Best Tent Camping near Bigfork, MT

Dispersed tent camping options near Bigfork, Montana include several primitive sites along Flathead Lake and the surrounding national forest areas. Yellow Bay State Park Campground offers six tent-only sites approximately 200 yards from Flathead Lake with a small stream running alongside the camping area. Blankenship Bridge provides dispersed camping with riverside access, while Ryan Road Dispersed Camping offers free primitive tent sites in a more remote setting.

Road access to many tent camping areas varies significantly, with some sites requiring high-clearance vehicles. The road to Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed Camping includes 25 miles of unpaved surfaces that become extremely narrow along steep cliffs. Many primitive tent sites lack basic amenities, with visitors needing to pack in water and pack out all waste. According to one visitor, "The GPS coordinates for dispersed sites are slightly off. Look for Hungry Horse Road and follow it 4 miles until you reach the Hungry Horse Reservoir Dam." Most dispersed camping areas allow fires when restrictions aren't in place, but designated campgrounds like Yellow Bay enforce strict rules about trash disposal in bear-resistant containers.

Walk-in tent sites at Yellow Bay State Park are set approximately 25 yards from the parking area, with wheelbarrows available to transport gear. A review mentioned that "all the sites are very nice and it's all very well kept with a small creek running right through the camp and into the lake." The sites offer minimal privacy between them though trees provide screening from the main road. Many primitive tent camping areas around Hungry Horse Reservoir feature fire rings but require campers to bring their own water and sanitation supplies. Cell service is unreliable in most backcountry tent camping locations, with several reviews noting no Verizon coverage at Hungry Horse Reservoir. Tent campers should be prepared for wildlife encounters, particularly in areas near Flathead Lake and the reservoir.

Best Tent Sites Near Bigfork, Montana (66)

    1. Yellow Bay State Park Campground

    6 Reviews
    Dayton, MT
    14 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. Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping

    32 Reviews
    Coram, MT
    26 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."

    3. Ryan Road Dispersed Camping

    23 Reviews
    West Glacier, MT
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 387-3800

    "Rolled in around 8pm and easily found a spot for a car and multiple tents toward the beginning of the road, before we reached the dropped pin."

    "Arrived August 1st...was hoping to find a spot close to Glacier NP with some privacy but I think I was asking for too much lol. However, I am happy to have a place close to the park free of charge!"

    5. Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed

    7 Reviews
    Martin City, MT
    21 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!"

    6. Dorris Creek Road

    2 Reviews
    Martin City, MT
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 387-3800

    7. Ashley Lake South Campground

    4 Reviews
    Kalispell, MT
    26 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. SpiritWorks Herb Farm Campground

    1 Review
    Whitefish, MT
    22 miles
    Website

    $30 - $60 / night

    "No food in the camping areas due to wildlife. Communal area for cooking, eating and campfire. Outside shower open to the Montana sky is awesome at sunset or under the stars."

    9. North Lion Lake Campground

    1 Review
    Martin City, MT
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 758-5208

    10. Elk Island Campground

    Be the first to review!
    Essex, MT
    16 miles
    +1 (406) 387-3800
Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 66 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Tent Camping Reviews near Bigfork, MT

1005 Reviews of 66 Bigfork 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.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2021

    Quartz Creek Campground — Glacier National Park

    Off the beaten path

    There are about 8 sites here, several miles down the road from the —- Glacier ranger station. It’s quiet, all you can hear is the creek and the wind in the trees. Sites 4 and 5 are the best as they are right on the creek with water access. There is one central bear box, one central water pump (currently NO water), and one clean vault toilet. You are close to a couple of trailheads as well.

  • Angela G.
    May. 15, 2021

    Apgar Campground — Glacier National Park

    Great location!

    Really excellent location right inside Glacier National Park limits and walking distance to Lake McDonald. I had very limited cell phone service with Verizon at the campground but I had 4G at the lake. The sites were spacious enough. Most sites had a semi circle type parking so easy to get in and out for trailers. Bathroom was ok but there was no soap. No wifi. Trash receptacles were available. The showers were not great. Deer frequented the sites. Proper food storage is very important. It was nice and quiet while I was there but during peak summer months would likely be very busy and crowded.

  • C
    Sep. 9, 2016

    Two Medicine Campground — Glacier National Park

    Beautiful campground

    The campground is very beautiful located by Two Medicine Lake and between large mountains. There are many campsites which offer different views and allow for different types of campers (rvs, cars, walk-ins). The sites had water spickets, dumpsters, and bear boxes near by, but not all sites have them. If you use a tent be prepared to not put your anchoring spikes in to hold the tent down as there is a thick rock layer just under a thin layer of dirt. Another downside to the campground is the road to get there is very rough. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. There was a park ranger who held camp gatherings which was a fun option to have. The wife and I really enjoyed utilizing the numerous trails around the campground. One of our favorite campgrounds we have gone to!

