Best Tent Camping near Dayton, MT
Looking for the best options for tent camping near Dayton? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Dayton with tent camping. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Dayton campsites are perfect for tent campers.
Best Tent Sites Near Dayton, MT (35)
1. Yellow Bay State Park Campground
Dayton, Montana6 Reviews•12 Photos•104 SavesYellow Bay-Flathead Lake State Park has 5 tent campsites that are first-come, first-serve.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
$9 - $28 / night
2. Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping
Coram, Montana26 Reviews•63 Photos•494 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Dispersed
3. Ryan Road Dispersed Camping
West Glacier, Montana14 Reviews•42 Photos•506 Saves“Dispersed camping” is the term used for camping anywhere outside of a developed campground, including in some campgrounds with minimal development. Dispersed camping is free, and permitted almost everywhere on the Flathead National Forest. Camping in undeveloped areas requires you to help keep the sites in good condition. Rules for dispersed camping Groups over 75 people are not allowed. Dispersed camping is NOT allowed near developed recreation areas including campgrounds, trailheads and day-use areas. Water, restrooms, and trash cans are not provided. Pack out all your trash. There is a 16-day stay limit at any site. After that you must move 5-miles away, and you can not return to your original campsite for 7 days. Use existing fire rings. Avoid creating new fire rings. Your fire must be attended at all times and be dead out before leaving. Contact a local office about possible campfire restrictions before you go. Be bear aware and know the food storage regulations before camping. These regulations are strictly enforced. Additional rules or regulations may apply to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and Flathead Wild and Scenic River corridor.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Dispersed
4. Ashley Lake South Campground
Kalispell, Montana3 Reviews•5 Photos•23 SavesThis is a very small campground with 2 sites, a vault toilet, picnic tables and fire rings. There is a walk down boat launching site for kayaks and canoes. Access road has sharp hairpin corner so RV's are not recommended. Stay limit is 5 days.
- Tents
- Group
- Toilets
- Alcohol
5. Mere’s Magic Trout Pond
Ronan, Montana1 Review•17 Photos•6 SavesCamp on an old trout pond with trees and Mountain Views. It’s best to arrive before sunset and not after dark. We have a lot of water running through the property and campsites are dispersed around the pond. Camp at your reserved numbered post.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
$33 - $75 / night
8. Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed
Martin City, Montana5 Reviews•7 Photos•177 Saves“Dispersed camping” is the term used for camping anywhere outside of a developed campground, including in some campgrounds with minimal development. Dispersed camping is free, and permitted almost everywhere on the Flathead National Forest. Camping in undeveloped areas requires you to help keep the sites in good condition. Rules for dispersed camping Groups over 75 people are not allowed. Dispersed camping is NOT allowed near developed recreation areas including campgrounds, trailheads and day-use areas. Water, restrooms, and trash cans are not provided. Pack out all your trash. There is a 16-day stay limit at any site. After that you must move 5-miles away, and you can not return to your original campsite for 7 days. Use existing fire rings. Avoid creating new fire rings. Your fire must be attended at all times and be dead out before leaving. Contact a local office about possible campfire restrictions before you go. Be bear aware and know the food storage regulations before camping. These regulations are strictly enforced. Additional rules or regulations may apply to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and Flathead Wild and Scenic River corridor. Human Waste Disposal Dispersed camping generally means no bathrooms. Keep your site clean for the next campers and prevent disease spread and pollution of water by following these rules:
Urinate on rocks and avoiding vegetation if possible, and well away from water and camp. Do not leave toilet paper or wipes on the ground after you pee. Carry a zipper-lock plastic bag and pack out your toilet paper. Dig a cathole 6-8 inches deep and 8-inches wide at least 200-feet away from water, camp and trails to bury feces. Cover all waste with the soil you removed, and sprinkle the disturbed ground with leaves, pine needles, or other organic debris. If you carry a portable camping toilet, treat and pack out all treated waste and dispose of according to instructions on the digestant. The Flathead Wild and Scenic River Corridor rules require all solid human waste be carried out in leak-proof manner and disposed of properly off-forest.
