The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Lakeside. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Lakeside, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Montana camping adventure.
Big Arm is located on Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States. Twenty-eight miles long and 15 miles wide, Flathead Lake is renowned for its fishing.
Located on the lake's Big Arm Bay, its long pebble beach is popular with sunbathers and swimmers. Camping under a stand of mature ponderosa pine and juniper is a major attraction. The hiking trail provides excellent vistas of surrounding mountain ranges and high peaks with abundant watchable wildlife opportunities. Other opportunities include: fishing for lake trout, board sailing, boating, swimming, camping, picnicking, bicycling, hiking the 2.5 mile trail, wildlife viewing, scuba diving, and water-skiing.
This site is 2,953 feet in elevation and covers 240 acres. The campground has 41 campsites, including one wheelchair accessible site; one group campsite; and three yurts. Maximum RV/trailer length is 40 feet. Bear resistant storage lockers are available.
Yurts offer the latest in circular camping comfort. The Mission yurt is 20’ in diameter, Salish and Swan are 16’ in diameter, and the Swan yurt is ADA accessible. All yurts have furniture, electrical outlets, lights, and electric heat. Yurt sites includes a picnic table and a fire pit for cooking.
A tribal fishing license is needed for fishing at this park. Campers may stay only 14 days during a 30-day period. Pets are required to be on leashes.
Big Arm is a popular jumping-off point to Wild Horse Island, a 2,163-acre island in Flathead Lake State Park, located off the west shore of the lake. The island is home to bald eagles, bighorn sheep, yellow-pine chipmunks, and wild horses.
Pine-scented campsites here are a mere 2.5 miles from Glacier National Park's west entrance. A short drive of a few minutes brings you to the start of the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road that twists and climbs across the million-acre alpine preserve. Whitefish, Kalispell, and Flathead lake are within driving distance to explore for part of a day with plenty of time left to relax at this KOA. This KOA also offers a heated adult (18+) pool 2 adult (18+) hot tubs and a heated family (all ages) pool. Enjoy our Lazy Bear Breakfast or Dinner restaurants, as well as our Bearstream Bar and Bear Garden. You can treat yourself to huckleberry ice cream at Scoops Ice Cream Shop or head to the state's largest water park in nearby Columbia Falls.
Glacier Campground is located just one mile from the west entrance of Glacier National Park and is the closest privately owned campground to the park, known for “the way camping used to be!” Our heavily wooded 40 acre campground is surrounded by the Flathead National Forest. West Glacier Village provides many activities including golf, mini golf, shopping, rafting, horseback rides and helicopter tours. There are also many options for great local dining. Outdoor lovers will love staying at with us
$75 / night
Apgar, Fish Creek, and St. Mary Campground reservations WILL NOT provide access to any vehicle reservation areas (including the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and North Fork). To obtain a vehicle reservation, visit Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservations on Recreation.gov. Apgar Campground is situated on the southern tip of Lake McDonald in beautiful Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana. Pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes are found throughout the park. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a paradise for hikers seeking wilderness and solitude. It also provides countless scenic vistas for those wishing to relax and take in the natural beauty of the park.
Lake McDonald provides great opportunities for boating, water skiing, canoeing and fishing in its cold mountain waters. A variety of fish are found in the lake, including cutthroat, rainbow, bull and lake trout, whitefish and Kokanee salmon.The campground is conveniently close to many trailheads for day hikes, including Apgar Lookout Trail, a 3.3-mile (5.3 km) trail leading up to a fire lookout with breathtaking views of Lake McDonald. The Apgar Bike Path, a paved 1.5-mile (2.4 km) trail popular for walking and biking, leads to the nearby Apgar Visitor Center and Village. Horseback ride reservations, boat rentals, shuttle service and Red Bus Tour reservations are available here.One of the most amazing highlights of Glacier National Park is a drive on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which travels past the campground. This engineering marvel spans 50 miles (80 km) through the park's wild interior, winding around mountainsides and treating visitors to some of the best sights in northwest Montana.
