Best Tent Camping near Big Arm, MT

Tent campsites near Big Arm, Montana provide access to the scenic shores of Flathead Lake, with several options for primitive tent camping within a short drive. Yellow Bay State Park Campground, located on the eastern shore of Flathead Lake, offers tent-only sites approximately 25 yards from the parking area with fire rings and picnic tables. The campground operates seasonally from May 1st to September 30th, with a 14-day stay limit.

Sites at Yellow Bay are set on mixed terrain with minimal grading and spaced in an open area with some tree coverage providing privacy from the main road. Most primitive tent campgrounds in the region include fire pits but campers should bring their own drinking water or filtration systems. Vault toilets are typically available at established sites, while dispersed camping areas may have no facilities. Bear activity is common throughout the region, requiring proper food storage in bear-resistant containers. Campfire restrictions are strictly enforced during dry summer months, and campers must pack out all trash.

Areas along Flathead Lake provide tent campers with immediate water access for swimming and kayaking. A review mentioned, "The bay itself is relatively shallow, protected a bit from the wind and the bottom is smooth mid-sized rocks, all making for an excellent place to swim." Primitive tent sites in the Flathead National Forest offer more seclusion but require high-clearance vehicles to access. Blankenship Bridge dispersed camping area allows tent camping directly along the river, though it can become crowded during summer weekends. For backcountry tent camping experiences, trails in the surrounding mountains lead to remote lakeside camping opportunities with stunning views. A visitor commented, "The camping limit for this area is 3 days. I was able to have good Verizon signal. Overall a great spot to camp."

Best Tent Sites Near Big Arm, Montana (29)

    1. Yellow Bay State Park Campground

    6 Reviews
    Dayton, MT
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 752-5501

    $9 - $28 / night

    "This small tent only campground is located on Yellow Bay at Flathead Lake. There are 6 spots, all just 25 yards from a parking area. There is a wheelbarrow for moving your items if you need it."

    "You are surrounded by beautiful mountains, crystal clear water and a place where you can do a lot of great outdoor activities!"

    2. Mission Meadows RV Campground

    2 Reviews
    Ronan, MT
    17 miles
    +1 (406) 676-5182

    "Great place .has all the hook ups.and public restrooms and laundry room. Place for tents. Great place to stay"

    3. Mere’s Magic Trout Pond

    1 Review
    Ronan, MT
    19 miles
    +1 (646) 508-3770

    $33 - $75 / night

    "Tent spot is around $30. This place was great. The porta potty was the cleanest one I’ve ever been to. You have to fill up your own water for the shower."

    4. North Crow Creek

    1 Review
    Ronan, MT
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 758-5208

    5. Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping

    32 Reviews
    Coram, MT
    47 miles

    "Nice camping area with access to the river. Was a bit noisy during the day (stayed over the weekend) as the area is used by non-campers coming to fish, kayak, sightseeing, etc."

    "Only about 15 minutes away from Glacier National Park Westgate. I was able to stay here for multiple days. Each time was no trouble in finding a place to park."

    6. Ashley Lake South Campground

    4 Reviews
    Kalispell, MT
    32 miles
    Website

    "Ashley Lake never disappoints. The camp sites are a bit rough to get too but as long as you're tent camping or have a very small and agile pull behind you'll be okay."

    "The lake is crystal clear and the campground is very clean."

    8. Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed

    7 Reviews
    Martin City, MT
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 387-3800

    "The sites that I saw were nothing fancy, some with fire rings and some not."

    "Huge open space with a fire circle and everything! But we lost a set of keys while we were there… we were on the left hand side of the site. Here’s the coordinates of the site!"

    9. Off The Beaten Path Glampground

    1 Review
    Plains, MT
    35 miles
    +1 (406) 894-5886

    $35 - $130 / night

    "Nice large tent sites. They also have a geodesic dome you can rent. Website was not set up yet."

    10. Lindbergh Lake Boat Ramp

    1 Review
    Condon, MT
    37 miles

    "Several sites grouped together by lake down an access road. only one other camper here on a Sunday night. Nice wooded sites and easy access to lake for swimming or boating"

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Tent Camping Reviews near Big Arm, MT

741 Reviews of 29 Big Arm Campgrounds


  • Elizabeth  N.
    Jul. 1, 2020

    Lid Creek Campground

    Great little spot, short walk to lake

    We ended up at Lid Creek after the first few campgrounds along the lake were full.

    Sites are on the small side, and most are not very flat. There is a good amount of distance between sites and lots of trees so privacy is good.

    There are 2 clean vault toilets and trash dumpsters.

