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Established Camping

Swan Lake Campground

Swan Lake Campground, near Bigfork, Montana, is a cozy spot tucked away in the Flathead National Forest, perfect for those looking to unwind in nature. With spacious, paved sites that come with picnic tables and fire rings, it’s an ideal place to kick back and enjoy a campfire under the stars.

This campground is known for its peaceful atmosphere and privacy between sites, making it a great choice for families or anyone wanting a little solitude. Visitors have highlighted the clean facilities, including pit toilets and bear food lockers, which add to the convenience of your stay. One camper noted, “Great night in the woods would stay here again,” emphasizing the inviting vibe of the area.

Just a short walk from the campground, you’ll find Swan Lake, where you can rent paddleboards or kayaks for some fun on the water. The nearby A Bar restaurant is a local favorite, offering a taste of the area’s charm just ten minutes down the road. While there’s no cell service, the natural beauty and tranquility make it easy to disconnect and enjoy the great outdoors.

Whether you’re here for a quick stop or a longer retreat, Swan Lake Campground offers a welcoming atmosphere and plenty of opportunities for adventure.

Description

National Forest

Flathead National Forest

Overview

This recreation area is located near the village of Swan Lake at the north end of the scenic Swan Valley in northwest Montana. The campground consists of two loops. Ponderosa Loop offers open, large sites with plenty of space, while sites at Birch Loop are shaded and more clustered together. There is also a reservable group site which accomodates up to 100 people. Here, we have 38 rentable sites. 24 sites are reservable and 14 sites are for our walk-up visitors. The stay limit is 16 consecutive days.

Recreation

Campers and day-use visitors have access to a boat ramp and a beach. Both power and non-motorized boating is permitted. This campground also offers Kayak, Paddleboard and Canoe rentals and firewood for sale.Anglers can fish for several kinds of trout as well as Kokanee salmon and Northern Pike. Bike lanes wind throughout the campground.

Natural Features

In the heart of the Rocky Mountains lies the 2.4 million acre Flathead National Forest. Home to lynx, grizzly bear, and bull trout, with numerous lakes, streams and rivers to enjoy, the forest is the premiere destination for visitors looking to experience natural landscapes of the American West. Swan Lake is surrounded by dense conifer forest and the craggy, snow-covered peaks of the Swan Mountain Range.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (406) 210-8199.

Nearby Attractions

Glacier National Park is within an hour drive. About a mile from the campground is the Swan River National Wildlife Refuge, with a wildlife and bird observation area.

Charges & Cancellations

Please cancel 4 days prior. For day of arrival cancellations please call Leona at 406- 210-8199 so we can get the information to the Campground Host. All Considerations will be made after your original reservation dates have passed. *No shows have no chance of a refund.

Fee Info

To Make Reservations by phone please call: 1-877-444-6777 Individual Site Reservations: $20.00 per camper unit per night. Guests must arrive and check in with the campground host by 11 a.m. the day following your arrival or risk forfeiture of fees and the site may be given to another camper. Although you are allowed two motorized vehicles per site, the first vehicle is included in the site fee and an extra vehicle charge of $5.00/day per vehicle will be collected upon arrival at the campground.Group Site Reservation (G1): 1 - 25 people - $200/night 26 - 50 people - $250/night 51 - 75 people - $300/night 76 - 100 people - $350/night There is no extra vehicle charge in the group site.

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Location

Swan Lake Campground is located in Montana

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Bigfork, Montana, take State Route 209 east for 4.9 miles to Swan Lake/State Route 83. Turn right and go 10.9 miles to the campground sign. Turn left at the sign into the campground.

Address

200 RANGER STATION RD
Bigfork, MT 59911

Coordinates

47.93639 N
113.85056 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Available
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Unknown
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Pull-Through Sites
  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

9 Reviews

Reviewed May. 23, 2024

Nice small campground

Stayed here on our way home from Colorado. Great night in the woods would stay here again. Sites are very private. Firewood for sale. Pit toilets. Clean campground.

