Top Tent Camping near Kalispell, MT
Looking for the best Kalispell tent camping? Find the best tent camping sites near Kalispell. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Kalispell's most popular destinations.
Best Tent Sites Near Kalispell, MT (72)
1. Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping
Coram, Montana26 Reviews•63 Photos•490 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Dispersed
2. Ryan Road Dispersed Camping
West Glacier, Montana13 Reviews•41 Photos•496 Saves“Dispersed camping” is the term used for camping anywhere outside of a developed campground, including in some campgrounds with minimal development. Dispersed camping is free, and permitted almost everywhere on the Flathead National Forest. Camping in undeveloped areas requires you to help keep the sites in good condition. Rules for dispersed camping Groups over 75 people are not allowed. Dispersed camping is NOT allowed near developed recreation areas including campgrounds, trailheads and day-use areas. Water, restrooms, and trash cans are not provided. Pack out all your trash. There is a 16-day stay limit at any site. After that you must move 5-miles away, and you can not return to your original campsite for 7 days. Use existing fire rings. Avoid creating new fire rings. Your fire must be attended at all times and be dead out before leaving. Contact a local office about possible campfire restrictions before you go. Be bear aware and know the food storage regulations before camping. These regulations are strictly enforced. Additional rules or regulations may apply to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and Flathead Wild and Scenic River corridor.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Dispersed
3. Bowman Lake Campground — Glacier National Park
Polebridge, Montana31 Reviews•143 Photos•510 SavesBowman Lake campground is located in the North Fork area of Glacier National Park approximately 32.5 miles from the west entrance and 30 miles from the Canadian border. The drive to Bowman Lake is a very slow, dusty, and bumpy ride on dirt roads. Trailers are not permitted. The campground is located close to the shore of Bowman Lake and camp sites are within trees for shade and some privacy. Tent campers looking for peace and quiet will enjoy Bowman Lake for its serenity and remote location.
Weather Dependent Primitive Fall Season
October 9–October 31
Bowman Lake Campground's typical summer season is from mid-May to early September. If weather permits, a primitive camping season can extend into the fall between early September and late October.
- Pets
- Fires
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Equestrian
$10 - $15 / night
4. Ashley Lake South Campground
Kalispell, Montana3 Reviews•5 Photos•23 SavesThis is a very small campground with 2 sites, a vault toilet, picnic tables and fire rings. There is a walk down boat launching site for kayaks and canoes. Access road has sharp hairpin corner so RV's are not recommended. Stay limit is 5 days.
- Tents
- Group
- Toilets
- Alcohol
5. Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed
Martin City, Montana5 Reviews•7 Photos•177 Saves“Dispersed camping” is the term used for camping anywhere outside of a developed campground, including in some campgrounds with minimal development. Dispersed camping is free, and permitted almost everywhere on the Flathead National Forest. Camping in undeveloped areas requires you to help keep the sites in good condition. Rules for dispersed camping Groups over 75 people are not allowed. Dispersed camping is NOT allowed near developed recreation areas including campgrounds, trailheads and day-use areas. Water, restrooms, and trash cans are not provided. Pack out all your trash. There is a 16-day stay limit at any site. After that you must move 5-miles away, and you can not return to your original campsite for 7 days. Use existing fire rings. Avoid creating new fire rings. Your fire must be attended at all times and be dead out before leaving. Contact a local office about possible campfire restrictions before you go. Be bear aware and know the food storage regulations before camping. These regulations are strictly enforced. Additional rules or regulations may apply to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and Flathead Wild and Scenic River corridor. Human Waste Disposal Dispersed camping generally means no bathrooms. Keep your site clean for the next campers and prevent disease spread and pollution of water by following these rules:
Urinate on rocks and avoiding vegetation if possible, and well away from water and camp. Do not leave toilet paper or wipes on the ground after you pee. Carry a zipper-lock plastic bag and pack out your toilet paper. Dig a cathole 6-8 inches deep and 8-inches wide at least 200-feet away from water, camp and trails to bury feces. Cover all waste with the soil you removed, and sprinkle the disturbed ground with leaves, pine needles, or other organic debris. If you carry a portable camping toilet, treat and pack out all treated waste and dispose of according to instructions on the digestant. The Flathead Wild and Scenic River Corridor rules require all solid human waste be carried out in leak-proof manner and disposed of properly off-forest.
