Best Dispersed Camping near Melville, MT
Searching for a dispersed campsite near Melville? Dispersed camping is the perfect way to get off the grid. Find dispersed campsites you've visited before, or discover new spots from other campers.
Best Dispersed Sites Near Melville, MT (10)
1. Pig Farm Fishing Access Camp
Livingston, Montana4 Reviews•21 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Equestrian
2. Cottonwood Reservoir Dispersed Camping
Wilsall, Montana3 Reviews•2 Photos•38 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
4. Olson Creek Dispersed
Bozeman, Montana6 Reviews•20 Photos•100 SavesPeople enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no services (such as trash removal), and little or no facilities (such as tables and fire pits) are provided.
Rules for dispersed camping Groups over 75 people are not allowed. Dispersed camping is NOT allowed at trailheads, picnic sites, and fishing areas and within close proximity of campgrounds. You need to be self-contained. No amenities are provided; such as water, restrooms or trash cans. Please pack out all your trash. For information on occupancy and use, camping stay limits, weed free forage, visit Region 1 - Alerts & Notices (usda.gov). Travel to campsites must not create resource damage. Travel to campsites must not create resource damage Contact local district office for information on fire restrictions. It is your responsibility to know if fire restrictions are in effect before camping. Be bear aware and know the food storage regulations before camping. These regulations are strictly enforced. Where can I disperse camp? Please refer to each district's Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). These maps will show which roadways allow disperse camping and it tells you the distance you are allowed to drive off the road to camp. Please note that some roads have more limitations and restrictions than others. Please consult the Motor Vehicle Use Map or call the district office for more details.
- Pets
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
5. Falls Creek
Mcleod, Montana2 Reviews•9 Photos•59 SavesA campground in the main boulder area on the Yellowstone District.
Camp sites: 8
Accessible Facilities: Toilet Trash Pickup: No Firewood: No No Reservations: This campground does not use a reservation system, it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Be aware the campground may fill up on weekends & holidays during the summer months and you should arrive in the early afternoon to ensure there is a space available for the night. Information: Livingston Office 5242 Hwy 89. Livingston, MT 59047 (406) 222-1892
- Pets
- Fires
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Drinking Water
- Alcohol
6. South Fork Brackett Creek Dispersed Site
Bozeman, Montana4 Reviews•13 Photos•121 SavesMany people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no services (such as trash removal), and little or no facilities (such as tables and fire pits) are provided.
Rules for dispersed camping Groups over 75 people are not allowed. Dispersed camping is NOT allowed in the vicinity of developed recreation areas. You need to be self-contained. No amenities are provided; such as water, restrooms or trash cans. Please pack out all your trash. You may camp in a dispersed area for up to 16 days. After 16 days, you must move at least 5 road miles for camping in another dispersed area and you can not return to your original campsite for 7 days. Please use existing fire rings and avoid creating new fire rings. Contact your local district office for information on fire restrictions. It is your responsibility to know if fire restrictions are in effect before you go camping. Be bear aware and know the food storage regulations before camping. These regulations are strictly enforced. Where can I disperse camp? To find out where you are allowed to disperse camp, please refer to each district's Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). These maps will show which roadways allow disperse camping and it tells you the distance you are allowed to drive off the road to camp. Please note that some roads have more limitations and restrictions than others. Please consult the Motor Vehicle Use Map or call the district office for more details. To see our Motor Vehicle Use Maps, click here.
Can I have a campfire? Please use existing sites and fire rings. Firewood permits are not needed if wood is used on the forest. If wood is transported home for personal use, you will need to purchase a firewood permit at the closest district office. This permit should be obtained prior to you gathering or transporting any wood.
Before you leave your campfire make sure is it completely out. You should be able to put your whole hand into the ashes without being burned; it should be cool to the touch. Stir the ashes to make sure all embers have cooled. This is very important! Many forest fires are caused by abandoned campfires that were not completely out.
The National Forest has wildfires each year. Many of these are human caused from escaped campfires in dispersed sites. Campfires are allowed unless there are fire restrictions in effect due to high fire danger conditions. It is your responsibility to know if fire restrictions are in effect before you go camping. You can learn about any fire restrictions by contacting the nearest Forest Service office.