Site6
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by Eric P., May 23, 2024
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by Eric P., May 23, 2024
Reviewed Sep. 8, 2022

Beautiful dry camping site

Swan Lake Campground in the Flathead in National in Forest near Ferndale/Bigfork Mt is a beautiful wooded campground with lots of wooded private campground spots. The host is onsite and we had no problem backing in a 40’ motorhome with a tow dolly and vehicle. I did not see any pull through spots. We didn’t have any cell service (Verizon) and cell service is spotty out towards Swan Lake. The lake is right across the street and you can rent paddleboard‘s and probably kayaks. The campground spots are level and paved with a picnic table and a fire pit. There are porta potty type bathrooms, bear food lockers and enclosed trash bins. $20 per night. Bears are active in this area. There’s a fun bar/restaurant about 10 minutes down the road towards Bigfork called the A Bar. I highly recommend it (they even carry my “Josh” Cabernet as the bar wine. You’ll find all kinds of local characters.

Site#12
Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed May. 25, 2022

Love the short walk to the lake

Had a great one night stay here. Campground sites were just far enough apart to feel a little private. Great campground for dog walks - short walk over to the swan lake boat dock and the little trail along the water. Relatively short drive over to Flathead Lake areas as well! No service on Verizon

Site1
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by megan , May 25, 2022
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by megan , May 25, 2022
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by megan , May 25, 2022
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jul. 8, 2021

Small and quaint

Stunning park across the street from the lake. In the evening we could hear the wolves howling.

Site?
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by Sallie H., July 8, 2021
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by Sallie H., July 8, 2021
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by Sallie H., July 8, 2021
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Jun. 17, 2021

Perfect Dry Camping

This National Forest campground is beautiful. Very spacious sites, paved pads, and decent shade in the Ponderosa loop. Short walk to day use and water access on Swan lake and 16 min to Bigfork, hour to West Glacier. The camp hosts were so nice and sold firewood for $6/bundle.

Hint: there was only one water spigot that we were able to use to fill our holding tank. It was directly across from our campsite Ponderosa loop 35. No dump station in the park so make sure you dump beforehand.

Site35
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by Erin A., June 17, 2021
Reviewed Sep. 4, 2020

Awesome.

Stopped here because we got tired of driving on the way to glacier from Yellowstone. Awesome little spot. Didn’t do much other than pitch a tent and eat dinner. Friendly and helpful host. $18 to camp for the night - got there around 7pm and there was plenty of space. Highly recommend.

Reviewed Aug. 27, 2020

Very Quiet

Spacious sites, lots of trees, double level paved sites, no hook-ups. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. The lake has a nice beach area with picnic tables plus there's a boat launch. There are pit toilets, no showers. There is water spigots. Our only complaint was the 1000's of flies! Bring citronella and a fly swatter if you want to sit outside!!

Reviewed Jun. 24, 2018

Peaceful

The main camping area is not directly on the lake but across the road. You can walk to the lake and the boat launch pretty easily. The group site area has a decent grassy area for games and such. Lots of tree cover

Reviewed Jul. 30, 2016

Swan Lake

Very large camp spot in Montana, lots of space and seclusion. Necessities available and camp spots scattered around the lake, good fishing, hiking and wild life observing. Kayaking most common here. It's Calm, peaceful and renewing.

  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by Carla S., July 30, 2016
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by Carla S., July 30, 2016
  • Review photo of Swan Lake Campground by Carla S., July 30, 2016
  • (10) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the max vehicle length at Swan Lake Campground?

    Swan Lake Campground allows vehicles up to 75 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Swan Lake Campground?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Swan Lake Campground, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Does Swan Lake Campground have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Swan Lake Campground does not have wifi.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Swan Lake Campground?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Swan Lake Campground. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Swan Lake Campground, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Swan Lake Campground?

    There are 42 campsites at Swan Lake Campground and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts