Looking to find an RV campground or tent campsite near Flathead National Forest that allows dogs? Finding a place to camp in Montana with your dog is easier than ever. Each pet-friendly spot offers quick access to one or more of Flathead National Forest's most popular destinations.
Pine-scented campsites here are a mere 2.5 miles from Glacier National Park's west entrance. A short drive of a few minutes brings you to the start of the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road that twists and climbs across the million-acre alpine preserve. Whitefish, Kalispell, and Flathead lake are within driving distance to explore for part of a day with plenty of time left to relax at this KOA. This KOA also offers a heated adult (18+) pool 2 adult (18+) hot tubs and a heated family (all ages) pool. Enjoy our Lazy Bear Breakfast or Dinner restaurants, as well as our Bearstream Bar and Bear Garden. You can treat yourself to huckleberry ice cream at Scoops Ice Cream Shop or head to the state's largest water park in nearby Columbia Falls.
Glacier Campground is located just one mile from the west entrance of Glacier National Park and is the closest privately owned campground to the park, known for “the way camping used to be!” Our heavily wooded 40 acre campground is surrounded by the Flathead National Forest. West Glacier Village provides many activities including golf, mini golf, shopping, rafting, horseback rides and helicopter tours. There are also many options for great local dining. Outdoor lovers will love staying at with us
$75 / night
Apgar, Fish Creek, and St. Mary Campground reservations WILL NOT provide access to any vehicle reservation areas (including the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and North Fork). To obtain a vehicle reservation, visit Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservations on Recreation.gov. Apgar Campground is situated on the southern tip of Lake McDonald in beautiful Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana. Pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes are found throughout the park. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a paradise for hikers seeking wilderness and solitude. It also provides countless scenic vistas for those wishing to relax and take in the natural beauty of the park.
Lake McDonald provides great opportunities for boating, water skiing, canoeing and fishing in its cold mountain waters. A variety of fish are found in the lake, including cutthroat, rainbow, bull and lake trout, whitefish and Kokanee salmon.The campground is conveniently close to many trailheads for day hikes, including Apgar Lookout Trail, a 3.3-mile (5.3 km) trail leading up to a fire lookout with breathtaking views of Lake McDonald. The Apgar Bike Path, a paved 1.5-mile (2.4 km) trail popular for walking and biking, leads to the nearby Apgar Visitor Center and Village. Horseback ride reservations, boat rentals, shuttle service and Red Bus Tour reservations are available here.One of the most amazing highlights of Glacier National Park is a drive on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which travels past the campground. This engineering marvel spans 50 miles (80 km) through the park's wild interior, winding around mountainsides and treating visitors to some of the best sights in northwest Montana.
Lake McDonald provides great opportunities for boating, water skiing, canoeing and fishing in its cold mountain waters. A variety of fish are found in the lake, including cutthroat, rainbow, bull and lake trout, whitefish and Kokanee salmon.The campground is conveniently close to many trailheads for day hikes, including Apgar Lookout Trail, a 3.3-mile (5.3 km) trail leading up to a fire lookout with breathtaking views of Lake McDonald. The Apgar Bike Path, a paved 1.5-mile (2.4 km) trail popular for walking and biking, leads to the nearby Apgar Visitor Center and Village. Horseback ride reservations, boat rentals, shuttle service and Red Bus Tour reservations are available here.One of the most amazing highlights of Glacier National Park is a drive on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which travels past the campground. This engineering marvel spans 50 miles (80 km) through the park's wild interior, winding around mountainsides and treating visitors to some of the best sights in northwest Montana.