  • Morgan M.
    Jul. 1, 2020

    Fish Creek Campground — Glacier National Park

    Site D173 along Lake McDonald

    Situated along the southwest side of Glacier National Park's Fish Creek Campground, I snagged two nights at site D173 - right on the lake! 

    Follow the paved road to Loop D, and it's one of the last sites you come to. The site was extremely spacious and very clean (many of the sites at Fish Creek Campground are very small). It contained a fire pit, picnic table and outline for tent location. Plenty of close trees for hammocks. 

    Just a short walk down the hill from the site and you're on the lake! Because of the trees, there's not a great view of the lake from the site. Site D174 has fewer trees with clearer views of the lake. 

    The site was extremely close to the dumpsters (but not too close!), the bear vault was across the road and the bathrooms were maybe 100ft away (M/W - two stalls with flushing toilets and two sinks with a hand dryer). 

    I'm not much of a campground person (I prefer backpacking to avoid screaming kids and the sounds of generators), but this was sufficed for my time exploring Glacier National Park. 

    You'll see I had a tent/tarp set up the first night (I refused to be wet in my tent!), but the second night I slept in my car since I knew it would be pouring rain the next morning and I didn't want to break down camp in the rain. 

    Beware! You cannot collect sticks from the area for your fire. You must purchase firewood at Apgar Village (around $6/bundle) or collect dead branches/wood from the road to Bowman or Kintla Lakes. 

    The site host was at the start of Loop D, so she was close by for any issues (she's super nice!).

    The campground is dog friendly (I had mine with me), but know that there are NO dog-friendly trails in Glacier NP.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2021

    Big Creek Campground (flathead National Forest, Mt)

    Nice and shady

    Nice little forest service campground with two small loops for a total of about 20 sites, reservable. I lucked out and was able to get a site last minute as a walk in, and my site was pretty good! Site 9 site on the river side and has water access (with a bit of walking), and is close to the vault toilet (which is in need of service). Quiet with a good number of trees (bring your hammock), you may need to kick some pine cones out of the way to pitch your tent. There is a nice picnic table and fire ring as well. I watched a doe nose around in the site opposite mine for a while.

  • Stacia R.
    Jul. 14, 2019

    Fish Creek Campground — Glacier National Park

    Glacier...jewel of the Continent

    This is a very busy campground in a stunningly beautiful park. We selected this campground because it is one of only 2 in Glacier National Park that accepts reservations, and its close proximity to Lake McDonald. We stayed in the D loop (loops are A-D). Of the four loops, this one was my favorite. The A loop had larger sites, but they were less private. The A loop is the only loop with showers as well, so a lot of campers come thru to hit the shower. We hit the shower mid-day and were lucky that there was no line and a little hot water. Our loop had a mix of sites, but mostly tent campers. Some have direct views to the lake, some are along Fish Creek, and many are little more than a driveway with a picnic table & fire pit. We had to put our tents, one medium size & one small, in the driveway due to no other space available. The ground was incredibly hard to put stakes into and the gravel drive put a hole in my sleeping pad. The bathroom was within a minute walk and there are several water spickets around each loop. Being “bear aware” is essential in this area, so all food & food prep items have to be stored in your vehicle or one of the communal bear boxes. The camp hosts offer wash basins for dishes and there is a grey water dump at the bathroom. For the most part, it is a relatively quiet campground, as most people are off exploring the park every day. We did have a large group of loud campers/partiers next to us one night that resulted in a small swarm of park rangers showing up, but I think this is probably unusual. Apgar Village is nearby where you can get everything you may need and more...gifts/souvenirs, ice cream, firewood, boat & bike rentals, coffee, etc. Glacier is amazing!...but very busy & with really only one road going thru the park for the most part. Be prepared for crowds but relax & take in the beauty of it all.

  • Sarah N.
    May. 30, 2020

    Two Medicine Campground — Glacier National Park

    Quiet and low key

    Compared to other campgrounds in Glacier, Two Med is quiet and low key. Definitely more of a chill vibe, read: no one here was partying loudly. We stayed in a reserved site that is designated back country as we finished a back country trip with the last night at Two Medicine, where we parked our car. Many people who use this site are not on a loop, but on the many are on the CDT and use this as a great place to bathe (the lake) and see a few humans. This site is tent only, designated with wood pilings and has small rocks/sand as the floor - it was very hard as no rain lately and difficult to get in tent stakes. It fits a large tent - maybe 12'? We used our car as our 'bear box', be very bear aware here and use clean camping. Black and Brown bears can frequent the area. Bathrooms clean, no showers (but there is that nice lake!) The boat ride across the lake is worth it for the commentary and views, make advance reservations.