Camping with a vehicle Motorized use is limited to roads and trails designated on the Motor Vehicle Use Map. Know and follow all seasonal closures and never go beyond gates or other barriers on roads. Do not park or camp in front of closed gates. This prevents authorized users, including emergency responders, from accessing the road. Find and select your campsite on foot and scout the most direct route to your campsite for your vehicle. Driving your vehicle more than 300 feet from a motorized route for purposes of dispersed camping is prohibited. You may not cut or damage trees or vegetation to access your campsite. Never drive across wet areas or areas with soft ground.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
6. Whitefish Bike Retreat
Whitefish, Montana3 Reviews•18 Photos•20 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Cabins
$50 / night
7. Yellow Bay State Park Campground
Dayton, Montana6 Reviews•12 Photos•104 SavesYellow Bay-Flathead Lake State Park has 5 tent campsites that are first-come, first-serve.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
$9 - $28 / night
8. SpiritWorks Herb Farm Campground
Whitefish, Montana1 Review•19 Saves- Fires
- Reservable
- Tents
- Picnic Table
- Showers
- Drinking Water
$30 - $60 / night
9. Dorris Creek Road
Martin City, Montana2 Reviews•6 Photos•60 SavesA dirt parking area located on Forest Road 895A, 8 miles from the town of Hungry Horse. The large parking area has space for 5-6 RVs and offers no services.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Alcohol
10. Moose Lake
Olney, Montana2 Reviews•19 SavesMoose Lake Campground has 3 designated campsite and a vault toilet. Drinking water is not provided. Fishing may be enjoyed in the lake. Moose Lake Campsite Moose Lake camp fire ring
- Pets
- Fires
- Reservable
- Tents
- Trash
- Toilets
Showing results 1-10 of 72 campgrounds
Recent Tent Reviews In Kalispell
929 Reviews of 72 Kalispell Campgrounds
North fork Flathead River dispersed camping
Great stay close to West entrance Glacer NP
I really enjoyed this boondocking site. They have great tent options right beside the river but not too close for flooding. Also they have a hard structured bathroom which was nice. Would stay here again. Also the road was bumpy but I managed it with my Honda Accord.
Hungry Horse Reservoir Dispersed
Closed and gated off on 9/24/24
Road to this location was closed. A closed gate that looks private prevented access.
Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping
Huge pot holes and water puddles + crowded
You can only park on the one side of the river and it’s very crowded. Additionally the road going down to the camping area has huge pot holes and and water so you need high clearance to get down there.
Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping
Easy and convenient
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. This area is popular for rafting and fishing. The surrounding area is also beautiful. There are outdoor restrooms located nearby. The camping limit for this area is 3 days. I was able to have good Verizon signal. Overall a great spot to camp.
Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping
Mid week stay
At first it looked crowded but we managed two vans side by side right in the river. Everyone was respectful of each other. Fire rings available. We heard that it can be very loud and crowded on the weekends with groups/parties
Lost Johnny Campground - Flathead National Forest
Lost Johnny
Small 5 site campground. Primitive. A couple large potholes in campground road. Only sites 4 and 5 can accommodate larger campers as the road is fairly narrow to allow turning into sites.
GooseHead Camping Area
Good for the night
This campsite was very accommodating for our rig (40ft long x 13.5ft tall) and the road in wasn’t too bad either. Plenty of space for lots of rigs and turning around.
Pros:
- the reservoir access and sun set views were really neat!
Cons:
- there were a few shady characters about with some weird tent set-ups (lawn mowers, abandoned bikes, and tarps) so we didn’t feel entirely safe leaving our stuff alone for a day trip.
3 Bears Campground and RV Park
Lots of Noise, Lots of Rowdy Kids
Needed just a fast stop for the night, in a TT, after getting repairs.
Lots of noise, loud music, loud motors, cars in and out that obviously didn’t stay there off of the back of camp, and just loud racket until late at night.
Just a basic setup, but good shade. Connections were appropriate, pull in sites accommodated a standard pickup and 29 ft TT.
GooseHead Camping Area
Dispersed site
Drove in on a Wednesday and found a site right on the water. A number of spots were occupied with campers/tents with no one there. Really peaceful spot in my experience and an unbeatable view. Rented SUPs from in town to enjoy on the reservoir.
Pit toilet, well maintained, and walkable from all spots in the area.
Big Arm State Unit — Flathead Lake State Park
Tent site
Reserved this deamy site right on the water. Tent 1 is closest to parking but has the most traffic going by to the other sites.