Apgar is located in a dense forest on the western side of the park at an elevation of nearly 3,500 feet (1067 m). This area of the park generally receives the most rainfall. Daytime temperatures can exceed 90 degrees, although it is frequently 10 to 15 degrees cooler at higher elevations. Weather in the mountains can be varied, including snow in summer. Visitors should come prepared for anything.The park is named for its prominent glacier-carved terrain and remnant glaciers descended from the ice ages almost 10,000 years ago. Its diverse habitats are home to nearly 70 species of mammals including the grizzly bear, wolverine, gray wolf and lynx. Over 270 species of birds visit or reside in the park, including such varied species as Harlequin ducks, Dippers and Golden eagles.
One must-see attraction is Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier's sister park across the Canadian-U.S. border. As the other half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park offers great hiking, scenic boat cruises and several scenic drives all centered around the townsite of Waterton.__
$65 / night
Apgar, Fish Creek, and St. Mary Campground reservations WILL NOT provide access to any vehicle reservation areas (including the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and North Fork). To obtain a vehicle reservation, visit Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservations on Recreation.gov. __ Fish Creek Campground is the second largest campground in Glacier National Park. Glacier National Park, in northwestern Montana, is comprised of pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles (1,125 km) of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. It also provides countless scenic vistas for those wishing to relax and take in its natural beauty. The campground is located on the western side of the park at an elevation of nearly 3,500 feet (1,066 m). This area of the park generally receives the most rainfall. Daytime temperatures can exceed 90__F (32__C), although it is frequently 10__ to 15__ F cooler at higher elevations. Weather in the mountains can be varied, including snow in summer; visitors should come prepared for anything.
This facility is conveniently located in the western part of the park, nearby many day hikes, including Rocky Point Trail, which wanders through a burn area from a 2003 wildfire. Explorers of all ages can attend nightly ranger programs at an amphitheater within the facility.
This facility is conveniently located in the western part of the park, nearby many day hikes, including Rocky Point Trail, which wanders through a burn area from a 2003 wildfire. Explorers of all ages can attend nightly ranger programs at an amphitheater within the facility.
Fish Creek is heavily forested with plenty of shade. Some sites have views of Lake McDonald. The park is named for its prominent glacier-carved terrain and remnant glaciers descended from the ice ages almost 10,000 years ago. Its diverse habitats are home to nearly 70 species of mammals including the grizzly bear, wolverine, gray wolf and lynx. Over 270 species of birds visit or reside in the park, including such varied species as harlequin ducks, dippers and golden eagles.
One must-see attraction is Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier's sister park across the Canadian-U.S. border. As the other half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Waterton Lakes offers great hiking, scenic boat cruises and several scenic drives all centered around the townsite of Waterton. Waterton Lakes National Park
Big Arm is located on Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States. Twenty-eight miles long and 15 miles wide, Flathead Lake is renowned for its fishing.
Located on the lake's Big Arm Bay, its long pebble beach is popular with sunbathers and swimmers. Camping under a stand of mature ponderosa pine and juniper is a major attraction. The hiking trail provides excellent vistas of surrounding mountain ranges and high peaks with abundant watchable wildlife opportunities. Other opportunities include: fishing for lake trout, board sailing, boating, swimming, camping, picnicking, bicycling, hiking the 2.5 mile trail, wildlife viewing, scuba diving, and water-skiing.
This site is 2,953 feet in elevation and covers 240 acres. The campground has 41 campsites, including one wheelchair accessible site; one group campsite; and three yurts. Maximum RV/trailer length is 40 feet. Bear resistant storage lockers are available.
Yurts offer the latest in circular camping comfort. The Mission yurt is 20’ in diameter, Salish and Swan are 16’ in diameter, and the Swan yurt is ADA accessible. All yurts have furniture, electrical outlets, lights, and electric heat. Yurt sites includes a picnic table and a fire pit for cooking.
A tribal fishing license is needed for fishing at this park. Campers may stay only 14 days during a 30-day period. Pets are required to be on leashes.
Big Arm is a popular jumping-off point to Wild Horse Island, a 2,163-acre island in Flathead Lake State Park, located off the west shore of the lake. The island is home to bald eagles, bighorn sheep, yellow-pine chipmunks, and wild horses.
