Best Tent Camping near Hungry Horse, MT

Tent campers near Hungry Horse, Montana have access to several dispersed camping areas along Hungry Horse Reservoir and nearby forest roads. Blankenship Bridge offers riverside tent sites with both rocky shoreline spots and wooded areas set back from the water. Ryan Road Dispersed Camping provides multiple tent-friendly sites along a short forest road, while Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed camping extends for miles along the reservoir's edge with numerous pull-offs suitable for tent setup.

Most dispersed tent sites around Hungry Horse feature basic fire rings but lack amenities like drinking water, toilets, or trash service. Blankenship Bridge does provide portable toilets and has a 3-day maximum stay limit. The access roads to many tent camping areas require careful driving, with Ryan Road being relatively smooth for a couple miles while roads around Hungry Horse Reservoir can be rougher with potholes. According to one visitor, "The GPS coordinates for this place are slightly off. Look for Hungry Horse Rd and follow it 4 miles until you reach the Hungry Horse Reservoir Dam. Dispersed camping is allowed anywhere along the road after the dam." Campers should practice proper food storage as bears are active in the area.

The tent camping experience near Hungry Horse offers varying levels of seclusion depending on location and timing. Sites at Blankenship Bridge provide river access but can be busy during summer weekends with day visitors coming to fish and kayak. One camper noted, "It was a bit noisy during the day as the area is used by non-campers coming to fish, kayak, sightseeing, etc." Ryan Road sites offer more privacy, with tent spots tucked away from the main road providing quiet camping despite occasional train noise in the distance. For those seeking greater solitude, the numerous pull-offs along Hungry Horse Reservoir Road allow tent campers to find secluded spots, particularly by taking fire roads that branch off the main route. Cell service is limited or non-existent in most areas, with Verizon reported as unreliable around the reservoir.

Best Tent Sites Near Hungry Horse, Montana (93)

    1. Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping

    31 Reviews
    Coram, MT
    6 miles

    "Nice camping area with access to the river. Was a bit noisy during the day (stayed over the weekend) as the area is used by non-campers coming to fish, kayak, sightseeing, etc."

    "Only about 15 minutes away from Glacier National Park Westgate. I was able to stay here for multiple days. Each time was no trouble in finding a place to park."

    2. Ryan Road Dispersed Camping

    23 Reviews
    West Glacier, MT
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 387-3800

    "Rolled in around 8pm and easily found a spot for a car and multiple tents toward the beginning of the road, before we reached the dropped pin."

    "Arrived August 1st...was hoping to find a spot close to Glacier NP with some privacy but I think I was asking for too much lol. However, I am happy to have a place close to the park free of charge!"

    3. Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed

    7 Reviews
    Martin City, MT
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (406) 387-3800

    "37 miles from Hungry Horse to this location, almost 25 of the unpaved and some of the road is really rough and extremely narrow, much of it along steep Cliffs but when you take 895 around the reservoir"

    "Look for Hungry Horse Rd and follow it 4 miles until you reach the Hungry Horse Reservoir Dam. Dispersed camping is allowed anywhere along the road after the dam."

    4. Dorris Creek Road

    2 Reviews
    Martin City, MT
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 387-3800

    5. SpiritWorks Herb Farm Campground

    1 Review
    Whitefish, MT
    13 miles
    Website

    $30 - $60 / night

    "No food in the camping areas due to wildlife. Communal area for cooking, eating and campfire. Outside shower open to the Montana sky is awesome at sunset or under the stars."

    6. Bowman Lake Campground — Glacier National Park

    32 Reviews
    Polebridge, MT
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 888-7800

    $10 - $15 / night

    "Be prepared for a dusty, bumpy, narrow, pot-holed drive in on the road."

    "Nice NPS campground within walking distance to Bowman Lake and several trailheads. This is a good spot to camp if you plan on hikeing or boating near/on the lake."

    7. North Lion Lake Campground

    1 Review
    Martin City, MT
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 758-5208

    8. Whitefish Bike Retreat

    3 Reviews
    Whitefish, MT
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 260-0274

    $50 / night

    "Nearby Whitefish, MT has a growing reputation for fantastic trails, hikes and mountain bike areas, and this full-service oasis takes advantage of all of it.  "

    "Bike trails for all abilities and ages. The owners are so rad. A family business and they make you fell part of the tribe. Very clean and maintained. And a lot of extra for mountain biking."

