If you're looking for a place to pitch your tent near Polson, look no further. With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Polson campgrounds for you and your tent. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Polson, Montana's most popular destinations.
Yellow Bay-Flathead Lake State Park has 5 tent campsites that are first-come, first-serve.
$9 - $28 / night
Camp on an old trout pond with trees and Mountain Views. It’s best to arrive before sunset and not after dark. We have a lot of water running through the property and campsites are dispersed around the pond. Camp at your reserved numbered post.
$33 - $75 / night
This area has a large parking area and a primitive boat ramp located near the Holland Lake Campground. Please be advised this ramp is very shallow and will not accomodate large boats. This site is also near the group camping site, picnic and swimming area, and Holland Lake Nature Trail. Restrooms are available.
There is a boat ramp located within the Lindbergh Lake Campground. Day parking and restrooms are available. There is no trash service—please pack out what you brought in.
Camping can be limited due to the rugged terrain. If camping, please use Leave No Trace ethics, as this is an extremely fragile environment and a pristine area.
Backpacking is the perfect way to visit some very beautiful and unique areas in remote locations such as in designated wilderness. Please remember to bring adequate gear and supplies, and remember to check the weather before you strike out on the trail. Trail condition reports area start, but remember to call the ranger district for the area in which you will be traveling before you go for any specific information and current conditions.
This trail is typically clear and snow-free by early to mid-July
Follow Trail 690 as though heading to Glacier Lake through the mature forest along Glacier Creek. In about one mile the trail will approach the junction of Trail 690 and Trail 742, stay right on Trail 690 and start heading up the numerous, but well-graded switchbacks. While on the switchbacks don’t forget to look down onto Glacier Lake and into the basin in select locations. Trail 690 takes off to the hikers’ right towards Crescent Lake, while trail 708 will continue contouring the hillside, crossing rocky slopes and offering fantastic views of the area ahead. After climbing a couple more switchbacks, the forest becomes sparse and opens up into an alpine environment. Keep a close eye out for mountain goats on this trail. The trail then narrows and descends along rocky ledges down to Lagoon Lake. Due to rocky conditions, stock use in not recommended past Lagoon Lake From Lagoon Lake, an unmaintained trail skirts around, over, and down rock ledges to the roaring outlet of Turquoise Lake.
Close to the Ninemile Ranger Station and Grand Menard Picnic Area, this campground has several sites and offers mountain biking opportunities.
Each campsite has a fire ring and picnic table.
This campground in a lodgepole and ponderosa pine forest is located near the Ninemile Ranger Station and Grand Menard Picnic Area adding to the fun things to do when camping here. And if that isn't enough, there are mountain biking trails too!
$10 / night
$35 - $130 / night
Legend
While this is a typical RV park in many ways, the tent sites are given a FRONT ROW location along the river. The host did say they weren’t going to have tent camping for at least until August of 2020 due to a lack of COVID supply availability. Still, there’s a lot of fantastic space to explore, lots of tall trees AND... hot air balloons take off from here. I kid you not. What could be better than being in a balloon floating over Montana during the summer?
Scout
Small and pretty area but there were big deal breakers for us. We spent 2 nights here tent camping as part of a longer motorcycle camping trip.
First and foremost, the store was closed. They have a store on site but it's closed until 2022. It would have been nice because the closest thing to a grocery store is 15 miles away.
Second, there are no defined campsites. It's first come first served around a little pond on the property. It's nicely shaded and quiet, but there are NO picnic tables for tent sites and no dedicated fire rings. So if you show up later in the day, you might be SOL for a fire. The RV sites have picnic tables. I bring this up because it's a really nice thing to have when you're tent camping. A place to cook, sit, put some of the crap you're hauling (especially if you're like us and on motorcycles with limited storage).
Third, the bathrooms and showers were cleaned up on a regular basis which was really nice but no hot water later on in the day. After a long, hard day of riding I just wanted to wash all the grossness off and was in freezing cold water.
