286 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Columbia Falls serves as a gateway to various camping options near Glacier National Park in Montana, with accommodations ranging from dispersed sites to full-service RV parks. The Middle Fork Flathead River offers free dispersed camping areas with minimal amenities, while established campgrounds like Glacier Campground and Columbia Falls RV Park provide more developed facilities. Several campgrounds in the area feature tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals, particularly along Highway 2 leading toward the west entrance of Glacier National Park.
Seasonal considerations greatly affect camping availability in the region, with most established campgrounds operating from May through September. Winter weather conditions typically limit camping options, though some year-round facilities exist. Columbia Falls RV Park remains open throughout the year, providing a reliable option during off-season months. Many campsites require advance reservations during peak summer season, particularly those closest to Glacier National Park. Road access to dispersed sites can become challenging after rainfall, especially along forest service roads. A visitor noted, "Our reservation at Glacier didn't go through and we were scrambling for a place to park for the night. Clyde's Camp was close to the beaten path, but quiet and clean."
Campers report varying experiences with amenities and privacy across the area's campgrounds. The proximity to Glacier National Park makes Columbia Falls campgrounds popular staging areas for park exploration. Several visitors mentioned clean facilities and convenience as key advantages of staying at established campgrounds. According to one camper, "Campsite was very clean and well kept. Nice gravel and grass area with picnic table." Some reviews highlight the tradeoff between convenience and spacing, with more developed RV parks offering excellent facilities but closer site placement. Dispersed camping locations along the Middle Fork Flathead River provide more solitude but fewer amenities. The region's campgrounds generally offer mountain views, with several situated near rivers or creeks for additional scenic value.
"It’s so close to the National Park entrance and a beautiful place to stay. The road is a bit bumpy getting down here but there’s plenty of room for tent camping and RVs. Be careful though!"
"Perfect spot for camping outside the west entrance, about 25 minutes away. That road is a little rough coming in but it’s short and manageable, even saw a little Mazda make it in."
"This is a big RV resort close to West Glacier town and park entrance. We came with our 25’ RV and reserved a tent pad site to ensure we were up against the edge of the resort."
"9/13/19 West Glacier, Montana West Glacier KOA Resort
Most beautiful location of the KOAs I've stayed at. Nestled against the mountains and less than 3 miles to Glacier National Park. "
"Montana is absolutely gorgeous! I may be biased because I go to college in Montana, but there is so many great outdoor activities. The mountains and scenery are my favorite."
"Great place tucked away from the road. Sites are smaller. Place was clear even the showers. Hot water in the morning not so much at night."
from $45 - $120 / night
Check Availability"Apgar is walking distance from the Apgar Visitor Center and park shuttles, as well as Apgar Village, camp store, equipment rentals, etc."
"I could see 6 or 7 other camp fires burning while sitting next to mine. We stayed three nights and every night heard someone a site or two over as he was talking too loud (and too much)."
from $45 - $90 / night
Check Availability"We have stayed in Many Glacier and Avalanche Creek but this is our favorite campsite in the park because of its proximity to Lake Mcdonald as well as Apgar village."
"Now the good: We were really close to Apgar village and other sites along the Road to the Sun road. The rangers were nice and pleasant to interact with."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"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."
"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."
"It’s very close to the West entrance to Glacier National Park. We found fun things to do in nearby Hungry Horse, CowY, and Columbia Falls."
"Campground was relatively quiet despite its close proximity to the highway. Everything was very clean and organized. Camp host was friendly."
"Good Verizon cell signal and close to all the area attractions; Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, & Glacier NP."
"Awesome location. Quiet. Montana views ..."
from $30 - $56 / night
Check Availability"The road will likely cause need for a front end alignment as you drive from Columbia Falls."
"about 6 spots to camp. plenty of people close by, felt safe. fire pits. vault toilet. right next to the river - beautiful! some bees around but weren’t bothersome."
"Walking distance to a fun coffee shop. There is often a farmers market in Columbia Falls. Great location to explore Glacier National Park. Nice clean bathrooms."
"You are close to your neighbors. There is a brewery and restaurant close by. The Gunsight restaurant in downtown Columbia Falls is a must, especially on Taco Tues."
from $100 - $180 / night
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GuideVery large park, has all the expected anemities and more. Spots are close together given how large the campground is and only about half full. Expensive is my only complaint.