    9. Sperry Wilderness Campsite — Glacier National Park

    3 Reviews
    Glacier National Park, MT
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 888-7800

    "This is a backcountry site so reservations required."

    "It's a little over a 6 mile hike in (up).  Backcountry forest camping with no amenities except the beautiful Glacier landscape, wilderness and wildlife."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Hungry Horse, MT

1170 Reviews of 93 Hungry Horse Campgrounds


  • Elizabeth  N.
    Jul. 1, 2020

    Lid Creek Campground

    Great little spot, short walk to lake

    We ended up at Lid Creek after the first few campgrounds along the lake were full.

    Sites are on the small side, and most are not very flat. There is a good amount of distance between sites and lots of trees so privacy is good.

    There are 2 clean vault toilets and trash dumpsters.

    Bear boxes are spread throughout.

    Each site has a fire ring and picnic table.

    Host on site sells fire wood.

    Lake access is a just short walk down a trail. There is a great rock beach with plenty of room for kids to play and splash.

    We encountered 2 thunderstorms during our stay... Montana weather is always unpredictable.

    We had a deer walk through our site early morning, so wildlife is definitely near by.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 13, 2025

    Lid Creek Campground

    Remote and beautiful

    Lid Creek Campground is in the Hungry Horse Recreation area on the Hungry Horse Reservoir. The lake, Salish Mountains and Montana’s big sky are all front and center here. Lid Creek is 15 miles off U.S. 2 on a very winding but paved road. The road down to the campground is gravel, lots of tight turns but generally in good shape; we did just fine towing our 30 ft travel trailer. Double-check the campsite length when you reserve - some sites are very short and a smallish car would have trouble fitting.

    The campsites include picnic table and fire pit, there are vault toilets throughout the campground and bear-proof food boxes - there are definitely bears in the area. Keep pets close by and please store food in the storage boxes. There is NO WATER available at the campground so bring your own or you’ll be frustrated. Camp host was terrific and has firewood at the host site right as you enter the campground. We had 5G of T-Mobile which was very surprising considering how far off the main highway the campground is. West Glacier is about 45 minutes away and a very easy drive from Lid Creek Campground. We loved it!

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 28, 2019

    Bowman Lake Campground — Glacier National Park

    Another beautiful spot in Glacier!

    Be prepared for a dusty, bumpy, narrow, pot-holed drive in on the road. There's a sign at the beginning of the incline that indicates parking availability… pay attention to the sign, it will tell you if no parking is available. If the road is wet, it is treacherous! Remember to bring bug spray and bear spray, be aware of your surroundings. 

    You'll be a high elevation so be ready for cooler nights. I used my 0-degree sleeping bag, and that worked great. Limited campsites so get there early on the weekend. Several trails lead into the mountains, one leads along the lakeshore. There is drinking water, pit toilets, fire rings, picnic tables, plus some bear-proof storage boxes.Highly recommend taking the time to explore and camp at this location.

  • Emmett S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2024

    Stillwater River

    Beautiful Riverside Rustic

    Just about a mile from the highway, this site is right on the river with some nice deep pools. There are three separate fire rings with a vault toilet and picnic table. It's a short drive in but more suitable for truck camping, van, tent camping or very small trailer like 13' max due to narrow track and limited maneuvering area. High clearance required!

  • Steve M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 19, 2025

    Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed

    A long and arduous drive but well worth it

    37 miles from Hungry Horse to this location, almost 25 of the unpaved and some of the road is really rough and extremely narrow, much of it along steep Cliffs but when you take 895 around the reservoir once you pass the really small bridge with a 10 mph sign, go approximately two and a half miles to 895J and it will lead you directly down to numerous spots along the lake including an open meadow and several areas where you can launch a boat or kayaks.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2021

    Bowman Lake Campground — Glacier National Park

    Less visited part of Glacier

    Nice NPS campground within walking distance to Bowman Lake and several trailheads. This is a good spot to camp if you plan on hikeing or boating near/on the lake. Super clean, lots of shade and hammock trees, vault toilet, first come. I was surprised there was only one bear box for the whole campground to share instead of one at each site. Especially after seeing a leather deposit of bear scat on the Bowman Lake trail. No showers here but you can pay for a shower down at Polebridge Market Place, which you want to visitor anyway for their amazing baked goods (pizza after 3 pm too!). There was a ranger hanging out in the parking lot of the trail head area if you have any questions (though her job looked to be more traffic management than anything else).