Camping with a vehicle Motorized use is limited to roads and trails designated on the Motor Vehicle Use Map. Know and follow all seasonal closures and never go beyond gates or other barriers on roads. Do not park or camp in front of closed gates. This prevents authorized users, including emergency responders, from accessing the road. Find and select your campsite on foot and scout the most direct route to your campsite for your vehicle. Driving your vehicle more than 300 feet from a motorized route for purposes of dispersed camping is prohibited. You may not cut or damage trees or vegetation to access your campsite. Never drive across wet areas or areas with soft ground.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
9. SpiritWorks Herb Farm Campground
Whitefish, Montana1 Review•20 Saves- Fires
- Reservable
- Tents
- Picnic Table
- Showers
- Drinking Water
$30 - $60 / night
10. Dorris Creek Road
Martin City, Montana2 Reviews•6 Photos•60 SavesA dirt parking area located on Forest Road 895A, 8 miles from the town of Hungry Horse. The large parking area has space for 5-6 RVs and offers no services.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Alcohol
Recent Tent Reviews in Dayton
808 Reviews of 35 Dayton Campgrounds
Lauren Hannah G.
Guide
Lake Alva Campground
Pretty campground
Pretty campground. Saw lots of deer running around. Pit toilets were clean and sites were nice. Enjoyed having a fire and it was free in the off season.
- DDavid O.
Scout
Moose Creek RV Resort and Bed & Breakfast
Nice wooded setting near West glacier
Beginning off season, pull through site with water and electric. Uncrowded, convenient, but close to highway so a bit noisy. Bathrooms could use some heat and attention.
- eedwardScout
Ryan Road Dispersed Camping
Me and my 21ft trailer
The road in was narrow. Glad I didn’t have any problems with on coming riggs
- WWendy L.Guide
Beargrass Lodging & RV Resort
Clean, convenient stop
We picked this park for convenience while having travel trailer brake issues. Came at close of season, and thankful for a later evening check in. A little disconnect to obtain a bathroom Code. Fortunately we saw camp hosts walking dogs to gain access. Dog friendly, including nice gated area for off leash.
- WWendy L.Guide
Pleasant Valley Campground
Perfect stop for primitive
Stayed early October and only 1 other camper. Glad it was open, as information is limited and most areas close Sept 15th or Oct 1 and close gates for access. Basic sites, vault toilet. Underused, but great for horses with fence, etc. Only one other car camper. Beautiful stars at night!
- bbrandon W.Guide
North fork Flathead River dispersed camping
Great stay close to West entrance Glacer NP
I really enjoyed this boondocking site. They have great tent options right beside the river but not too close for flooding. Also they have a hard structured bathroom which was nice. Would stay here again. Also the road was bumpy but I managed it with my Honda Accord.
Julie I.GuideLake Alva Campground
Great Camping Spot - Buys end of Season
Great camping spot. We camped over on a Friday night at the end of September. Free because it was out of the normal season, but because it was the last sliver of summer, it definitely filled up. However, they only had the first loop open (group and second loop of sites were closed). Being out of normal season, trash was all locked up but not a big deal.
Lake was spectacular and beautiful, would recommend!
- MMichael S.Guide
Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed
Closed and gated off on 9/24/24
Road to this location was closed. A closed gate that looks private prevented access.
Sarah M.Guide
Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping
Huge pot holes and water puddles + crowded
You can only park on the one side of the river and it’s very crowded. Additionally the road going down to the camping area has huge pot holes and and water so you need high clearance to get down there.
- Raven F.Scout
Clark Memorial
Good not great *be bear aware*
Nice and quite considering how close it is to town. There doesn't seem to be an official way to get from the camp sites to the river despite being only a few feet away. People have bushwacked their own trails through. We are here in mid September so not much in the way of bugs. The toilet is clean and well stocked for a pit toilet. Lots of bear warning signs around so be sure to bring your bear boxes and bear spray.
Ben H.GuideBlankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping
Easy and convenient
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. This area is popular for rafting and fishing. The surrounding area is also beautiful. There are outdoor restrooms located nearby. The camping limit for this area is 3 days. I was able to have good Verizon signal. Overall a great spot to camp.
