Best Tent Camping near De Borgia, MT
Tent campsites near De Borgia, Montana offer a mix of established campgrounds and more primitive options within the surrounding Lolo National Forest. Copper King Campground, located north of Thompson Falls, provides five generously spaced tent sites, each equipped with picnic tables and fire rings. Gold Rush Campground offers free tent camping year-round with toilet facilities but no drinking water, making it suitable for self-sufficient campers seeking more basic accommodations.
Access roads to many tent campgrounds in the region vary from maintained gravel to rough forest service roads requiring higher clearance vehicles. Most established tent sites feature fire rings and some include bear boxes for secure food storage, though campers should bring their own drinking water as few sites offer this amenity. The campgrounds typically maintain vault toilets that are reasonably clean but may lack toilet paper, particularly during busy periods. A visitor commented, "The road up to Lake Elsie is really rough and narrow but manageable with a proper vehicle." Fire restrictions are common during summer months, and wildlife activity, including bears and moose, necessitates proper food storage.
Tent campers often choose these sites for their seclusion and proximity to natural features like lakes, rivers, and hiking trails. Many walk-in tent locations offer more privacy than drive-in sites, with Lake Creek Campground providing both developed sites with bear boxes and dispersed camping options. In the off-season, particularly early fall, tent campgrounds experience significantly reduced usage, offering more solitude and quiet. The terrain typically consists of forest floor covered with pine needles, providing comfortable tent platforms without requiring extensive site preparation. A camper noted that "There are 4 developed sites and a few dispersed ones as well. There were a bunch of cut wood already at a couple of the sites and some fallen trees in late August that were good for firewood."
