Best Campgrounds near Florence, MT

The Bitterroot Valley around Florence, Montana encompasses several distinct camping areas with options ranging from developed sites to primitive camping. Chief Looking Glass Campground offers riverside camping with sites that accommodate both tents and RVs along the Bitterroot River, while Charles Waters Campground provides paved sites in a forested setting with access to hiking trails. Dispersed camping opportunities exist at Peterson Lake and in nearby national forest lands, particularly along Blue Mountain Forest Road. The region includes a mix of state, federal, and fishing access sites with varying amenities and regulations.

Seasonal factors significantly impact camping availability in the Florence area. Most developed campgrounds operate from May through September or early November, with several closing after Labor Day. "We got there about 4:30 in the middle of the week in late September and there was only one spot left," noted one camper about Chief Looking Glass. Mosquitoes present a notable challenge during summer months, particularly at riverside locations. Gates at some fishing access campgrounds close overnight, typically from 10 PM until morning, restricting late arrivals or early departures. Water levels in creeks and rivers fluctuate seasonally, affecting fishing conditions and water-based activities. Cell service varies by location but is generally available at most developed sites near Florence.

Riverside locations consistently receive attention in visitor reviews, with the Bitterroot River providing scenic backdrop to several campgrounds. Campers at Chief Looking Glass appreciate the spacious sites that can accommodate multiple tents. According to visitor reports, the campground's proximity to Missoula makes it popular for overnight stays when other areas are full. Charles Waters Campground receives praise for its well-maintained facilities and privacy between sites, with one camper describing it as having "sites spaced apart nicely" despite the lack of hookups. Wildlife viewing opportunities exist throughout the area, with reports of coyotes and various bird species. First-come, first-served policies apply at most public campgrounds in the region, with visitors recommending arrival by early afternoon to secure desirable sites, especially on summer weekends.

Best Camping Sites Near Florence, Montana (140)

    1. Charles Waters Campground

    20 Reviews
    Florence, MT
    5 miles
    Website

    "Great for tent camping, there are several spots with trails leading to Bass Creek. Recreational area, picnic tables, fire pits, bathrooms, and about 10 minutes from Florence MT."

    "Traveling south in Montana and found this lovely little place. Trees, meadows and solitude. Just the way I like it"

    2. Missoula KOA Holiday

    44 Reviews
    Missoula, MT
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 549-0881

    $75 - $192 / night

    "Great friendly and clean place to stay in Missoula Montana!"

    "This KOA is conveniently located for a quick overnight stop. We were passing through Montana and needed a full hookup site to rest and recharge before another long day of driving."

    3. Chief Looking Glass Campground

    14 Reviews
    Florence, MT
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 444-2535

    $6 - $18 / night

    "Good fishing, can float the river from Florence bridge to camp, mostly private spots, most spots are on the tributary run off of the bitterroot river, lots of wildlife from small to larger animals, there"

    "We got a nice spot next to the river. It was really relaxing. There’s two pit toilets and 1 water pump near the entrance. It’s first come first serve."

    4. Yellowrock Campground

    12 Reviews
    Lolo, MT
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 273-0141

    $27 - $47 / night

    "Full hook-ups are available, and it's close to everything yet nestled in the forest."

    "Can walk to the river. Two Porto ponies nearby. On main bathhouse. Cold washers. Medium 5G. $27/night"

    5. Jim & Mary's RV Park

    24 Reviews
    Frenchtown, MT
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 549-4416

    "Lots of shade to keep cool during the hot Montana summer. We wish we would have stayed a few more nights."

    "The pull through sites on the outer edge do not but others inside do. The laundry and bathhouse was very nice and clean. 2.00 per load to wash."

    6. Lolo Creek Campground

    11 Reviews
    Lolo, MT
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 329-3750

    $15 - $25 / night

    "We tried to drive out here and the gps location is on private land. The actual campground is to the east on the main highway on the south side of the road."

    "Tucked in away from everything. Nice little camping spot!"

    7. Blue Mountain Forest Rd 365 - Dispersed

    7 Reviews
    Lolo, MT
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 329-3814

    "On my drive up I did not see any established distributed campsites. However there are some turn offs that you could park at. This area would probably not be ideal for RVs."

    "Drive another mile or so until a corner then take a trail on the side. (Only in a truck). Awesome sunset spot and no one bothered me"

    8. Larry Creek Group Campground

    1 Review
    Florence, MT
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 777-5461

    $75 / night

    9. Beavertail Hill State Park Campground

    26 Reviews
    Clinton, MT
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 542-5561

    $20 - $26 / night

    "We had been staying at different sites as we traveled to Montana from Iowa and this one was a favorite!. We will make it a point to stay there again when coming  out west."

