Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Glendive, MT

wow, what a find! We had planned to travel through the area but hadn’t planned to stop—until we hit the Tourist Center at the Montana border and found a brochure for thus park. If you love geology and want a quieter less crowded and more accessible experience than the Theodore Roosevelt National Park nearby, then this place is for you! There are several campgrounds and dispersed campsites to choose from, the RV campground is small and packed and a bit barren, but the tent sites are magnificent. There are incredible canyon views from the “Pine on Rocks” campground close to the park amphitheater, but the campsites are kind of on the edge of a cliff so would not be good with kids or pets. The trails are magnificent, and you can hike to all kinds of geological wonders, even some dinosaur digs in action! However, don’t do like we did as we came in August and the heat is BRUTAL and we werent able to hike as much as we wanted. However, we were pleased that our dog was able to join us as we discovered dogs arent allowed on the hiking trails over at the National Park

Behind the Astoria hotel, the Glendive Campground feels like an afterthought. If you need a place to stay for the night and hook up to water, sewer, and electricity, this place will do. If you can drive another 50 minutes (east), you’ll find more options in Medora.

Even in August, when I called ahead the front desk said they never fill up and I don’t need a reservation. No fire pit, there are about 40 sites and several are next to about 6 or 7 dead and leafless trees - check the weather before parking your prize under one! No fire rings, and this year the restrooms and showers are closed “due to COVID”. Seems convenient... despite MT being a mandatory mask state, the front desk worker at the Astoria where you check in did not have a mask and there was no signage. However, there was a sign that the breakfast buffet at the hotel was cancelled.

Many of the pedestals need repair and the vent on our sewer was broken off. I removed a pile of dead branches in order to pull our trailer into position. However, the reality is that you don’t need much if you bring your own equipment. I just wonder how not offering bathroom facilities to tent campers helps slow the spread of coronavirus... gives me something to ponder as I don’t enjoy any amenities offered.

This is on of the coolest state parks this side of the Cenozoic Period! They found dinosaur fossils in this park. and you never know you just might find some too! Our campsites butted right up to a cool mountain and the peaks are small enough for you to scamper around on. PLUS the have the coolest frisbee golf course this side of the jurassic Period with embedded holes spread over the ancient cretaceous landscape! How cool is that.

Astronomy wise this is a Bortle Class 4 site SQM: 21.62 mag./arc sec2. I did not get to observe due to smoke and poor weather.

All sites are primitive but there is fresh water in each of the two campgrounds and vault toilets are nearby. Trash pickup id also available. There is no dump-station but one is close by at: Glendive Landfill City government office 801 E Brennan St. (406) 377-9839

Hiking at the park contains easy and tough trails but each one is sure to delight with wonder and discovery on each one.

We stayed in site 12, which was rated as an RV campsite, it was pull through, but the hosts said mainly they use that area of the campground for tents with the RVs across the street (RV sites 1 - 9).  If you are tent camping, the upper sites are really nice and secluded (20s - 30s).  RVs cannot make it to sites 20s - 30s because it is a narrow dirt road to the top.

It's dry camping - no RV hookups, but at the visitor's center they have a water fill station that is free.  You can pull in and fill up your RV water tank.  There is no dump station at the park, nor in Glendive, so you have to drive to Miles City or Wibaux to dump.  We found a Cenex in Miles City that had a good dump station and it was free.

The sites were spacious, clean and affordable.  Sites 11 & 13 had a nice view.  The bathrooms were pit toilets.  Very clean.  No running water.  Camp fires are permitted.

The camp hosts were really helpful and friendly.

We spent one day in Makoshika hiking the trails with our dog.  We felt that 1 day was sufficient, but you could easily spend more time to enjoy the park, take some longer hikes, or play disc golf.  The other day we took a drive to North Dakota to check out Theodore Roosevelt National Park, about an hour drive away.  Well worth the drive.  We stopped at Beaver Creek Brewery on the way back to the campsite and brought back a growler for around the campfire.

They said next year they plan on expanding the campsites and adding in some full hook-up RV sites and a dump station.  Even without that, we plan on coming back.

I'd book in advance if you are planning on going over a weekend.  The campsites were all booked when we arrived.  We reserved our spot about 3 weeks prior.

We stayed here for 2 nights just relaxing along the Yellowstone River. Price was $18 unless you had a Montana Fishing license. The sites were wide and spacious. We were there September 2020 and few people were there. The huge cottonwoods were turning gold. Yes, there is a dam but it was quiet. The sites are really spread out and several like ours were by the river. There were vault toilets scattered about and two water pump spigots with amazing water pressure. Garbage cans were also provided. There were also a fire ring and a picnic table. It was a quiet campground away from the highway that didn’t see much traffic.

General: Small (37-site) forest service campground in two loops near Theodore Roosevelt National Park. No hookups or cell service (despite proximity to the highway). We arrived on a Thursday afternoon in late August with no reservation and had no problem securing a site, although it filled almost to capacity by evening. 

Site Quality: Many are in direct sun, but we found one that had some afternoon shade. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. All camper pads are paved. 

Bath/Shower house: There were six vault toilets (two by the entrance and two in each loop) that had sinks but no soap; they were reasonably clean. Two showers were in the other loop from where we stayed, and we did not use them. 

Activities: There is access to the Buffalo Gap Trail, but we did not hike it as this was an overnight stop for us and quite hot. It is not far from the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

It was hot when we were there (high 80s) so we just kind of collapsed upon arrival and took off the next day. The good news is you are close to the highway, but you will hear some road noise. $20 or$10 with the senior pass makes it a good deal. Cash or check if you cannot register online (no service with Verizon).