Dispersed camping near Clinton, Montana centers around the Lolo National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands, with elevations ranging from 3,200 to 7,000 feet. Most backcountry sites require significant hiking with elevation gains between 1,000-3,000 feet. Water availability becomes scarce in late summer, particularly in creek-adjacent sites that dry up completely by July.
What to do
Fishing access points: Rock Creek Dispersed Spot offers excellent fly-fishing opportunities with specialized areas. As one visitor noted, "locals I ran into there love the fly-fishing at this site. If you have a passenger car, it's passable— if you don't mind rolling the dice."
Mining history exploration: Garnet Ghost Town Dispersed Camping provides unique historical context. "This ghost town is complete with still stocked shops, empty hotels with beds left in and slowly aging buildings. It is an interesting look at the mining industry in Montana. There are numerous interpretive signs and information about the building throughout the town," according to a camper.
Mountain biking trails: Blue Mountain Forest Rd 365 offers extensive recreation options. "Blue Mountain is a great place to recreate! Very dog friendly and tons of trails for hiking and mountain biking. Camping is allowed west of road 365. The area can get busy during the day but is quiet at night."
What campers like
Secluded camping spots: Deep in the forest, Rock Creek Dry Campsites provide solitude. "Gorgeous area deep back on rock creek. Probably 10 plus miles. Pass campgrounds with toilets. Individual campsites with fire rings and access to great fishing."
Star viewing conditions: Petty Creek sites offer exceptional night sky viewing. One camper reported, "What a great spot! 3 sites in a beautiful spot, about 5 minutes off the highway. We pulled in about 7pm and we were the only ones there. Someone else pulled in around 9 but the sites were separated by enough trees we could barely tell they were there. Felt very private, and the stars were fantastic!"
Lake access for swimming: Bass Lake Dispersed Camping requires effort but rewards visitors. A camper described it as "Around 7 miles one way to the lake, only gain 3000ft over the course of the hike with around 1000ft of elevation gain in last mile. Scenic mountain meadows lots of vegetation, creek nearby for a good portion of the hike."
What you should know
Late-season water levels: Creek beds frequently dry up by mid-summer. At Petty Creek Road sites, a visitor noted, "Creek bed runs right next to the back site, but it was completely dried up in late July."
Bridge conditions and clearance: Rock Creek Dispersed Spot - Lolo has significant access challenges. A reviewer warned, "Not for low clearance vehicles, it's not far off the highway but we struggled with the two narrow bridges with tight turns in our travel trailer and then there's a large flood way dip in the road that you can bottom out on."
Camping restrictions near attractions: Camping rules vary within ghost town areas. "No camping within 1/2 mile of the town," one visitor clarified about Garnet Ghost Town. "Interesting and informative, though half of the buildings are locked upright. You can really interesting artifacts through the windows."
Tips for camping with families
Easiest access sites: Petty Creek Road Dispersed Camping provides convenient locations for families. "Great site, easy access for our van. Flat parking and quiet. A ranger came to say hello in the morning while we were making breakfast and was friendly. Fishing in the river available down the street about a mile away."
Simple facilities: Placid Creek Pull Off offers basic amenities. "Open. Near creek. No amenities aside from outhouse. Rough dirt entrance. 4-5 semi designated parking spaces. More if you were cozy."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Children can spot deer and other wildlife at several locations. At Petty Creek, a camper mentioned, "super easy to get to! just exit off I90 onto Petty Creek Road and go straight for a mile or two. not totally isolated, the site is not too far from the road but not the interstate, so there is a bit of noise but not frequently. service is spotty, verizon and at&t had only 1 bar. found some random bones, saw some deer, and lots of bugs."
Tips from RVers
Turn radius considerations: Many forest roads have limited turn-around space. At Blue Mountain, one RVer warned, "Road is absolutely clapped out going up for like ten miles. Wouldn't recommend a rv or trailer unless you don't mind washboards. I got a flat tire going up so be careful of sharp rocks."
Bridge crossing challenges: RVs need careful planning when accessing creek areas. One visitor to Petty Creek Road shared, "We have a 27 foot RV towed with a truck that has a 8ft bed. Initially we missed the turn and had nowhere to turn around since this is on the side of a mountain... There was a huge dip and I got my tow hitch stuck. My tires couldn't get any traction."
Small trailer options: Peterson Lake Dispersed access roads require careful navigation for small trailers only. The hiking trail gains "around 1700ft in elevation before dropping down around 800ft into the first lake," making it accessible only after parking at the trailhead.