Apgar is located in a dense forest on the western side of the park at an elevation of nearly 3,500 feet (1067 m). This area of the park generally receives the most rainfall. Daytime temperatures can exceed 90 degrees, although it is frequently 10 to 15 degrees cooler at higher elevations. Weather in the mountains can be varied, including snow in summer. Visitors should come prepared for anything.The park is named for its prominent glacier-carved terrain and remnant glaciers descended from the ice ages almost 10,000 years ago. Its diverse habitats are home to nearly 70 species of mammals including the grizzly bear, wolverine, gray wolf and lynx. Over 270 species of birds visit or reside in the park, including such varied species as Harlequin ducks, Dippers and Golden eagles.
One must-see attraction is Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier's sister park across the Canadian-U.S. border. As the other half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park offers great hiking, scenic boat cruises and several scenic drives all centered around the townsite of Waterton.
$65 / night
Apgar, Fish Creek, and St. Mary Campground reservations WILL NOT provide access to any vehicle reservation areas (including the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and North Fork). To obtain a vehicle reservation, visit Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservations on Recreation.gov. Fish Creek Campground is the second largest campground in Glacier National Park. Glacier National Park, in northwestern Montana, is comprised of pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles (1,125 km) of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. It also provides countless scenic vistas for those wishing to relax and take in its natural beauty. The campground is located on the western side of the park at an elevation of nearly 3,500 feet (1,066 m). This area of the park generally receives the most rainfall. Daytime temperatures can exceed 90 F (32 C), although it is frequently 10 to 15 F cooler at higher elevations. Weather in the mountains can be varied, including snow in summer; visitors should come prepared for anything.
This facility is conveniently located in the western part of the park, nearby many day hikes, including Rocky Point Trail, which wanders through a burn area from a 2003 wildfire. Explorers of all ages can attend nightly ranger programs at an amphitheater within the facility.
Fish Creek is heavily forested with plenty of shade. Some sites have views of Lake McDonald. The park is named for its prominent glacier-carved terrain and remnant glaciers descended from the ice ages almost 10,000 years ago. Its diverse habitats are home to nearly 70 species of mammals including the grizzly bear, wolverine, gray wolf and lynx. Over 270 species of birds visit or reside in the park, including such varied species as harlequin ducks, dippers and golden eagles.
One must-see attraction is Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier's sister park across the Canadian-U.S. border. As the other half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Waterton Lakes offers great hiking, scenic boat cruises and several scenic drives all centered around the townsite of Waterton. Waterton Lakes National Park
$30 - $56 / night
Big Arm is located on Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States. Twenty-eight miles long and 15 miles wide, Flathead Lake is renowned for its fishing.
Located on the lake's Big Arm Bay, its long pebble beach is popular with sunbathers and swimmers. Camping under a stand of mature ponderosa pine and juniper is a major attraction. The hiking trail provides excellent vistas of surrounding mountain ranges and high peaks with abundant watchable wildlife opportunities. Other opportunities include: fishing for lake trout, board sailing, boating, swimming, camping, picnicking, bicycling, hiking the 2.5 mile trail, wildlife viewing, scuba diving, and water-skiing.
This site is 2,953 feet in elevation and covers 240 acres. The campground has 41 campsites, including one wheelchair accessible site; one group campsite; and three yurts. Maximum RV/trailer length is 40 feet. Bear resistant storage lockers are available.
Yurts offer the latest in circular camping comfort. The Mission yurt is 20’ in diameter, Salish and Swan are 16’ in diameter, and the Swan yurt is ADA accessible. All yurts have furniture, electrical outlets, lights, and electric heat. Yurt sites includes a picnic table and a fire pit for cooking.
A tribal fishing license is needed for fishing at this park. Campers may stay only 14 days during a 30-day period. Pets are required to be on leashes.
