Best Tent Camping near Big Sky, MT
The mountainous terrain surrounding Big Sky, Montana offers diverse tent camping options ranging from established campgrounds to remote backcountry sites. Spanish Lakes provides highly-rated tent-only camping accessed via a challenging 9-mile hike from Spanish Creek, with multiple alpine lakes for fishing and camping. Blackmore Campground in Custer-Gallatin National Forest offers first-come, first-served tent sites with bear boxes and access to creek trails. For those seeking primitive tent camping closer to Yellowstone National Park, WF1 Backcountry Campsite sits on the edge of a wildflower meadow about 2.2 miles from the Black Butte Trailhead on Highway 191.
Tent campsites throughout the region vary significantly in terrain and accessibility. Many backcountry tent sites require proper food storage due to bear activity, with some areas providing bear boxes while others require hanging food or using portable containers. Ground conditions for tent setup range from soft forest duff that easily accepts stakes to rockier terrain requiring more robust tent anchoring systems. Walk-in tent sites at higher elevations may remain snowbound until early summer, particularly in Spanish Lakes where stream crossings can be challenging during snowmelt. Most primitive tent camping areas have established fire rings, though fire restrictions are common during dry summer months. Vault toilets are available at established campgrounds like Ruby Creek and Blackmore, but backcountry tent campers should be prepared to pack out all waste.
In early summer, tent campers at Spanish Lakes enjoy abundant wildflowers and fishing opportunities. According to reviews, the hike includes "crossing beautiful bridges over roaring streams" with some requiring hikers to "take off boots" for crossings. At Blackmore Campground, campers report sites remain available even when arriving at 7pm, with "clean bathrooms, recycling facilities and bear boxes." Wildlife encounters are common throughout the region's tent campgrounds. One visitor at Fairy Lake noted a "grizzly that's pretty big" checked out their tent, while mountain goats frequently approach campsites. Tent campers seeking solitude often prefer the backcountry sites in Yellowstone, where permits limit each site to a single group, ensuring complete privacy for tent camping experiences.