Pit toilet nearby and a quick drive to flushable toilets. Showers available with tokens from the camphost ($3 for 6 minutes) but camphost weren't around when I was looking so no personal experience here.
Finley Point Unit — Flathead Lake State Park
Walk in
Got a walk in site when I showed up in the afternoon. All that was left was an RV site and they let me tent there. Even though I wasn't on the water, still got a water view! Pit toilet bathroom was close by, and sometimes the smell wafted over when the wind changed.
SUP, kayak rentals on water, reasonably priced. The beach was rocky and perfect!
In the morning, I spotted a black bear on a hill. Follow bear protocol well.
Ryan Road Dispered #2
Quiet solitude near West Glacier
Got here on a Monday at about 1pm.
There were about 3-4 sites available, 2 of which could fit a camper. We grabbed one. It could fit a 20-25' camper with vehicle at most.
The place emptied out pretty well mid week (peak season).
Pros:
Many sites Some flat/level sites Some very big sites (2-3 could probably fit a larger 30'+ rig) Very quiet 15 min to west glacier entrance gate Clean Full 5 bar Tmobile
Cons:
Not much for turn around space, especially for a larger rig. If sites at end of road are packed you may be up a creek. Weekends it's packed. Still quiet, just nit much availability. No water. The spigot that used to be available outside the park gates are no longer available. Closest water is inside the park at the picnic areas.
We stayed 6 nights and it was great. Very quiet, and an easy 25 minute drive to Columbia falls for grocery. 15-20 to hungry horse for gas.
North fork Flathead River dispersed camping
Nice stay near West Glacier
This was a nice site for the night. I came around 6pm and all 4 sites were full so we just car camped in one of the parking spots. The four spots look really nice, but they most likely fill up quick, as we came on a Monday night. It’s a very beautiful place to camp and the bathroom is a perk! I definitely recommend if wanting a free place to camp outside of the West Glacier entrance!
Ryan Road Dispered #2
Super close to the West Entrance Glacier NP
Many little sites, some with stone rings for fire, some without. Road is easily doable without 4WD. But has some potholes. You will sleep surrounded by forest in nature and close to the west entrance of the glacier National Park.
Little Bitterroot Lake Campground
Great campground.
Very nice campground. Rod, caretaker, is the best. We had a wonderful 3 days camping.
North fork Flathead River dispersed camping
Riverside camping
Brought our 24 ft trailer here. Multiple spots that accommodate the size and larger. The gravel road in was a bit bumpy at times but not too bad. Very nice spot.
Skyland Rd Dispersed Camping
Peaceful and Convenient
This was the perfect spot for us to rest after Glacier before driving to the Tetons. We had beautiful views and a very peaceful night. No bears or signs of bears! Enjoyed hammocking with the sound of the stream throughout the night. There was no service for Verizon
Ryan Road Dispersed Camping
Last Minute Find Near West Glacier Entrance
Not sure where we were going g to spend the night, but discovered this great campsite through the Dyrt! Large campsites but was pretty full for the night. We were able to get a space for our Mercedes Sprinter next to another van. Score!
Upper Whitefish Campground
WOW-What a Beautiful Place
Stayed 7-7-24
Nice stop along the GDMBR. Campsite was next to the creek that flows from the lake. Words lack how beautiful the place is, but the picture help give you an idea.
Me and my friends cycle in, but I also saw several cars, bring water or filter.
Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping
Decent spot
It's a good spot right on the river. Rocky Beach that has a somewhat difficult road to get into. Any stock 4 x 4 truck SUV can do it though. Are some sketchy types sometimes in peak season. There are porta potties, but they are not recently pumped out.
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.
Ryan Road Dispersed Camping
I can't believe this is an option outside Glacier National Park!!!
This spot is so close from the west entrance. There's plenty of spots and it's absolutely free. This is an absolute gem of free national Park camping. Very easy to access with minimal clearance needed. I had absolutely no issue finding a spot with a Subaru Crosstrek pulling a square drop for 4 days over the 4th of July weekend. Truly a fantastic find.
Ryan Road Dispersed Camping
Nice stay close to Glacier
It was a nice stay near glacier but something just felt off about it. There was someone shooting a little too close for comfort, people walking down the dirt road late at night, and cars coming and going throughout the night. It was a nice spot though just felt off
Middle Fork Flathead River Dispersed
Chill spot
Good spot lots of space. Need a little bit of clearance to get down here.