    "The 1 mile Nature Trail around the area is really well maintained and beautiful. There are 2 Tipi sites you can rent as well."

    10. Peterson Lake Dispersed

    1 Review
    Florence, MT
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 777-5461

    "About 5 miles one way to Peterson lake, anither 1 and 2 miles to Duffy and Holloway lakes above Peterson. Nice secluded valley heading into Bitteroot-Selway wilderness."

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Recent Reviews near Florence, MT

607 Reviews of 140 Florence Campgrounds


  • Kevin C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 21, 2025

    4 or 5 dispersed sites along Chaffin Creek road

    Pleasant and next to creek

    Being only a very short distance from the main road, the dirt access road is smooth though it has scattered potholes and is through a country residential area. Once you pass the private properties, you enter into the forest and drive fairly close to a creek. There are numerous pull outs along the road with a few of them only a few steps away from the creek. Verizon is one bar. It is primitive camping at its best, no services but a fabulous place to spend a night or two. The road had more traffic on it than I expected, but there were no problems. The sites were all clean, and a few had fire pits. Just passed the second (actual) cattle guard which is where the private property seems to end, you'll find a cluster of sites that are well isolated - I went beyond that to a very nice pull out as I wanted to be a little further from the private property.

  • Meghan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2025

    Travellers Rest Cabins & RV Park

    Travellers Rest Cabins & RV Park

    We stayed in a couple of the cabins over the course of a week while waiting for a vehicle repair to be completed. The first couple nights were in the Bear Cabin--this is a cozier, older cabin. The final few nights were in the Whitetail Cabin, which had a bit more room to move around in. The owner/employees were friendly and helpful during our entire stay. The cell service and wifi were quite unreliable most of the day and evenings when streaming movies or videos. Right next to downtown, so plenty of shops, restaurants, and saloons nearby for something to do. I loved the 406 Saloon and the Used Book Store.

  • Meghan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2025

    Big Larch Campground

    Big Larch Campground

    Traveling through the area early-October and this was a great campground to overnight at. Besides a little road noise (like the other campgrounds on this highway), it's been quite quiet--just a few other campers last night. Some campsites are more open than others, several vault toilets scattered throughout this fairly big campground, water is already shut off for the season, town nearby if you need any gas or groceries, and great cell service here. Would stop by here again if needed.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 26, 2025

    Petty Creek Road Dispersed Camping

    Basic and easy

    It is RIGHT off the road, I missed it coming back from town (having been to the site once already). Any vehicle (cars too) can get to the 3 or 4 sites. Turn around may be iffy. Depending on your skills and the size.

    All sites are close together, though we are here by ourselves. You can hear I90 in the background, but we slept in our car and it didn’t bother either of us. Saw deer so far.

    It’s tucked in a valley, so no awesome views. This is a spot for ease and convenience, it got 4 stars for that. Lost the 5th for no view.

  • L
    Sep. 25, 2025

    Johnsrud Park FAS

    Day Use Area- No overnight

    Beautiful boat ramp and very large day use area. Plenty of river access for fishing and boat ramp access. Plentiful parking, pit toilets, and a large group day site with picnic tables. Only saw 2 other humans while I visited.

  • yThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 25, 2025

    Jim & Mary's RV Park

    Lovely, manicured RV Park

    This rv park is serene and beautiful. Whoever takes care of the grounds is meticulous and has two green thumbs. I felt safe which is of utmost important to me. The staff was welcoming and efficient. Would stay here again any time.

    My spot is right by the road and there is road noise but for the most part, it was fine.

    There’s plenty of spaces far from the road that i am sure wouldn’t hear this at all.

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 21, 2025

    Philipsburg Bay Campground

    A quiet idyll at season’s end

    This campground has many sites shaded by lodgepole pines. The sites are far enough apart and angled to give a nice sense of privacy. Some of the sites have electric, but there is essentially no water. Vault toilets are clean. Near the water, but not on it.

  • Lady Phyre  ☆.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 21, 2025

    Placid Creek Pull Off

    A clearing & an Outhouse

    It's a clearing with a clean outhouse . It works for a night or two. It's not completely level but the road in is easy.

  • sThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Charles Waters Campground

    Clean with flat pads

    What a great setting in the trees. Campground is clean, sites are well spaced, parking pads are pretty flat and big.