- DDavid V.Scout
Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping
Mid week stay
At first it looked crowded but we managed two vans side by side right in the river. Everyone was respectful of each other. Fire rings available. We heard that it can be very loud and crowded on the weekends with groups/parties
- JJulia R.Scout
Dispersed Site - Lolo National Forest Recreation Area
Easy, peaceful and beautiful
So gorgeous! Tent camped along the river! Very spaced out campsites, nice for lots of privacy and quiet! Signs to be aware of bear country but took precautions. Rock fire pits at each site. Super easy for quick stop road tripping (0.5 miles off main road)! Stayed in early September on a road trip to Glacier, was able to find our site decently well in the dark! Verizon cell service 3-4 bars! Loved it!
The west is the only safe way to enter onto the road to the campsites. On the map, it looks like you can enter/exit either way from 135… but the east side of the road to get back onto 135 is impossible… so we just had to turn around and exit the same way we came in (from the west).
- Mark B.Guide
Lost Johnny Campground - Flathead National Forest
Lost Johnny
Small 5 site campground. Primitive. A couple large potholes in campground road. Only sites 4 and 5 can accommodate larger campers as the road is fairly narrow to allow turning into sites.
Kaitlin K.Guide
GooseHead Camping Area
Good for the night
This campsite was very accommodating for our rig (40ft long x 13.5ft tall) and the road in wasn’t too bad either. Plenty of space for lots of rigs and turning around.
Pros:
- the reservoir access and sun set views were really neat!
Cons:
- there were a few shady characters about with some weird tent set-ups (lawn mowers, abandoned bikes, and tarps) so we didn’t feel entirely safe leaving our stuff alone for a day trip.
- JJohn T.Scout
3 Bears Campground and RV Park
Lots of Noise, Lots of Rowdy Kids
Needed just a fast stop for the night, in a TT, after getting repairs.
Lots of noise, loud music, loud motors, cars in and out that obviously didn’t stay there off of the back of camp, and just loud racket until late at night.
Just a basic setup, but good shade. Connections were appropriate, pull in sites accommodated a standard pickup and 29 ft TT.
Alyessa L.
Traveler
Jocko Hollow Campground
Sweet spot by the creek
Old lady was sweet to us, I saw the reviews about her being not so sweet but she was nice and got us in last minute. The gentleman brought us a whole tractor full of wood and was nice as well. Trees were down like other reviews stated, they mentioned they had a massive storm. Not something I feel they should be judged for, they were concerned about my kids and asked them to keep away from the left side because of that.
Josh S.TravelerDispersed Site - Lolo National Forest Recreation Area
Quiet open site on the river
Dispersed camping at the "Peninsula" Recreation Area. 6 day stay limit according to the sign. No potable water. Stone fire rings throughout.
We stayed mid week during August. Stayed in a medium sized site on the river. Small steep slope to the water.
Pros:
Plenty of space, both large and small sites. Room for a 30' in a couple of the sites. 3 bars Tmobile. Some sites on the water with a short steep slope down. 12 miles to gas station. Beautiful views.Cons: No pit toilets (edit: another camper said they are at the end of the campground) No potable water. Road/train noise. POISON IVY (found it... found all of it)
Overall we loved this spot. Being ok the water in a mostly private setting with such amazing views is our goal. Little bit of road noise but hardly noticeable over the wind in the trees.
Sites were clean but well used, so thank you to all the campers that took care of this place!
- AAudrey L.Traveler
Dispersed Site - Lolo National Forest Recreation Area
Peaceful and Beautiful!
I was alone while camping, parked my car at the first fire pit I saw open and it was perfect. Absolutely beautiful river, beautiful spot. Great for fishing, swimming, etc.
- SSara A.Guide
GooseHead Camping Area
Dispersed site
Drove in on a Wednesday and found a site right on the water. A number of spots were occupied with campers/tents with no one there. Really peaceful spot in my experience and an unbeatable view. Rented SUPs from in town to enjoy on the reservoir.
Pit toilet, well maintained, and walkable from all spots in the area.
- SSara A.Guide
Big Arm State Unit — Flathead Lake State Park
Tent site
Reserved this deamy site right on the water. Tent 1 is closest to parking but has the most traffic going by to the other sites.
Pit toilet nearby and a quick drive to flushable toilets. Showers available with tokens from the camphost ($3 for 6 minutes) but camphost weren't around when I was looking so no personal experience here.
