Best Tent Camping near Box Elder, MT
Tent camping options near Box Elder, Montana include several established campgrounds along the Fresno Reservoir and within the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Hill County Beaver Creek Park, the largest county park in the nation, offers multiple tent camping areas with varying levels of amenities and access to fishing lakes and hiking trails. Kiehns Bay at Fresno Reservoir provides dispersed tent sites with views of the water.
Most primitive tent campgrounds in the Box Elder region have minimal facilities. Fresno Tailwater and Kiehns Bay lack drinking water, showers, and toilets, requiring campers to pack in all necessary supplies including water. Sites typically feature dirt or gravel surfaces with little site preparation. Hill County Beaver Creek Park requires a $55 annual pass for camping access. Several boat-in tent camping options exist along the Missouri River, including Eagle Creek and Hole-in-the-Wall, which offer vault toilets and fire rings but limited shade except at Eagle Creek where cottonwood trees provide natural cover. Road conditions to many sites include washboard sections and can be challenging after rain.
Backcountry tent camping experiences vary significantly by location. Eagle Creek Developed Boat Camp provides access to hiking through a slot canyon and features cottonwood trees that create shaded tent sites. According to one visitor, "There's plenty of room to set up tents and good locations for hammocks under the large cottonwoods." Fresno Reservoir tent sites offer spectacular views but can become busy with locals, particularly on weekends. A camper noted that "the locals have no respect for campers, they just drive right up and spend the afternoon drinking and carrying on right in front of our spot." For more solitude, tent campers should consider the primitive boat camps along the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, where sites are well-spaced and offer peaceful riverside camping experiences.