    Bear boxes are spread throughout.

    Each site has a fire ring and picnic table.

    Host on site sells fire wood.

    Lake access is a just short walk down a trail. There is a great rock beach with plenty of room for kids to play and splash.

    We encountered 2 thunderstorms during our stay... Montana weather is always unpredictable.

    We had a deer walk through our site early morning, so wildlife is definitely near by.

  • Matthew S.
    Aug. 8, 2022

    Copper King

    Great little spot to relax

    This is a free campground. There are five sites with generous spacing. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. There is a privy and one bear box in the middle of the circle. This campground doesn't really accommodate large RVs, but it's great for tent camping. Although it sits along the river, it doesn't really have great river access. The campground is no more than 10 minutes from Thompson falls, so it's easy to get to town if you need to.

  • M
    Sep. 18, 2021

    Blue Bay Campground

    Beautiful spots right on Flathead Lake

    $20 a night for a spot right on the crystal clear water. Native land & no alcohol. Fire ring with grill attachment and a picnic table. There’s electric/water sites not on the water and I believe the ones right on the lake are not. Dogs allowed. Spacious spots, some with a decent amount of privacy. Bathrooms.

  • N
    Jul. 25, 2020

    West Shore Unit — Flathead Lake State Park

    Great stop on the way to Glacier

    We had a hard time leaving this spot! Beautiful views of the lake, lots of hiking trails, and lake access. Our spot didn’t have quick access to the water- we had to hike down 1/2 mile or so to reach the rocky shore. There’s one hike in spot that allows you to camp right on the water that looked amazing. Our spot was walk-in with plenty of parking nearby. Well maintained pit toilet, water, bear box, and recycling all within easy access. Firewood and ice available for purchase and paddle board and kayak rentals down by the boat launch.

  • MT Nesters 4.
    Aug. 27, 2020

    Swan Lake Campground

    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!!

  • L
    Oct. 30, 2022

    Wayfarers State Park Campground

    Beautiful

    Stayed one night, 10/14/22 on a road trip. It was a beautiful night, MANY sites available, saw maybe one other camper. Our site had a fire pit and picnic table, flat ground for our tent and plenty of trees for privacy. There can be potable water, bathrooms, showers, and an outdoor dish washing station but water was shut off for the season. There were bear boxes around the campsites but appeared to only be around the walk in sites. Plenty of hiking trails and plenty of day use visitors on those trails. Very pretty camp and well cared for camp. Heard lots of noisy animals in the meadow at night and some noisy folks that seemed to be coming from the boat ramp.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 30, 2018

    Big Arm State Unit — Flathead Lake State Park

    Lakeside Camping on Flathead

    The campground offers many lakeside campsites complete with picnic table and fire rings. There were 3 yurts for those interested. all vehicles, including camping vehicles, park alongside road; there are few, if any, pull-in sites. There is room for a tent or two in the sIte. Most of the lakeside sites also have a small amount of slope.

    The camp hosts were absolutely fantastic! There is firewood and ice for sale at the park. Polson is about 20-30 mInutes away and has grocery stores, etc. If you go to Polson, check out The Cove Deli for some really great ice-cream.

    The showers were really awkward, but did the job. They take $ coins (available from host if needed) and quarters.

    If you aren’t bringing your own boat, Boat Rentals and Rides is only 2 miles down the road. We rented 2 glass bottom kayaks. Warning: lake conditions change suddenly and we saw the waves blow in 2 dIfferent directions durIng the 2 days we were there. There were no bear boxes at the sites, only one by the bathroom.

  • M
    Aug. 8, 2022

    Blue Bay Campground

    Family friendly

    At least 20 lake front dry tent sites, second row back from the lake is tent sites or small rigs with power. There are swimming docks, a boat launch, sunning lawn and a newly added concession stand. The water shallow for a long distance of beautiful colorful rocks (like Lake McDonald) and perfect for swimming of all ages. Camp crowd was quiet and well behaved perhaps because no alcohol is allowed? Great stop on the way to Glacier National Park. Why not 5 stars? Bathrooms and campsites were dirty, potable water is hard to get.

  • Jordan R.
    Jun. 2, 2022

    Big Arm State Unit — Flathead Lake State Park

    Hidden 💎

    This place is amazing! We're staying on loop A and we are right on the water. No electricity but there's clean bathrooms, clean shower house that costs tokens, picnic tables, fire rings, fresh water spickets and access to buy ice and firewood from the camp hosts! So peaceful here. Will be coming back here for sure!!


