Dispersed camping around Elliston, Montana offers primitive recreation experiences in the Helena and Deerlodge National Forests. This rugged region sits at elevations between 4,000-6,000 feet where summer temperatures typically range from 50-85°F with significantly cooler nights. Winter access to most tent campsites near Elliston becomes challenging from November through April due to snow accumulation and unplowed forest roads.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Most tent camping spots near Elliston provide access to fishing, with Scott Reservoir Dispersed offering particularly good opportunities. "Caught a couple of big rainbow trout off the dock. Fish were jumping out of the water all night long and throughout the day which was pretty cool," reports one camper at Spokane Bay.
Day hiking: Several informal trails connect camping areas to scenic overlooks. At Little Blackfoot River Dispersed Campsite, "A short trail leads to the river...The River (more of a creek at this point) has a nice spot if you need to cool off from the summer heat," according to one visitor.
Wildlife observation: Early mornings offer the best wildlife viewing opportunities at tent campsites near Elliston. At Spokane Bay Campground, visitors might see waterfowl activity as one camper noted: "Straight across the lake someone was hunting ducks and geese with their dog."
What campers like
Solitude and seclusion: Many primitive sites around Elliston remain uncrowded even during peak summer. A visitor at Spokane Bay Campground confirms, "If you come to this campground you will most likely will have the place to yourself," noting its accessibility "by boat or hiking into it" with a "1 mile trek to the campground."
Lake views: Several campsites offer direct views of water. At Stuart Mill Bay, one camper appreciated that "This site is one of the best sites if you want a bit of privacy. As with the rest of the Georgetown Lake sites, there are a number of people, but you have many options to try and limit contact."
Easy site access: Despite being remote, some dispersed sites offer surprisingly accessible entry points. A Scott Reservoir visitor reported, "Not the best roads but I got up there fine with my 2015 Outback just fine."
What you should know
Seasonal considerations: Most tent camping areas near Elliston close or become inaccessible during winter months. Deerlodge National Forest Ladysmith Campground experienced significant changes after "years of little use and then the pine beetle attack on the trees, the forest service cleared out the dead trees and everything else in the campground."
Facility limitations: Nearly all dispersed sites require complete self-sufficiency. At former developed sites like Ladysmith, "everything has been removed. No picnic tables, No outhouse, No water, almost no fire rings."
Road conditions: Forest roads accessing remote sites can be challenging. While passable with standard vehicles in dry conditions, one camper at Scott Reservoir noted that while the roads aren't "the best," they managed access with a standard SUV.
Tips for camping with families
Site selection: Choose sites with easier water access for families with children. Little Log Campground provides some advantages though "flat locations to put a tent are limited due to the slope of the ground in the campground, but each site does have a flat area for a tent."
Proximity to facilities: For families needing more amenities, consider campgrounds with vault toilets. At Orofino campground, "The Campground has a vault toilet. The two family sites each have their own vault toilets, the day use site shares two vault toilets with one of the family sites."
Space considerations: Some sites accommodate multiple tents better than others. At Little Log Campground, "it may be hard to find room for more than one tent. Most of the choices for tent placement are at the end of the parking pad next the the picnic table and fire ring."
Tips from RVers
Size limitations: Most dispersed camping areas near Elliston can only accommodate smaller RVs and trailers. At Stuart Mill Bay, "sites 8-16 seemed larger and more suited to RVs" compared to sites 1-7 which had more trees.
Limited hookups: No dispersed sites offer hookups or dump facilities. Ladysmith Campground now functions purely as dispersed camping where "the pavement for the campgrounds loop road is still in place. Four pull outs are available."
Parking surfaces: Finding level parking proves challenging at many sites. Wolf Creek Bridge Fishing Access Site received upgrades where "the fishing access site is now fully paved. No more parking in the mud or dirt."
