Searching for the best camping near Lolo National Forest, MT? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Lolo National Forest is surrounded by family-friendly activities. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Montana camping adventure.
"On the map, it looks like you can enter/exit either way from 135… but the east side of the road to get back onto 135 is impossible… so we just had to turn around and exit the same way we came in (from"
"Verizon and Atnt had service the whole time, close to Highway, and railroad so not super quite spot. But overall great overnight pullover spot!"
$15 / night
"You can hear some highway traffic and the train does com right up next to the river. Not too busy but we were there on a weekday."
"The I-90 highway runs fairly close to the campground & the noise can be distracting at times. The bigger noise maker is the train that runs on the other side of the Clark Fork River."
"And it’s a huge bonus to be outside and enjoying greasy air.
The grounds were very close to the highway and easy to access."
$22 - $250 / night
"The hike to the waterfall is beautiful, and swimming and snorkeling in this lake are wonderful due to the clarity and purity."
"This is one of my favorite spots in Montana. The lake itself is gorgeous, and the camping spots are beautiful. There's even one site on the island, if you brought a canoe or kayak, as we did!"
"There is tons of trails for hiking, horse back and driving as well as tons of stream access only down fall is not really for fishing."
"Fishing wouldn't be great at that location, as the creek is fairly shallow. The parking spot for the camper was super level asphalt, and plenty Ling enough for our 33.5' fifth wheel."
"Several spaces available behind the restaurant/ bar and casino- Tucked into the woods but road close- you can walk over for a meal, snack, coffee etc or some delightfully cheesey souvenirs."
"We stopped here on our way out of Montana (our home state). A winter storm rolled in and made the pass impassable."
"If you can stand the hordes of mosquitos and constant trail of hikers coming through the area hiking to Lake Dinah."
TravelerWe love this campground! The views are gorgeous, the sites big, the pit toilets clean, and the people friendly. At the lodge(and the campground now, too, I believe) you can rent kayaks and/or paddle boards. The hike to the waterfall is beautiful, and swimming and snorkeling in this lake are wonderful due to the clarity and purity. One can also take a fun hike all around the lake in four or five hours(but be sure to bring bug spray) and walk over to see the horses in the adjacent horse campground. Why it didn’t earn five stars: the road to the campgrounds are gravel and heavily trafficked, which means that it can get pretty dusty, creating a blanket of dust over the lake if a busy weekend. Also, because the vast majority of users are kayakers and paddle boarders, the lake’s shape and smaller size mean that it can be a challenge for motorized users to keep distance from them. Overall, a lovely, natural lake.
TravelerThis is definitely 1 of the top 5 in the area even as a usfs camp ground and price. Sites are well spaced, plenty of privacy and greenery, tons of nature, sound of a run off river coming down through the camp, there is a camp host on site as well as paved road and restrooms as well as water fountains. There is tons of trails for hiking, horse back and driving as well as tons of stream access only down fall is not really for fishing.
TravelerThis is a National Forest campground about 25 miles from Missoula. The bathrooms are vaulted toilets and they were spacious and VERY clean. Our site was HUGE and so beautiful. Bass Creek was maybe 50 yards from the camper and is so clear! Fishing wouldn't be great at that location, as the creek is fairly shallow. The parking spot for the camper was super level asphalt, and plenty Ling enough for our 33.5' fifth wheel. Due to lower branches on the drive through the campground, we wouldn't recommend higher profile rigs. Ours sits at 13', and we felt that anything much taller than that might have clearance issues. There's a group spot for 12-20 people, as well as a spot for bicycle camping. There are some amazing trails for hiking, biking, and also horses. We really enjoyed this area!
TravelerA price that can’t be beat! Several spaces available behind the restaurant/ bar and casino- Tucked into the woods but road close- you can walk over for a meal, snack, coffee etc or some delightfully cheesey souvenirs.
Plug in your rig and unwind for the night-
GuideWe stopped here on our way out of Montana (our home state). A winter storm rolled in and made the pass impassable. This is a FREE RV park with electric hookups…no water, cable, or dumping station, but again, FREE. The snow was hitting hard and having electricity was a lifesaver. There is a really good restaurant and bar here as well as a truck stop and gas station. We have a Class A and the spots were plenty big. Lots of dog walking areas too. Perfect in an emergency and great for a short stay. No long terms and is first come first serve.
GuideThis is one of my favorite spots in Montana. The lake itself is gorgeous, and the camping spots are beautiful. There's even one site on the island, if you brought a canoe or kayak, as we did! There's a short hike up to the waterfall and a longer hike to upper waterfalls. The water on the lake is crystal clear, and while motor boats are allowed, people appreciate the quiet a bit more. There are views in all directions, the camping is quiet, the sunsets are beautiful. There are mosquitoes, but they're not terrible, so bring some bug spray and you should be fine. As always, please practice LNT!
RangerWe tried to get a AirBnb in this area but it was crazy expensive.
We made an overnight reservation for this spot and it was great to get our precaming game going.
They were kinda expensive but it totally beat paying the local costs for lodging. And it’s a huge bonus to be outside and enjoying greasy air.
The grounds were very close to the highway and easy to access.
LegendNice little campground in the Bitterroot Valley. It seemed that there were as many dogs as people in the campground. Sites varied in size and shape and shade. I like the sites on the far side of the loop as they are closer to the creek and away from the dusty road. Water at the spigots was good, but I was a bit concerned that they were placed so close to the vault toilets. There are some pull through sites as well as back in, but since it’s first come, it’s luck of the draw in what you get. I got there around 2 on a Sunday and had 3 sites to pick from. All of the sites were full by 4pm. There are some nice hiking and horseback riding trails across the road, and there is a forest road that goes all the way to the top of the mountains with picnic tables to watch the sunset or sunrise (when the smoke doesn’t cloud the view).
TravelerWe decided to stop in the Bitterroot Valley and the Charles Waters CG for our needs. Clean, treed space with the creek running behind. Extremely peaceful and just what we needed after a super long, hot day. Quiet campground. We did need to change sites as Site 4 had a very large and active red/black ant nest next to the fire ring and picnic table.
We got in around 6pm on a Sunday night. There were multiple sites still open.
Horse camping near Lolo National Forest in Montana offers a unique opportunity to explore the stunning landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse campers, you can find the perfect spot to set up your base.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Lolo National Forest is Dispersed Site - Lolo National Forest Recreation Area with a 4.8-star rating from 8 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Lolo National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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