Apgar Campground — Glacier National Park
Nice, but could be better.
We stayed 6 nights here and had a great time. The access to lake McDonald is the best part for sure and the wooded sites are beautiful.
Downsides, we have stayed in about a dozen NP campgrounds and this was one of our least favorite. Unlike other National Park campgrounds staying here still requires reservations for main park attractions like going to the sun road and many glacier. The bathrooms don’t have soap and there is no dishwashing stations. Sites are extremely tight and unlevel. Our site claimed to fit a 32ft rig, but there is no way.
Ryan Road Dispersed Camping
Beautiful spot!
We have a 42’ trailer and thought we would give this spot a shot. There’s a slightly rough dirt road to get to the camp spots. There were about 3-4 sites that could fit our RV. We chose the very last site before the gate leading back to the Ryan air strip. Our site was quiet, loaded with trees and flowers and had a fire pit. We could have easily got a 2nd trailer back there as well. This spot is only about 5 minutes down the road from the West entrance to Glacier National Park. It is next to a used airstrip and we did hear planes taking off and landing a couple times.
Demer’s Ridge
Stunning views
This area is completely remote. No other people there. So the base parking area is piles of pavement material. I’m assuming they plan on making it an overflow camping spot since apgar nearby is always full. We stayed here and woke up to multiple work trucks at the bottom but no one said anything to us. The Mountain View’s here are wild. And we heard bear, moose, and a wolf! I don’t know how much longer this will be a free space since they are obviously working on it but it was well worth the stay
Guide to Kalispell
Camping near Kalispell, Montana, offers a fantastic mix of stunning scenery and outdoor adventures. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are plenty of options to explore.
What to do:
- Hiking: Glacier National Park is a hiker's paradise. Many campers rave about the breathtaking trails. One visitor at Fish Creek Campground said, "Glacier provides world-class hiking and scenery."
- Fishing: The lakes and rivers around Kalispell are perfect for fishing. A camper at Middle Fork Flathead River Dispersed mentioned, "The river is very fast for fishing; could maybe get away with fly fishing."
- Wildlife Watching: Keep an eye out for bears and deer. A camper at Sprague Creek Campground warned, "Be bear prepared," highlighting the wildlife presence in the area.
What campers like:
- Scenic Views: Campers love the beautiful surroundings. One reviewer at Apgar Campground said, "This campsite was awesome. It was cute with a stellar view of a mountain right from our tent."
- Quiet Atmosphere: Many prefer the peacefulness of smaller campgrounds. A visitor at Fish Creek Campground noted, "Relatively cramped but quiet enough."
- Access to Water: Campgrounds near lakes are a hit. A camper at Big Arm State Unit shared, "We were right on the lake and separate from the other campers."
What you should know:
- Reservations Required: Many campgrounds require reservations, especially during peak season. A camper at Apgar Campground mentioned, "Unlike other National Park campgrounds, staying here still requires reservations for main park attractions."
- Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds lack showers and other facilities. A visitor at Glacier Campground pointed out, "There are only 4 showers for a 200+ sized campground."
- Bear Country: Always be cautious about wildlife. A camper at Sprague Creek Campground advised, "Follow park guidelines," to stay safe.
Tips for camping with families:
- Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for campgrounds with amenities for kids. A reviewer at West Glacier KOA Resort said, "The grandkids loved the pool and the Gaga ball pit."
- Plan Activities: Make sure to have a list of activities. A camper at Moose Creek RV Resort enjoyed the "delicious cinnamon rolls from the bakery at the General Store."
- Safety First: Always keep an eye on kids, especially near water. A visitor at Blankenship Bridge mentioned, "The water is super clear and perfect for a dip."
Tips from RVers:
- Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A camper at Glacier Campground noted, "Our site claimed to fit a 32ft rig, but there is no way."
- Use Levelers: Bring leveling blocks for uneven sites. A visitor at Sprague Creek Campground said, "I had to use my levelers, but to be right on a Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park—so worth it!"
- Plan for Limited Services: Be prepared for limited cell service and amenities. A camper at Middle Fork Flathead River Dispersed mentioned, "The dirt road is dusty, but it is what it is."
Camping around Kalispell, Montana, offers a unique experience with its beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly spot or a quiet retreat, there are plenty of options to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Kalispell, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Kalispell, MT is Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping with a 4.3-star rating from 26 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Kalispell, MT?
TheDyrt.com has all 72 tent camping locations near Kalispell, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.