Best Tent Camping near Great Falls, MT
Tent camping near Great Falls, Montana provides access to diverse landscapes along the Missouri River and surrounding mountains. Sluice Boxes State Park Campground offers walk-in tent sites with year-round availability, while Little Log Campground provides a dedicated tent-only experience with 10 sites situated in a gully above Holter Lake. Mountain Palace Fishing Access Site features three tent campsites with river views, and Lowry Bridge Access Site offers primitive tent camping on BLM land approximately 4 miles off Route 200.
Most tent campgrounds in the Great Falls area provide basic amenities suited for self-sufficient campers. Little Log Campground ($15/night) includes trash service, running water, and double vault toilets, with each site featuring a picnic table and metal fire ring. Wolf Creek Bridge has five tent sites with picnic tables and recently upgraded vault toilets, though no water or trash service is available. Sluice Boxes State Park prohibits fires but allows pets, requiring campers to pack in all supplies and pack out all waste. Tent sites at Mountain Palace FAS become busy during summer months as the area serves as a popular take-out location for fishing float boats.
Backcountry tent camping opportunities exist throughout the region, particularly along the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. According to reviews, Sluice Boxes State Park offers peaceful tent camping with minimal interaction with day hikers: "It's so quiet and peaceful and the views are amazing. There is a ton of spots to camp at as long as you walk off the trail a ways." Primitive boat camps like Senieur's Reach provide tent sites under cottonwoods with safe fire rings, though facilities are minimal. Tent campers should prepare for variable weather conditions typical of Montana, including potential for strong winds and rapid temperature changes. Flat tent pads can be limited at some locations, with Little Log Campground noted for having "flat areas for a tent, however it may be hard to find room for more than one tent."