Big Arm is a popular jumping-off point to Wild Horse Island, a 2,163-acre island in Flathead Lake State Park, located off the west shore of the lake. The island is home to bald eagles, bighorn sheep, yellow-pine chipmunks, and wild horses.
Pine-scented campsites here are a mere 2.5 miles from Glacier National Park's west entrance. A short drive of a few minutes brings you to the start of the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road that twists and climbs across the million-acre alpine preserve. Whitefish, Kalispell, and Flathead lake are within driving distance to explore for part of a day with plenty of time left to relax at this KOA. This KOA also offers a heated adult (18+) pool 2 adult (18+) hot tubs and a heated family (all ages) pool. Enjoy our Lazy Bear Breakfast or Dinner restaurants, as well as our Bearstream Bar and Bear Garden. You can treat yourself to huckleberry ice cream at Scoops Ice Cream Shop or head to the state's largest water park in nearby Columbia Falls.
Glacier Campground is located just one mile from the west entrance of Glacier National Park and is the closest privately owned campground to the park, known for “the way camping used to be!” Our heavily wooded 40 acre campground is surrounded by the Flathead National Forest. West Glacier Village provides many activities including golf, mini golf, shopping, rafting, horseback rides and helicopter tours. There are also many options for great local dining. Outdoor lovers will love staying at with us
$75 / night
Apgar, Fish Creek, and St. Mary Campground reservations WILL NOT provide access to any vehicle reservation areas (including the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and North Fork). To obtain a vehicle reservation, visit Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservations on Recreation.gov. Apgar Campground is situated on the southern tip of Lake McDonald in beautiful Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana. Pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes are found throughout the park. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a paradise for hikers seeking wilderness and solitude. It also provides countless scenic vistas for those wishing to relax and take in the natural beauty of the park.
Lake McDonald provides great opportunities for boating, water skiing, canoeing and fishing in its cold mountain waters. A variety of fish are found in the lake, including cutthroat, rainbow, bull and lake trout, whitefish and Kokanee salmon.The campground is conveniently close to many trailheads for day hikes, including Apgar Lookout Trail, a 3.3-mile (5.3 km) trail leading up to a fire lookout with breathtaking views of Lake McDonald. The Apgar Bike Path, a paved 1.5-mile (2.4 km) trail popular for walking and biking, leads to the nearby Apgar Visitor Center and Village. Horseback ride reservations, boat rentals, shuttle service and Red Bus Tour reservations are available here.One of the most amazing highlights of Glacier National Park is a drive on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which travels past the campground. This engineering marvel spans 50 miles (80 km) through the park's wild interior, winding around mountainsides and treating visitors to some of the best sights in northwest Montana.
Apgar is located in a dense forest on the western side of the park at an elevation of nearly 3,500 feet (1067 m). This area of the park generally receives the most rainfall. Daytime temperatures can exceed 90 degrees, although it is frequently 10 to 15 degrees cooler at higher elevations. Weather in the mountains can be varied, including snow in summer. Visitors should come prepared for anything.The park is named for its prominent glacier-carved terrain and remnant glaciers descended from the ice ages almost 10,000 years ago. Its diverse habitats are home to nearly 70 species of mammals including the grizzly bear, wolverine, gray wolf and lynx. Over 270 species of birds visit or reside in the park, including such varied species as Harlequin ducks, Dippers and Golden eagles.
One must-see attraction is Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier's sister park across the Canadian-U.S. border. As the other half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park offers great hiking, scenic boat cruises and several scenic drives all centered around the townsite of Waterton.