This recreation area is located near the village of Swan Lake at the north end of the scenic Swan Valley in northwest Montana. The campground consists of two loops. Ponderosa Loop offers open, large sites with plenty of space, while sites at Birch Loop are shaded and more clustered together. There is also a reservable group site which accomodates up to 100 people. Here, we have 38 rentable sites. 24 sites are reservable and 14 sites are for our walk-up visitors. The stay limit is 16 consecutive days.
Campers and day-use visitors have access to a boat ramp and a beach. Both power and non-motorized boating is permitted. This campground also offers Kayak, Paddleboard and Canoe rentals and firewood for sale.Anglers can fish for several kinds of trout as well as Kokanee salmon and Northern Pike. Bike lanes wind throughout the campground.
Campers and day-use visitors have access to a boat ramp and a beach. Both power and non-motorized boating is permitted. This campground also offers Kayak, Paddleboard and Canoe rentals and firewood for sale.Anglers can fish for several kinds of trout as well as Kokanee salmon and Northern Pike. Bike lanes wind throughout the campground.
In the heart of the Rocky Mountains lies the 2.4 million acre Flathead National Forest. Home to lynx, grizzly bear, and bull trout, with numerous lakes, streams and rivers to enjoy, the forest is the premiere destination for visitors looking to experience natural landscapes of the American West. Swan Lake is surrounded by dense conifer forest and the craggy, snow-covered peaks of the Swan Mountain Range.
For facility specific information, please call (406) 210-8199.
Glacier National Park is within an hour drive. About a mile from the campground is the Swan River National Wildlife Refuge, with a wildlife and bird observation area.
Please cancel 4 days prior. For day of arrival cancellations please call Leona at 406- 210-8199 so we can get the information to the Campground Host. All Considerations will be made after your original reservation dates have passed.______ *No shows have no chance of a refund.__
$20 / night
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
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.
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:
Cons:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Very nice campground. Rod, caretaker, is the best. We had a wonderful 3 days camping.
Brought our 24 ft trailer here. Multiple spots that accommodate the size and larger. The gravel road in was a bit bumpy at times but not too bad. Very nice spot.
This was the perfect spot for us to rest after Glacier before driving to the Tetons. We had beautiful views and a very peaceful night. No bears or signs of bears! Enjoyed hammocking with the sound of the stream throughout the night. There was no service for Verizon
Not sure where we were going g to spend the night, but discovered this great campsite through the Dyrt! Large campsites but was pretty full for the night. We were able to get a space for our Mercedes Sprinter next to another van. Score!
It's a good spot right on the river. Rocky Beach that has a somewhat difficult road to get into. Any stock 4 x 4 truck SUV can do it though. Are some sketchy types sometimes in peak season. There are porta potties, but they are not recently pumped out.
Nice spot by the river
Solid place for camping. They have a few spots at the end of the road, and few places to pull off on the road. There's also a bear box at the end of the road.
This spot is so close from the west entrance. There's plenty of spots and it's absolutely free. This is an absolute gem of free national Park camping. Very easy to access with minimal clearance needed. I had absolutely no issue finding a spot with a Subaru Crosstrek pulling a square drop for 4 days over the 4th of July weekend. Truly a fantastic find.
It was a nice stay near glacier but something just felt off about it. There was someone shooting a little too close for comfort, people walking down the dirt road late at night, and cars coming and going throughout the night. It was a nice spot though just felt off
Good spot lots of space. Need a little bit of clearance to get down here.
We stayed 6 nights here and had a great time. The access to lake McDonald is the best part for sure and the wooded sites are beautiful.
Downsides, we have stayed in about a dozen NP campgrounds and this was one of our least favorite. Unlike other National Park campgrounds staying here still requires reservations for main park attractions like going to the sun road and many glacier. The bathrooms don’t have soap and there is no dishwashing stations. Sites are extremely tight and unlevel. Our site claimed to fit a 32ft rig, but there is no way.
