Best Tent Camping near Hilger, MT
Tent camping around Hilger, Montana centers on river-based experiences, with multiple primitive boat-in options along the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. McGarry Bar, Gist Bottom, and Lower Woodhawk campgrounds provide basic tent sites accessible primarily by canoe or boat. Yellow Water Reservoir offers a different experience with drive-in camping in an open, desolate setting away from the river corridor.
Primitive tent sites along the Missouri River offer minimal amenities. Lower Woodhawk Campground provides vault toilets and picnic tables, while McGarry Bar and Gist Bottom have only basic fire rings with no facilities. Campers must pack in all water and supplies. Boat-in sites can be challenging to locate, with some lacking visible signage from the river. Yellow Water Reservoir allows free camping but has no facilities, and the access road is described as "nothing more than a large trail" requiring careful navigation. All sites permit campfires but restrict pets at the river locations.
Mature cottonwood trees provide essential shade at the river campsites, particularly at Gist Bottom which features "great camp spots underneath large mature cottonwoods." The river corridor locations offer historical significance, with Lewis and Clark historical sites nearby. McGarry Bar sits near a Lewis and Clark campsite from May 1805, accessible via a short trail. The tent camping experience varies dramatically between the sheltered river sites and the exposed reservoir area. The reservoir area offers wide-open vistas and potential fishing opportunities but provides no natural shelter. A camper noted that Yellow Water Reservoir is "about as close to desolate and isolated as you're going to find," making it ideal for those seeking complete solitude in tent camping.
