Best Campgrounds near Glendive, MT
Eastern Montana's badlands around Glendive feature diverse camping options, with Makoshika State Park serving as the premier destination. This 11,000-acre park offers year-round camping with both RV and tent sites, including secluded "Pine on Rocks" tent sites perched along cliff edges with dramatic badlands views. The Short Pine OHV Area provides dispersed camping about 8 miles from town, primarily serving off-road enthusiasts. Along the Yellowstone River, Intake Dam Fishing Access Site offers spacious riverside camping with cottonwood shade. Several private RV parks in and around Glendive provide full hookups for travelers along I-94.
Summer temperatures in the Glendive area frequently exceed 90°F, making shade a valuable commodity at most campgrounds. As one camper noted, "The heat is BRUTAL in August and we weren't able to hike as much as we wanted." Winter camping is possible but rarely utilized, with one visitor reporting they were "the only fool camping in the Montana winter when a wind storm rolled through." Road conditions vary significantly, with some tent sites at Makoshika requiring navigation of "a winding steep but paved road where trailers are not allowed." Most campgrounds feature vault toilets, though amenities are limited at dispersed sites. Cell service is spotty throughout the region, particularly in the badlands areas.
Makoshika State Park consistently receives the highest visitor ratings, with campers praising its unique geology and paleontology opportunities. "This is one of the coolest state parks this side of the Cenozoic Period! They found dinosaur fossils in this park," noted one enthusiast. The park offers a disc golf course and hiking trails through badlands formations. RV campers should note the lack of hookups and dump stations in the immediate area, with one visitor reporting, "There is no dump station at the park, nor in Glendive, so you have to drive to Miles City or Wibaux to dump." Weekends often see full campgrounds during summer months, with advance reservations recommended. The area serves as a convenient base for exploring nearby Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, about an hour's drive away.
