is full and you are self-contained, the parking lot maybe a good pull off spot.

There are 17 camping sites about half are pull throughs. It is heavily forested and Lolo Creek is adjacent but not in the campground. However, two of the sites are very near the creek. Because it is beside Highway 12, you can hear the road noise but this quiets down substantially after dark. This also makes it super easy if you are traveling and need to pull off for the night.

There are 3 Wells with potable water( lift the handle ) and 2 well-maintained and stocked pit toilets. Each site has a metal fire ring and a picnic table. Some sites have really nice areas for tents , others the tent might be a little bumpy! There is a campground host and a dumpster for trash. Bear proofing regulations are in effect.

There Is No Reservations, no electricity. no services for RVs, no cell, and no firewood for sale.

I stayed the maximum amount of time which is 16 days. Most of that time I could have had a fire if I wanted but the last few days there was a fire ban due to very dry conditions. I was there in August.

The cost is $10 a night payable in cash or US Bank drawn checks. There is a $4 per night charge for a second vehicle at a site. This is for every night that you are there.

There are a few nice but not necessarily Stellar hikes in the area. None originate near the campground, you must drive to them. The campground host was very helpful in directing us to these. Lolo Creek Campground was spared in the Lolo forest fire of 2017. However some areas slightly South between the campground and the town are burnt out. But the new growth of bright green framing the black trees imakes for some visually beautiful hiking.

Lolo Creek itself is cold and I saw several guys fishing. If you can take the temperature it's a great wading Creek too!

There isn't any cell service at the campground and I have Verizon. In fact, you lose cell service shortly north of Lolo.

Up the road going north about three-quarters of a mile is Jack's Saloon. You have to drive about three-quarters of a mile back a very well-maintained dirt road. This is a bar , a restaurant with what looked like a very decent food even though I didn't have any , and music there one or two nights a week. The theme is lumberjacking and the bar is made out of a single giant log , many of the bar stools are carved out of single logs as well and there is a swinging log bar stool. There was a quite good blues band there the Saturday night I went. This bar was in the movie The Best Bar in America. This is your closest civilization if you want to get something to eat. Otherwise, you have to drive 15 or so minutes south to Lolo where there are several restaurants, a couple fast food places Quick Stop's, gasoline and a casino. Do try Florence coffee it's a drive-thru and yummy.

There may be a restaurant at Lolo Hot Springs about 5 miles north on Highway 12, past Jack's. Lolo Hot Springs is a large complex with hot springs pool, many buildings, camping, and cabins and a sign that proclaims a cafe. I assume it's open to the public and not just guests, but I personally did not verify that. Their rates for anything are not listed on their website , neither is availability if you want to camp. You must call. I called two different times and left messages. they didn't return my call either time . I called a third time and got a person who answered my questions. It's more than triple the cost at staying Lolo Creek but then there's all the amenities too. There's another dance Campground on the other side Lolo Creek Campground that has about the same prices as the hot springs.

Also, be careful, there is much wildlife along Highway 12, and I saw deer multiple times crossing the road at night. And though I didn't see any, between the campground and Jack's is a painted on the road moose Crossing.

This is a clean Campground and I was happy to stay there. I I can highly recommend this Campground if you can live without electricity and cell phone for the duration of your stay. And you're main activity is either leaving the campsite to go find something else to do, simply hanging out, or some trout fishing in the creek.