GuideI’m doing 4 days of hiking in Glacier National Park, and like most national parks, you have to stay in these humongous campgrounds just outside the park, unless you really work for it. And I’m here for the hiking, not the camping. This campground is more like a resort than an RV park. I mean, sometimes RV parks try to play like they are great and aren’t but this place is awesome. 2 pools including an adults only pool. Hot tubs. Sauna’s. An airstream that serves as a bar. Comfortable deck lounge furniture under umbrellas. A full service restaurant (didn’t use) that serves whatever wonderful meat they’ve been slow cooking all day. So clean. Family friendly with a train that takes the kiddos around the campground in the evenings. Quiet. Clean. Staff is so friendly and helpful with any questions on park logistics. Loved it!
TravelerLoops are not connected, showers and dish washing, are in separate loops, loop B doesnt have showers. On the plus side potable water everywhere.and good camp stores. About half the sites have level tent spots. Overall pretty quiet.
TravelerThis whole campground is on a hill so if you need a level space for your set up it may be challenging. Sites are very close. No privacy Bathrooms OK.
TravelerThe road can be rough in spots but I got up here in a 20ft converted shuttle bus. Just watch for the dips in the road. I found a pull thru site almost to the top. I saw 1 car going up and that’s it.
Scout5/5 Stars - The Perfect Weekend Getaway! We had an absolutely fantastic time here! It was exactly the weekend getaway we were looking for. The property is super quiet and surrounded by sprawling farmland, which gave our four kids and the dog plenty of room to safely run around and burn off energy. We even had enough wide-open space to set up a great family game of wiffle ball. Getting our 34-foot fifth-wheel situated was a breeze, and the site was perfect for our setup. Despite feeling so peaceful and secluded, the location is incredibly convenient and close to everything you might need. Another huge bonus for us was the great cell phone service! To top it all off, the owners are fantastic and incredibly welcoming. We highly recommend staying here and can't wait to visit again!
GuideIf possible, I would give it 4 1/2 stars. We were in the middle of a forest and barely able to find a spot for our Starlink to work (which was fine). It has standard bathrooms, showers, and laundry and a one RV dump site. The dumpsters filled up over the weekend but were emptied Monday morning. It has a delicious restaurant on site, The Sunflower Cafe, serving breakfast and dinner. The biggest advantage is the distance to the west entrance of Glacier National Park. We checked a few prices after arriving, and this was a good price for the distance, but some 10-15 miles away are less expensive.
GuideCampground owned by blackfeetcampgrounds.com/ I camped next to the creek under trees. There was a grizzly sighting that the hosts warned me of, but I did not see. Not too many other campers, but it is a large property. There is access to the Two Medicine lake. I very much enjoyed my stay.
GuideStill One of the most beautiful parks , but because of the lack of communication and knowledge by rangers , made it to struggle to stay, we traveled to Risingsun Campground gorgeous Campground went there because we were told they had for us come first serve when we got there. They said they stopped it in July but didn’t tell anyone we had to find Wii fi to make reservations next day traveled to other side of park to apgar to large visitors center waited in line to talk to rangers about camping had no information finally one said fish creek had first come first serve drove there not true the whole park is reservations only and you have to wait until five o’clock for them to release sites that means you wasted a day and maybe no site
Camping around Columbia Falls spans from densely forested sites along river valleys to mountain terrain at elevations between 3,000-4,500 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-85°F during peak season, with overnight lows dropping to 45-55°F. Access roads to dispersed sites often feature challenging conditions with deep ruts and water-filled potholes, especially after rainfall.
River access: Middle Fork Flathead River offers direct river recreation with multiple dispersed camping options. "Massive lot right on the river, would not recommend for larger RVs or trailers as the road in gets pretty bumpy," reports one camper at Middle Fork Flathead River Dispersed.
Boat rentals: From Apgar Campground, visitors can walk to Apgar Village to rent watercraft. "You can run over to Apgar village if you want to rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, or motor boats by the hour," notes one camper.
Wildlife viewing: Forest areas provide opportunities to spot local wildlife. At Fish Creek Campground, one visitor observed that "Wildlife frequent this campground and do not feed them. Be Bear Aware, and always carry your bear spray, and flashlight especially at night."
E-bike exploration: Several campgrounds now offer bike rentals for exploring the area. At Moose Creek RV Resort, "They also rent ebikes at super reasonable rates," making it easier to navigate nearby trails.
Private sites: Despite proximity to Glacier National Park, several campgrounds offer secluded spots. At Glacier Campground, "There are lots of trees which made it feel private, at least in the spot we had. The management team were extremely nice."
River swimming: Natural water features provide relief during summer heat. At Blankenship Bridge, "We were able to park on the beach, right on the flathead river and watch the rafters go by."