$65 / night
Apgar, Fish Creek, and St. Mary Campground reservations WILL NOT provide access to any vehicle reservation areas (including the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Many Glacier, and North Fork). To obtain a vehicle reservation, visit Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservations on Recreation.gov. Fish Creek Campground is the second largest campground in Glacier National Park. Glacier National Park, in northwestern Montana, is comprised of pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles (1,125 km) of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. It also provides countless scenic vistas for those wishing to relax and take in its natural beauty. The campground is located on the western side of the park at an elevation of nearly 3,500 feet (1,066 m). This area of the park generally receives the most rainfall. Daytime temperatures can exceed 90 F (32 C), although it is frequently 10 to 15 F cooler at higher elevations. Weather in the mountains can be varied, including snow in summer; visitors should come prepared for anything.
This facility is conveniently located in the western part of the park, nearby many day hikes, including Rocky Point Trail, which wanders through a burn area from a 2003 wildfire. Explorers of all ages can attend nightly ranger programs at an amphitheater within the facility.
Fish Creek is heavily forested with plenty of shade. Some sites have views of Lake McDonald. The park is named for its prominent glacier-carved terrain and remnant glaciers descended from the ice ages almost 10,000 years ago. Its diverse habitats are home to nearly 70 species of mammals including the grizzly bear, wolverine, gray wolf and lynx. Over 270 species of birds visit or reside in the park, including such varied species as harlequin ducks, dippers and golden eagles.
One must-see attraction is Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier's sister park across the Canadian-U.S. border. As the other half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Waterton Lakes offers great hiking, scenic boat cruises and several scenic drives all centered around the townsite of Waterton. Waterton Lakes National Park
Scout
Beginning off season, pull through site with water and electric. Uncrowded, convenient, but close to highway so a bit noisy. Bathrooms could use some heat and attention.
Ranger
Private campground. Level sites, stayed in #6 right by office. Sites fairly close together. Nice pet walk area. Showers clean. Full hookups. Solid, clean, well kept place to stay.
Scout
The road in was narrow. Glad I didn’t have any problems with on coming riggs
Guide
We picked this park for convenience while having travel trailer brake issues. Came at close of season, and thankful for a later evening check in. A little disconnect to obtain a bathroom Code. Fortunately we saw camp hosts walking dogs to gain access. Dog friendly, including nice gated area for off leash.
Guide
Stayed early October and only 1 other camper. Glad it was open, as information is limited and most areas close Sept 15th or Oct 1 and close gates for access. Basic sites, vault toilet. Underused, but great for horses with fence, etc. Only one other car camper. Beautiful stars at night!
Guide
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.
Guide
Road to this location was closed. A closed gate that looks private prevented access.
Guide
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.
GuideOnly 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.
Scout
Could’ve been a really cool camping spot but after setting up camp a couple came yelling right by my van. They were part of the homeless camp and I just didn’t feel super comfortable because they were saying really aggressive things.
ScoutAt 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
Guide
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.
Guide
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:
Cons:
Scout
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.
GuideDrove 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.
Guide
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.
Guide
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.
Traveler
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.
TravelerThis 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!
GuideMany 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.
Scout
Very nice campground. Rod, caretaker, is the best. We had a wonderful 3 days camping.
TravelerBrought 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.
Scout
The view was unbelievably beautiful, our dog had lots of room to run and other dogs to play with. The site was comfortable and the Hosts were so very KIND!
Guide
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
GuideNot 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!
Guide
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.
ScoutIt'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.
Camping near Lakeside, Montana, offers a mix of stunning views and outdoor adventures. Whether you're pitching a tent or parking an RV, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from that cater to different needs and preferences.
Camping lakeside, MT, is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors. With the right preparation and knowledge, you can have a memorable experience in this beautiful area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Lakeside, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, Lakeside, MT offers a wide range of camping options, with 204 campgrounds and RV parks near Lakeside, MT and 28 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Lakeside, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Lakeside, MT is Big Arm State Unit — Flathead Lake State Park with a 4.6-star rating from 21 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Lakeside, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 28 free dispersed camping spots near Lakeside, MT.
What parks are near Lakeside, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 parks near Lakeside, MT that allow camping, notably Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park.
