Best Tent Camping near Lewis and Clark National Forest
Tent camping options span the rugged terrain surrounding Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana, with established sites ranging from basic to primitive. Sluice Boxes State Park Campground offers walk-in tent sites with minimal amenities in a pristine setting, while Little Log Campground provides more developed tent camping with picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Kings Hill Campground sits at 8,000 feet elevation in the national forest, offering an alpine camping experience with sites nicely spaced for privacy.
Most tent sites in this region have fire rings and picnic tables, but amenities vary significantly between locations. Campers should verify seasonal availability, as higher elevation campgrounds like Kings Hill may experience snow until early summer. Many locations lack drinking water—Little Log and Kings Hill campgrounds are exceptions with potable water on site. Vault toilets are common at established campgrounds, though more remote sites like Sluice Boxes lack bathroom facilities. Several fishing access sites including Mountain Palace and Wolf Creek Bridge offer tent camping with river access, typically charging a fee based on whether campers have a fishing license.
Sites farther from main roads provide deeper seclusion and less highway noise. Spokane Bay Campground offers walk-in tent camping with significant privacy, requiring either a 1-mile hike or boat access. A camper noted, "If you come to this campground you will most likely will have the place to yourself." Camp Rotary receives high ratings for tent camping with drinking water and toilet facilities. For those seeking primitive experiences, Sluice Boxes State Park allows dispersed camping away from the main trail. As one visitor reported, "If you're up for hauling in your stuff and back out and don't mind not having access to a bathroom or a fire pit, it's a perfect place to try."