  • 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.


Guide to Bigfork

Dispersed tent camping near Bigfork, Montana provides direct access to both Flathead Lake and neighboring forest service lands at elevations ranging from 2,900 to 4,500 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-85°F during day and 45-55°F at night, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms common in July and August. The surrounding Flathead National Forest contains over 2.4 million acres with numerous primitive camping options within a 30-minute drive of Bigfork.

What to do

Fishing access points: Yellow Bay State Park Campground offers direct access to some of Flathead Lake's deepest waters. According to one camper, "Yellow Bay is the deepest part of Flathead Lake and it's a very cool spot to swim or fish."

Kayaking and paddleboarding: The clear waters and protected bays create ideal conditions for paddlers of all experience levels. A visitor to Yellow Bay State Park Campground noted, "We go tubing, fishing, water skiing, and swimming. We also really love to kayak and stand up paddle board, and this is the perfect place to do it."

Swimming in rocky shorelines: The smooth stone beaches at many shoreline access points provide excellent swimming opportunities. One camper at Blankenship Bridge described it as "Right on a clear river... The perfect spot fo dogs!" with safe swimming areas accessible directly from campsites.

Hiking in Jewel Basin: Multiple trail systems within 30 minutes of Bigfork offer day hiking options. A visitor explained, "I hiked in the Jewel Basin area, which was beautiful. I saw some wildlife and even came into close contact with a little chipmunk!"

What campers like

Crystal clear water: The clarity of Flathead Lake and surrounding water bodies consistently impresses visitors. A camper at Ashley Lake South Campground shared, "Ashley Lake never disappoints... it's still beautiful" with its "clear blue water."

Riverside camping spots: Many tent campers appreciate the direct water access. One Blankenship Bridge visitor noted, "We stayed here to have quick access to Glacier National Park... There are plentiful sites, some with fire rings, many spots for car or van campers to park near the beautiful river."

Secluded forest sites: Finding private spots away from crowds is possible with early arrival. At Ryan Road Dispersed Camping, a camper found "Cozy Spot next to Glacier National Park... Quite busy, but spacious enough to feel private."

Proximity to Glacier National Park: Many dispersed sites serve as affordable base camps for park exploration. As one visitor noted, "This spot is only about 5 minutes down the road from the West entrance to Glacier National Park."

What you should know

Road conditions vary significantly: Many access roads require high-clearance vehicles. One visitor to Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed warned, "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."

Arrive early for prime spots: Popular areas fill quickly, especially on weekends. A camper at Ryan Road Dispersed Camping advised, "There are only about 10 sites so get there early."

Cell service limitations: Most primitive camping areas have unreliable connectivity. At Hungry Horse Reservoir, a camper noted, "No reliable service for Verizon."

Wildlife precautions required: All camping areas require proper food storage due to bear activity. Campers at Dorris Creek Road observed, "Make sure you pack out your trash, we saw some overflowing fire rings that were terrible so please make sure to have an appropriate way to pack it out!"

Tips for camping with families

Shallow protected swimming areas: Some locations offer gentler water access points ideal for children. Yellow Bay features "a roped off public swim area, along with a small boat dock nearby."

Sites with natural features: Locations with streams or protected bays can provide natural entertainment. One family camping at Yellow Bay State Park Campground appreciated that "a small creek runs right through the camp and into the lake."

Campgrounds with basic amenities: For families needing facilities, select sites with toilets. At Yellow Bay, "There are fire rings at the campsites, and a pit toilet at the parking area. Yellow Bay is also a state park, and there are regular restrooms at the parking area just a short walk away from the camping area."

Gear transportation assistance: Some walk-in tent sites offer equipment to help move camping gear. At Yellow Bay, sites are "just 25 yards from a parking area. There is a wheelbarrow for moving your items if you need it."

Tips for RVers

Size limitations at most sites: Large RVs face significant challenges accessing many dispersed areas. At Ashley Lake South Campground, "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."

Alternative parking options: Some RVers find success parking at trailheads when designated sites are full. At Camp Misery Trailhead, "It seems overnight parking is allowed at the trailhead since camping at the lakes is quite popular."

Road access challenges: Many forest roads narrow significantly. At Ryan Road, a camper with a larger rig noted, "The road in was narrow. Glad I didn't have any problems with on coming riggs."

Weather impact on road conditions: Spring runoff and summer thunderstorms can quickly deteriorate access roads. At Blankenship Bridge, a visitor warned about "Deep rutted muddy holes filled with water to get to site. Sketchy low trees and narrow road."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Bigfork, MT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bigfork, 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 Bigfork, MT?

TheDyrt.com has all 66 tent camping locations near Bigfork, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.