We have a 42’ trailer and thought we would give this spot a shot. There’s a slightly rough dirt road to get to the camp spots. There were about 3-4 sites that could fit our RV. We chose the very last site before the gate leading back to the Ryan air strip. Our site was quiet, loaded with trees and flowers and had a fire pit. We could have easily got a 2nd trailer back there as well. This spot is only about 5 minutes down the road from the West entrance to Glacier National Park. It is next to a used airstrip and we did hear planes taking off and landing a couple times.
Tried for Lost Johnny point but it was full. Lid Creek had two open spots on a Friday of July 4 weekend- we were thankful. Got site 23. No water, no electric, generators allowed and at least 6 were going in the morning. Vault toilets but VERY clean. Hosts very helpful and available. Some sites like 13-17 were slanted somewhat. 23 was deep and pretty even. Lake is very nice, decent temp for us. Preferred Lost Johnny Point from last time we stayed, but this was a very nice second. 30 minute drive to road, another 10 to West Glacier. Some limited cell reception on Mint Mobile.
This campground was very cute. The owners were so friendly and accommodating. The resident cat Poncho was a hot with our kids. The showers were small, but we're hot and free! The lawn was great with a communal fire pit and small playground. They let travelers camp there for 12 per person per night in a tent if that's what you're looking for. The cafe was cute and the drinks were delicious. We didn't eat, but it looked good! I would stay here again foe sure.
Great campground with easy access to Avalanche Lake trail head and there’s the Trail of Cedars that runs right through the entrance to the campground. The old cedars and hemlocks give this campground a one of a kind feel. !!! Site B59 is currently next to the camp host !!!
Absolutely love this campground. They were so accommodating when we booked a site our unit wouldn’t fit on they gladly moved us.
If you aren’t right on the water, you’re definitely a short distance away.
The amenities are great and the camp hosts are always friendly. Definitely worth staying here.
We stayed in Many Glacier campground to the north before coming south to Two Medicine for two nights. Heads up: when we were on 89, there was a sign at the entrance to 49 saying that vehicles over 21 ft not advisable (or not permitted? Don’t remember). We looked at google maps and decided that 49 between 89 and the campground did look pretty winding and decided to add the 15 miles to our trip by going out to Browning, down 2, then back up 49 from the south. Not a huge deal, but it kind of sucked and would have been nice to know this in advance.
We stayed in 49C our first night and boy is that a terrible site for RVs. The sites are all these pull through curves, and some are on these gnarly hills. 49 was not only on one such a hill, but it was narrow as well, so we had a really hard time fitting. Luckily we had spent the day along Going To The Sun Road and had arrived fairly late and just needed to sleep and move to our next site the next morning. Day two we stayed in 83 B and this site was nice and flat and open, with a view of the lake. Basically, if you’re in an rv and flatness is important to you, I’d try and get a site along the edges. Those sites were flatter and wider than the sites in the center of the campground. No cell service anywhere here. Nice hikes directly from the campground. There are trash bins and plastic bottle and aluminum can recycling bins. Out on the road (not in the campground) there was also a propane cylinder recycling bin. At the St Mary’s visitor center there’s a standalone glass recycling bin in the parking lot. Dump station and potable water fill at the entrance to the campground. The first day we arrived there were sheep literally all over the campground, and we never saw them again after that.
Camping near Flathead National Forest, Montana, offers a fantastic escape into nature with stunning views and plenty of outdoor activities. Whether you're pitching a tent or parking an RV, there are several campgrounds to choose from, each with its own unique charm.
Camping near Flathead National Forest, Montana, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. With a variety of campgrounds to choose from, you can find the perfect spot for your next adventure!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Flathead National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Flathead National Forest is West Glacier KOA Resort with a 4.7-star rating from 46 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Flathead National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 124 dog-friendly camping locations near Flathead National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