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2021

    Quartz Creek Campground — Glacier National Park

    Off the beaten path

    There are about 8 sites here, several miles down the road from the —- Glacier ranger station. It’s quiet, all you can hear is the creek and the wind in the trees. Sites 4 and 5 are the best as they are right on the creek with water access. There is one central bear box, one central water pump (currently NO water), and one clean vault toilet. You are close to a couple of trailheads as well.

  • J
    Jul. 22, 2023

    Many Glacier Campground — Glacier National Park

    Fantastic experience!

    I was in site 88 which was quite lovely with the stream behind it. I fly fished there and caught some trout! It's shallow so not for swimming but nice to stick your feet in to cool off. There was plenty of room to put my 4 person tent with an awning, though the awning was slightly outside the wooden tent pad markers. There was various shade throughout the day. I did have to pack up my tent and sleep in my car as there was grizzly activity after some folks weren't thinking and left some food unattended! The game wardens WILL fine you if you leave either food and/or fires unattended. If you're solo, like I was, you really need to think ahead before you prepare food or start a fire."I had to use the restroom" won't fly with the wardens! Grizzlies don't care and that fire could start a wild fire! 

    The biggest drawback was that the dumpster was right in front of my site but mostly people were extra careful not to let the spring-loaded access door slam. There's plenty of space between sites so I didn't feel like I was crammed in there. I could barely see my neighbors through the trees/bushes. I assume they'd be easy to see in spring or late fall with little vegetation. If you need to be right next to a bathroom, this isn't the site for you. It was across the road, down a path. There isn't a bear box for food storage directly ON this site but there's one nearby to share with another site. This site was in the no-generator loop, yay! Camp host, Jane, was ridiculously wonderful! She keeps a lending library outside her RV and encourages children to go out and find "exciting things" to display on her table for all passersby to view. FUN!

    From this site, you can walk to the Swiftcurrent Inn/deli/store which has basic necessities, a lot of junk food(very little produce in the park at all!), sandwiches, cold drinks, gift type things and where you get the tokens for showers. For those who are flying and can't bring bear spray, they have it there in the store. The Swiftcurrent Inn is also the parking lot for many of the trailheads nearby. TIP: seek out Fishercap Lake, just about a 10-minute easy walk from the parking lot. Moose are almost always seen there in the early mornings and early evenings.

     If I get lucky enough to go back, I will absolutely try and get this campsite (and just about anywhere in the campground) again! I far preferred the east side to the west. I stayed at the Sprague Creek campground on the west side which was a totally different experience. I'll write a review for that one too.

  • Taryn S.
    Jul. 27, 2024

    Bowman Lake Campground — Glacier National Park

    Best National Park Campground in the US!

    We've camped all over...all over Glacier and all over the country, and this is hands-down one of our favorite campgrounds. 100% our fave national park campground! An authentic unplugged, quiet camping experience.

    The remote location is amazing, and the campsites are nicely spread out in a moody, dark forested area with near full shade. There are a couple of paths directly to the lake, literally a 2-3 minute walk from anywhere in camp. Sites have fire rings and picnic tables, and there are a few vault toilets and several trash bins and potable water spigots. No showers or sinks. Deer galore! The visitor tent is pretty cool, especially for families with kids. It has activities and games like scavenger hunts, books/tools for identifying wildflowers/plants/scat etc. And there's a camp host onsite seasonally, also.

    Note that all sites are FCFS. Rangers at the entrance usually have a fair idea of whether you'll get a spot.

    Even though the park has gotten much busier in the past few years, Bowman still remains a quietER gem. The long road keeps people away, I guess - although some 2023-24 construction/improvements has made it quite a bit better.


Guide to Hungry Horse

Tent camping near Hungry Horse, Montana offers a blend of stunning natural beauty and a variety of outdoor activities, making it an ideal destination for nature enthusiasts.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

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Tips for tent camping near Hungry Horse

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hungry Horse, MT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hungry Horse, MT is Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping with a 4.3-star rating from 31 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Hungry Horse, MT?

TheDyrt.com has all 93 tent camping locations near Hungry Horse, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.