Guide to Florence

The Florence area sits at the intersection of the Bitterroot and Sapphire mountain ranges, creating diverse camping environments at elevations ranging from 3,200 to 5,000 feet. Dispersed camping options along forest service roads provide alternatives to established camping sites near Florence, Montana. Water availability varies significantly with many creeks drying up by late summer, requiring campers to bring their own water supply.

What to do

Mountain biking access: Blue Mountain Forest Road offers multiple dispersed camping spots with direct access to mountain biking trails. "Blue Mountain is a great place to recreate! Very dog friendly and tons of trails for hiking and mountain biking. Camping is allowed west of road 365," notes one camper at Blue Mountain Forest Rd 365 - Dispersed.

Creek exploration: Most campgrounds in the area provide access to small waterways perfect for wading during summer months. At Charles Waters Campground, "There are some nice hiking and horseback riding trails across the road, and there is a forest road that goes all the way to the top of the mountains with picnic tables to watch the sunset or sunrise."

High-elevation hiking: Peterson Lake dispersed camping area offers backcountry sites with lake access via a challenging trail. "About 5 miles one way to Peterson lake, another 1 and 2 miles to Duffy and Holloway lakes above Peterson. Nice secluded valley heading into Bitteroot-Selway wilderness. You gain around 1700ft in elevation before dropping down around 800ft into the first lake."

What campers like

Easy river access: Several camping areas provide direct water access with flat areas suitable for small watercraft. At Chief Looking Glass Campground, "There is a beautiful flat water river with two access points and locals tube and paddle here. There are tent sites, back-in sites, and pull through sites."

Scenic drives: Many camping areas serve as base camps for scenic drives along the Bitterroot Valley. "There is a forest road that goes all the way to the top of the mountains with picnic tables to watch the sunset or sunrise (when the smoke doesn't cloud the view)."

Midweek availability: Most camping sites in the Florence area remain available midweek even during peak season. "Plenty of open sites M-Th, even during the summer. Sites are close-ish together but very private because of the tree cover. The creekside sites are especially lovely," reports a camper at Charles Waters Campground.

What you should know

Gate restrictions: Several fishing access sites implement overnight gate closures affecting early departures. "The gate to the campsite is closed from 10 PM to 8 AM so if you need to leave early, you cannot do so," warns a camper about Chief Looking Glass.

Seasonal water levels: Many creeks run dry by mid-summer, affecting fishing and water recreation options. "The creek was all dried up and it just overall was not a great campsite. We packed up and moved on."

Campsite variety: Lolo Creek Campground provides a mix of stream-adjacent and wooded sites with varying degrees of privacy. "Wide campsites in a loop near river. Most people stay here for a night. Easy to pay, at the entrance you can pay in cash in a envelope."

Cell service gaps: Coverage varies widely between campgrounds and can be nonexistent in some areas. "There is no cell service at nor near the campsite," notes a Lolo Creek Campground visitor, while others report "Medium 5G" or "spotty" service at other locations.

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly activities: Several campgrounds offer built-in recreational facilities that keep children entertained. Missoula KOA Holiday has "Playground, pool, mini golf, clean showers, restrooms and laundry! It was great!" according to one family camper.

Wildlife watching opportunities: Many camping areas provide chances to observe local wildlife in natural settings. "My daughter wanted me to add that they have three very large bunnies that roll around the campground. She loves them."

Creek access for hot days: Several campgrounds feature shallow creek areas perfect for supervised water play. "Great for tent camping, there are several spots with trails leading to Bass Creek. Recreational area, picnic tables, fire pits, bathrooms, and about 10 minutes from Florence MT."

Tips from RVers

Pad conditions: Yellowrock Campground offers level, maintained RV spaces with good separation between sites. "Very nice campground! The sites are large, private, shaded, and well maintained. The bathhouse is immaculate and the showers are like you wish you had at home."

Generator policies: Several campgrounds have specific rules about generator use, which impacts RV campers without solar setups. "I gave it 4 star only due to campers with generators. Other than that a great place."

Site measurements: RVers should confirm exact dimensions before booking as some "large" sites have restrictions. "Sites varied in size and shape and shade. I like the sites on the far side of the loop as they are closer to the creek and away from the dusty road."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Florence, MT?

According to TheDyrt.com, Florence, MT offers a wide range of camping options, with 140 campgrounds and RV parks near Florence, MT and 22 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Florence, MT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Florence, MT is Charles Waters Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 20 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Florence, MT?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 22 free dispersed camping spots near Florence, MT.