Best Tent Camping near Plains, MT
Tent camping is available in the Plains, Montana area with several established campgrounds offering tent sites within the surrounding forests and along waterways. Copper King Campground near Thompson Falls provides five tent sites with generous spacing between them, each equipped with a picnic table and fire ring. Forest Grove Fishing Access Site offers tent camping with toilet facilities, while Kreis Pond Campground features seven well-spaced tent sites around a small pond.
Sites may be set on dirt, gravel, or forest duff with minimal grading. Most tent campgrounds in the Plains area have vault toilets but limited or no drinking water, requiring campers to bring their own supply or filter from nearby water sources. Fire rings are common at established sites, though seasonal fire restrictions may apply during dry periods. Bear activity is present in the region, with some campgrounds like Copper King providing bear boxes for food storage. Access roads to more remote tent sites such as Kreis Pond can be dusty, gravel, and washboard, potentially requiring higher clearance vehicles.
Areas farther from town offer deeper seclusion and less noise, making them ideal for tent campers seeking solitude. The tent sites at Copper King Campground sit along the river, though one camper noted they "don't really have great river access." Kreis Pond offers a peaceful setting with sites positioned around a small body of water, though algae blooms can occur during warmer months. Lake Creek Campground provides both developed and dispersed tent sites with creek access, creating pleasant background sleeping sounds. A visitor commented that Lake Creek is "about 6.5 miles off the highway which feels pretty far once you get there," providing a sense of seclusion for tent campers. Most primitive tent sites in the region remain uncrowded except during peak summer weekends.