Dispersed camping means no bathrooms and no outhouses. That means extra care has to be taken in disposing of human waste. To dispose of feces, dig a hole six to eight (6-8) inches deep at least 200 feet away from any water source. When you are done, fill the hole with the dirt you dug up and take your toilet paper with you to dispose of in a proper waste container. Never defecate or leave toilet paper on top of the ground. Do not simply cover it with a rock. It could easily get into the local water source and contaminate it.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Dispersed
8. Buffalo Jump Camp
Nye, Montana1 Review•3 Photos•24 Saves- Pets
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Toilets
9. Haymaker Dispersed Camping Area
Be the first to review!Martinsdale, Montana•6 SavesHaymaker Park Trail (604) is a short trail that provides access to a system of trails. Nevada Creek Trail 601, Haymaker Canyon Trail 602, and Daisy-Mountain-High Trail 603 all join Haymaker Park. Haymaker Park offers large numbers of wildflowers in spring and has good views to the south down Daisy Canyon. Obtain a Forest Visitor's map for information on any travel restrictions. Length: 0.4 miles Trail Begins: Forest Road 189 Trail Ends: Trail Junction. 602 Area Map: Lewis and Clark (Jefferson Division) USGS Map1: Daisy Peak Township 11N; Range 11E; Section 26
- Dispersed
10. Timber Creek Dispersed Campground
Be the first to review!Moore, Montana•12 SavesDispersed CampgroundBears may frequent the area; keep all food out of sight in approved containers and remove all food from area after eating. Mandatory food storage is required.
- Dispersed
Recent Dispersed Reviews in Melville
17 Reviews of 10 Melville Campgrounds
TexasRe D.
Traveler
South Fork Brackett Creek Dispersed Site
2 peaceful nights
We were looking for an easy dispersed site to stay at while visiting a friend in Bozeman. This was an easy option for us with a 20ft camper. We stayed at the first pull off a few minutes off the main road. This site was easily accessible, right off the main road, close to town and close to some hikes.
- SSabrina V.
Guide
Cottonwood Reservoir Dispersed Camping
Very hard to find at night
This place seemed promising at first. It was hard to find a decent spot at night due to only using headlights of my van. Most of the road is extremely rugged/uneven/full of large holes. The only place I was able to stay for the night was the road leading up to the locked gate. This is about the only nice spot. Other than that this place is • quiet w/occasional traffic along the high way (right next to reservoir) • very few people here, but far enough away from me • no fee required • provides OK view to the mountains • great when you bring along a pet • you will need to be fully prepared for primitive camping
- PPrudence T.
ScoutPig Farm Fishing Access Camp
Train Whistle
Beautiful spot by the Yellowstone River. Train whistles woke us up four times.
Erik W.Scout
Olson Creek Dispersed
No trespassing signs everywhere
Not to mention the single-lane cobblestone road, I have a truck and was bouncing up and down the whole way! I didn't find one area big enough to set up camp. I definitely would NOT recommend this spot
Bobby J.
RangerSouth Fork Brackett Creek Dispersed Site
Ok stay
This was an ok stay outside of Bozeman. The coordinates took me to a spot which was occupied but looked like the only spot on that stretch of road. It began to get extremely rutted and I didn’t want to push any farther after that spot. I camped in what looked to be a dispersed campsite that they closed off
Rachel S.RangerOlson Creek Dispersed
Fine for a night but not many options
A bit confusing with all the no trespassing and no parking on/off the road signs. Felt more comfortable once we saw another van parked, and drove past the coordinate location a few minutes to use a tiny widened part of the road. No services.
- KKenyon S.Scout
Olson Creek Dispersed
Peaceful and Easy Access
Great spot and easy to get to. Exactly where the coordinates are pull off was big enough for my sprinter 170 extended was even able to get it perfectly level a few dirt bikes on the road that stopped at sunset. It’s very quiet and beautiful views and 15° cooler than Bozeman.
Jenna B.TravelerSouth Fork Brackett Creek Dispersed Site
Beautiful secluded Mountain views
Gorgeous campsite only 20ish min from the outskirts of Bozeman. Stopped in for 1 night passing through on a bigger road trip and couldn’t be luckier with this location. Fire rings at all campsites. Very quite road. Level ground for car camping. Would 100% come back just for this gem.
- ttommieScout
Pig Farm Fishing Access Camp
Good
Nice and quiet, lots of room
- MMarashaGuide
Olson Creek Dispersed
Really a 4.5 star spot
Beautiful space with views and birdsongs aplenty. Spaces are small and right off the road, but for a free night not far from I-94 with solitude and nature, it’s fantastic. There are a few more pull-offs (again, no privacy and right off the Forest Road) if you drive on down toward Skunk Rd, but road gets rougher (high clearance and/or 4WD fine) from especially if it has recently rained. Those spots were also all taken. Went about a 1/2 mile beyond the GPS coordinates for spot with wee bit more space but the pull-off with these exact coordinates ended up getting claimed by an RV at some point in the night—this road gets solid use in the summer—saw at least a dozen vehicles in the 14 hours here.