Mountain views: The surrounding landscape creates scenic backdrops at most sites. According to one visitor at Rocky Mountain Hi Campground, "It was a nice location with Mountain view's all around. Beautifully manicured sites with trees that are starting to gain size for shade."
Nighttime skies: Clear mountain air creates excellent stargazing conditions. One camper noted, "Incredible night sky. Only other place I've seen so many stars/the Milky Way was Death Valley."
Road conditions: Access to dispersed campsites requires vehicles with appropriate clearance. At Middle Fork Flathead River, a camper warns, "Road has huge and I mean huge puddles. Very tight fit for truck and trailer for sure in a lot of the spots."
Seasonal closures: Some dispersed campsites close unexpectedly due to logging or high water. At Ryan Road Dispersed Camping, visitors reported: "I showed up to the Ryan road turn off from highway 2 and there was a bunch of signage that said temporarily closed to public access due to logging work going on."
Bear safety: All campgrounds require proper food storage. "Properly store food or smelly attractant items in a hard-sided vehicle or special bear containers. Coolers are not bear proof," advises a camper at Fish Creek Campground.
Train noise: Railway lines run through the Columbia Falls area. A camper at Blankenship Bridge mentioned, "There is a train that runs through in the distance and blows the whistle (it didn't disturb me but it might bother some)."
Protected swimming: Several campsites near Columbia Falls, Montana feature shallow water access. At Rocky Mountain Hi Campground, families appreciate "the large, grassy playground and swimming area. Showers and a laundry are on site."
Educational programs: Ranger-led activities enhance children's camping experiences. At Fish Creek Campground, campers "enjoyed the nightly ranger programs."
Community areas: Some campgrounds provide social spaces for children. One visitor at West Glacier KOA Resort mentioned, "There's live music, pool, ice cream shoppe, Gaga ball, hiking trails and so much more."
Compact exploration: Family-friendly activities concentrate near park entrances. "Close to Apgar village and west glacier so you never feel like you're far from any amenities. Right next to the entrance to going the sun road, so super easy to wake up early and get into the park," noted an Apgar Campground visitor.
Slide-out space: RV sites vary significantly in width between campgrounds. At Columbia Falls RV Park, one RVer noted "Easy in/out, clean, spotless bathrooms/showers. Close quarters, especially if you and your neighbor have slide outs."
Extension cords: Electrical hookup locations may require additional equipment. According to a visitor at Glacier Campground, "Make sure you bring an extension cord to hook up your electric just in case you have a short standard cord on your camper."
Limited dump options: Plan ahead for waste disposal. One RVer mentioned that Glacier Campground has "a dump station, and propane fill up on site. It's $25 to dump."
Reservation timing: Summer season requires advance planning. "Our site is one of the better ones. We have a separate fire pit area, with kind of a split level effect," shared a camper who secured a premium site at Glacier Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best campgrounds in Columbia Falls, Montana?
Columbia Falls offers excellent camping options for every style. Columbia Falls RV Park provides solid WiFi, clean bathrooms, and a convenient location within walking distance to town amenities including a coffee shop and farmers market. For those seeking free camping experiences, North fork Flathead River dispersed camping offers riverside sites with the soothing sounds of flowing water, though it has a 3-day maximum stay and can get busy at the boat launch. Other notable options include Moose Creek RV Resort with its variety of site types and amenities, and Rocky Mountain Hi Campground with full hookups for those needing to recharge after boondocking adventures.
What activities and attractions are near camping areas in Columbia Falls?
Columbia Falls serves as an ideal base for exploring numerous attractions. From Big Creek Campground, you're just 20 miles from Columbia Falls shopping and close to the west entrance of Glacier National Park, with whitewater rafting opportunities nearby. The Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping area provides access to the Middle Fork Flathead River. Downtown Columbia Falls offers dining options like the Gunsight restaurant (known for Taco Tuesday) and local breweries. The Hungry Horse Dam is worth visiting for its scenic beauty and interesting history. For those looking to explore local flavors, Montana Distillery in Coram and several breweries in the area make for excellent day trips.
Are there RV rental options available in Columbia Falls, MT?
While Columbia Falls itself has limited RV rental companies, the broader Flathead Valley area offers several options. Mountain View RV Park and Moose Creek RV Resort are excellent locations to park a rented RV, with the latter offering a variety of amenities including an on-site store and adult sauna. Most visitors typically rent RVs from companies in the larger nearby towns of Kalispell or Whitefish, then bring them to Columbia Falls campgrounds. For those planning to camp with a rented RV, it's advisable to make reservations well in advance, especially during the peak summer season when Glacier National Park visitation is at its highest.
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