Guide to Big Arm

Tent camping near Big Arm, Montana positions visitors within the forest-lined shores of Flathead Lake at an elevation of 2,927 feet. The area experiences warm summer days with temperatures averaging 75-85°F in July and August, though evenings cool considerably to 45-55°F even during peak season. Most dispersed camping sites around Big Arm lack facilities and require visitors to practice proper waste management.

What to do

Swimming access: At Yellow Bay State Park Campground, the shoreline offers ideal swimming conditions. "The bay itself is relatively shallow, protected a bit from the wind and the bottom is smooth mid sized rocks, all making for an excellent place to swim," notes a camper. The park includes a roped-off public swim area and a small boat dock.

Kayaking and paddleboarding: Flathead Lake provides calm waters for paddling sports. "We also really love to kayak and stand up paddle board, and this is the perfect place to do it," shares a Yellow Bay visitor. Some campgrounds like Mere's Magic Trout Pond even provide equipment: "There is potable well water and a canoe if you wanted to row in the pond."

Fishing opportunities: Many campers visit specifically for fishing Flathead Lake's clear waters. "A small creek runs right through the camp and into the lake, which is crystal clear! The rocks are gorgeous and it was a wonderful place to fish!" reports a Yellow Bay camper. Ashley Lake, about 45 minutes from Big Arm, also attracts anglers with its exceptionally clear water.

What campers like

Waterfront access: The best tent camping near Big Arm, Montana often includes direct water access. At Blankenship Bridge, campers appreciate the riverside location: "We stayed here to have quick access to Glacier National Park... many spots for car or van campers to park near the beautiful river. The location is breathtaking."

Natural features: Many sites offer unique natural elements that enhance the camping experience. A Yellow Bay visitor noted, "There is a small stream running along the side of the campground before dumping into Flathead Lake just 200 yards away." This stream provides both ambiance and practical benefits as "the nearby stream drowns out most of [the road noise]."

Cleanliness: Well-maintained facilities are consistently mentioned in reviews. At Ashley Lake South Campground, "The lake is crystal clear and the campground is very clean." Even at more rustic sites like Blankenship Bridge, campers note "Super clean porta potty" facilities.

What you should know

Limited site availability: Many campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. Ashley Lake South Campground has "only about 6-7 spots, first come first serve, and it's on a real rough road to get there." Plan to arrive early, especially on summer weekends.

Road conditions: Access to the best camping spots often requires navigating challenging roads. "The road coming down to the camping area was sketchy with deep potholes and ruts but we had a large SUV so we managed," reports a Blankenship Bridge visitor. Another camper warns of "huge pot holes and water puddles" requiring "high clearance to get down there."

Tribal land restrictions: Some areas near Big Arm require special permits. At North Crow Creek, campers should know "it is on Tribal land and permits are required for use." During special circumstances, access may be further restricted to tribal members only.

Tips for camping with families

Water safety gear: Bring life jackets for children when camping near Flathead Lake. A Yellow Bay camper recommends, "My family always brings their boat, and we go tubing, fishing, water skiing, and swimming," suggesting multiple water activities require appropriate safety equipment.

Wheeled gear transport: Some sites require carrying equipment from parking areas to campsites. Yellow Bay State Park offers this solution: "There are 6 spots, all just 25 yards from a parking area. There is a wheelbarrow for moving your items if you need it."

Wildlife awareness: Teach children about bear safety in this region. A visitor mentions, "They are pretty strict about where you dump your trash—do not burn your garbage in your fire pit. Make sure to dump your trash in the assigned garbage bins (they are bear-resistant bins)."

Tips from RVers

Size limitations: Larger RVs face significant challenges at most tent camping areas near Big Arm. At Hungry Horse Reservoir, a reviewer cautions, "This is a good spot for smaller RVs or tents but any spot I seen for RVs larger than 30' was taken or really not available."

Leveling requirements: Prepare for uneven terrain at many sites. A Mission Meadows RV Campground visitor notes, "There are a few spots with hookups, but the ground is very uneven. The best spots are W&E, and the dumpstation is at the Cenex in Ronan."

Road access information: Check road conditions before attempting access with any RV. At Hungry Horse Reservoir, an RVer advises, "37 miles from Hungry Horse to this location, almost 25 of the unpaved and some of the road is really rough and extremely narrow, much of it along steep Cliffs." Another cautions, "after dragging my 38' RV up the road I wished that they had signs at the bottom noting all the paid for sites were full."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Big Arm, MT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Big Arm, MT is Yellow Bay State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Big Arm, MT?

TheDyrt.com has all 29 tent camping locations near Big Arm, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.