- EEdward R.Traveler
Pig Farm Fishing Access Camp
Good spot above
There’s a spot down by the water that someone took with a tent who we let by us. We took a spot just above before you drive down to the water. I wasn’t sure if I could turn around my 20’ travel trailer down by the water. Very buggy.
owen T.GuidePig Farm Fishing Access Camp
Fishing access site. No developed sites. State of Montana lands .
Rough camp. No amenities. Not large enough for motor home. But ok for pull camper. First come first serve. Looking for that free spot. Between the hotels and hassle.
- owen T.Guide
Cottonwood Reservoir Dispersed Camping
Cottonwood reservoir wilsall montana
Cottonwood Reseravoir DNRC land section. accessible for overnight camping under DNRC rules. The reservoir has Yellowstone cutthroat trout and white suckers. No wifi, no trash, no bathrooms. Completely wild. Stars at night amazing. All kinds of waterfowl passing seasonal. No amenities.
Jenny&Tobias P.GuideCottonwood Reservoir Dispersed Camping
Overnight at a lake with mountain view
A few sites, close toe Hyw 89 through a Texas gate. We camped for a night and it's a beautiful space with stunning views and a reservoir right at the spots. No fire rings a little bit a rough road 4x4 and higher clearance recommended. Better no enter with big rigs or trailer. But a beautiful place to spend time.
Antha A.TravelerOlson Creek Dispersed
Beautiful views with little to no traffic
Spent 3 nights here and aside from a few cars, main traffic coming through was a few dirt bikes and dune buggies and a few folks on bikes. Pullout is on a corner turn and very obvious. Decent tent spot over the hill and on top if needed. Spot is exactly where coordinates are and cell service is decent. Wildlife did start getting a bit too close by day 4, so make some noise every so often.
Erik B.GuideOlson Creek Dispersed
Nice Jeep trail with a few pull outs and good views
I drove a few miles up the road and found a pull out area on one of the switchbacks. It mentions private property but I think that’s the areas off the road. A few trucks with Mtn. bikes drove past at dusk but after that it was peaceful and a nice solitary overnight spot.
- Kimberly L.Traveler
South Fork Brackett Creek Dispersed Site
Gorgeous mountain views
I went a little further up the mountain than the coordinates (about 5 miles) and found a spot off the road (4wd highly recommended, no big rigs). The mountains were pink and purple at sunrise, awesome views! I went for a little walk in the woods and saw a black bear (keep your food and trash stored safe!) No amenities of course but most sites have a fire ring already there. It's about 20-30 minutes outside of Bozeman, MT. Happy camping!
Guide to Melville
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Melville, Montana, where nature's tranquility meets the freedom of the great outdoors. With a variety of options available, you can find the perfect spot to unwind and connect with nature.
Top Fishing Spots for Dispersed Campers
- The Pig Farm Fishing Access Camp offers a beautiful location by the Yellowstone River, making it ideal for fishing enthusiasts. Just be prepared for some train whistles during the night.
- For those seeking a serene experience, the Cottonwood Reservoir Dispersed Camping provides access to fishing opportunities while surrounded by stunning mountain views.
- If you're looking for a peaceful spot to cast your line, the Cliff Swallow is located near a river, perfect for a refreshing dip after a day of fishing.
Scenic Views for Nature Lovers
- The Falls Creek is nestled in a dense forest, offering a serene environment with the soothing sounds of a nearby creek, making it a magical spot for tent camping.
- Enjoy breathtaking mountain views at the South Fork Brackett Creek Dispersed Site, where you can immerse yourself in nature while being just a short drive from Bozeman.
- The Buffalo Jump Camp provides a picturesque setting with easy access to the river, making it a great choice for those who appreciate scenic landscapes.
Tips for Free and Dispersed Camping Near Melville, Montana
- When visiting the Olson Creek Dispersed, be aware of the numerous no trespassing signs and plan your route carefully to avoid confusion.
- For a more rugged experience, the Haymaker Dispersed Camping Area is accessible by a rough road, so a high-clearance vehicle is recommended.
- Always pack out what you pack in, especially at places like the Timber Creek Dispersed Campground, where amenities are limited and maintaining the natural beauty is essential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Melville, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Melville, MT is Pig Farm Fishing Access Camp with a 4-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Melville, MT?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 dispersed camping locations near Melville, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.