- SSara A.Guide
Finley Point Unit — Flathead Lake State Park
Walk in
Got a walk in site when I showed up in the afternoon. All that was left was an RV site and they let me tent there. Even though I wasn't on the water, still got a water view! Pit toilet bathroom was close by, and sometimes the smell wafted over when the wind changed.
SUP, kayak rentals on water, reasonably priced. The beach was rocky and perfect!
In the morning, I spotted a black bear on a hill. Follow bear protocol well.
- Josh S.Traveler
Ryan Road Dispered #2
Quiet solitude near West Glacier
Got here on a Monday at about 1pm.
There were about 3-4 sites available, 2 of which could fit a camper. We grabbed one. It could fit a 20-25' camper with vehicle at most.
The place emptied out pretty well mid week (peak season).
Pros:
Many sites Some flat/level sites Some very big sites (2-3 could probably fit a larger 30'+ rig) Very quiet 15 min to west glacier entrance gate Clean Full 5 bar Tmobile
Cons:
Not much for turn around space, especially for a larger rig. If sites at end of road are packed you may be up a creek. Weekends it's packed. Still quiet, just nit much availability. No water. The spigot that used to be available outside the park gates are no longer available. Closest water is inside the park at the picnic areas.
We stayed 6 nights and it was great. Very quiet, and an easy 25 minute drive to Columbia falls for grocery. 15-20 to hungry horse for gas.
Olivia E.Guide
National Forest Recreation Area - Peninsula
Wrong location
Do not follow maps directions to this spot. Click the one a little south east next to the river titled “Dispersed Site - Lolo National Forest Recreation Area”. This is the right location. Good spot.
- Olivia E.Guide
Dispersed Site - Lolo National Forest Recreation Area
Liked it a lot!
Turn onto the road, once you reach end of that road, there’s more spots to the left. If you drive far enough you’ll find pit toilets. We had good service on Verizon and T-Mobile to work. River is beautiful. Would definitely come back
Elizabeth F.TravelerNorth fork Flathead River dispersed camping
Nice stay near West Glacier
This was a nice site for the night. I came around 6pm and all 4 sites were full so we just car camped in one of the parking spots. The four spots look really nice, but they most likely fill up quick, as we came on a Monday night. It’s a very beautiful place to camp and the bathroom is a perk! I definitely recommend if wanting a free place to camp outside of the West Glacier entrance!
- CChristin B.Guide
Ryan Road Dispered #2
Super close to the West Entrance Glacier NP
Many little sites, some with stone rings for fire, some without. Road is easily doable without 4WD. But has some potholes. You will sleep surrounded by forest in nature and close to the west entrance of the glacier National Park.
Guide to Dayton
Tent camping near Dayton, Montana offers a chance to immerse yourself in stunning natural landscapes while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities. With several campgrounds in the area, you can find the perfect spot to set up your tent and unwind.
Tips for tent camping near Dayton
- For a serene experience, consider the Yellow Bay State Park Campground, where you can enjoy a small, well-kept tent-only area just steps from Flathead Lake.
- Bring your fishing gear to Mere’s Magic Trout Pond, known for its picturesque views and excellent fishing opportunities.
- If you're looking for a quiet getaway, SpiritWorks Herb Farm Campground offers a unique experience on an organic herb farm with communal cooking areas and outdoor showers.
Local attractions for outdoor enthusiasts
- Explore the beautiful hiking trails surrounding Ashley Lake South Campground, where you can enjoy breathtaking views and access to clear blue waters.
- The Mission Meadows RV Campground is a great base for day trips to nearby attractions, including local markets and scenic drives.
- Don't miss the chance to kayak or paddleboard at Yellow Bay State Park Campground, which features a roped-off swimming area and a small boat dock.
Tent campers should check out unique features
- At Dorris Creek Road, enjoy a more rustic experience with no amenities, perfect for those who appreciate nature's simplicity.
- The North Crow Creek campground offers a secluded atmosphere, but be aware that it's located on Tribal land, requiring permits for use.
- Experience the charm of Camp Milo, where you can enjoy campfires and the beauty of the surrounding forest while being close to various outdoor activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Dayton, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Dayton, 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 Dayton, MT?
TheDyrt.com has all 35 tent camping locations near Dayton, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.