LegendFor full disclosure we were compensated for this trip for testing the Dyrt's reservation system.
Our trip to Swan Lake Trading Post & Campground started out by reserving the campground through The Dyrts's new reservation system. Reserving the site was extremely easy and fast to use, way better than other systems we have used before. We had a confirmation from the campground with in a few hours of using the reservation system.
Now for the campground. We were highly impressed by this small campground. The tent camping area was located around a small pond/lake. The site has picnic tables and fire rings as well as plenty of chairs available for siting around the fire or along the little lake. The campground has 8 RV sites, 3 cabins and 3 yurts (the yurts had not been set up for the season during our visit). The trading post has all your basic camping needs and anything you need if you forget something, they even have Ice Cream. If you don't want to cook breakfast the trading post will take care of that for you by cooking up a breakfast sandwich for you. The campground provides clean restrooms and showers. Tent sites were very reasonable at $20, just two more dollars than the Forest Service campground down the road which does not have flush toilets or showers. The camp host are very friendly. We were provided with the camps wifi password, but you do have to be on the trading post back porch to use it. The porch has plenty of table an chairs for sitting at. They also have games you can use to pass the time, we didn't use them but was nice to know they were available. It was nice and quiet at night with very little traffic on the highway, plus the creek running by really muffled any noise from vehicles driving by. This campground will definitely be on our list to stay at the next time we visit the Swan Valley and Swan Lake.
Ranger
Beautiful spot with great views of Flathead Lake. The RV sites were nice and spacious and level with their own patio and chairs. They also offer cabins and tent sites. Some tent sites have water and electric. I was car camping and I had a strange campsite by the cabins for a tent but I couldn't park at the site. There was a small lot close by so that was fine but it also seemed pretty far from the bathrooms. The bathroom was very clean and I loved the private showers. The laundry area was spacious and clean. They also had several brochures on local activities. The wifi didn't seem to reach the tent sites though.
Guide
Great tent camping away from the crowded Yellowstone sites.
Guide
We stayed in a little hut one night and camped the second. It was the first time I had been asked to pay for showers but have since learned it is the trend out West. Hut was crazy expensive for October and the tent site wasn't cheap. Only a couple tent sites are truly flat, just FYI. It was fine but for the money spent, a free hot shower was a no brainer to me.
Guide
At least 20 lake front dry tent sites, second row back from the lake is tent sites or small rigs with power. There are swimming docks, a boat launch, sunning lawn and a newly added concession stand. The water shallow for a long distance of beautiful colorful rocks (like Lake McDonald) and perfect for swimming of all ages. Camp crowd was quiet and well behaved perhaps because no alcohol is allowed? Great stop on the way to Glacier National Park. Why not 5 stars? Bathrooms and campsites were dirty, potable water is hard to get.
ScoutNice large tent sites. They also have a geodesic dome you can rent. Website was not set up yet.
RangerTent sites are strange but it works. River access is right there for you and great view of the Bob Marshall mountain range.
Ranger
Camp right along Flathead Lake in a campground with modern amenities (running water, showers). The campground is quite large for my taste (I prefer tent camping in solitude), but it is clean and well-maintained with a killer view.
Legend
2 1/2 stars. Keep in mind, I’m writing this as a TENT camper. While this place is off the road 100 yards, there’s still a lot of traffic noise from two sides. You’re used to this if you have an RV, but here it’s a little worse as the the tent sites are on open land and right off the entrance road. The stream next to the tent sites is nice though. The name of this place was changed to Three Bears RV Park in 2014, according to the friendly desk guy. There’s a lot of pride here - all the buildings are well-maintained. It’s also close to a great fishing hole down the road and a winery around the corner.
Ranger
My family and I recently stayed at Rollings RV Park on Flathead Lake in Montana, and we loved it! Although it's all back-in sites for RVs and there's not a lot of room, we found that the park was beautiful and quiet, and the staff was very friendly. They have some tent sites and cabins available as well.
There's a restaurant on-site, but it has limited days and hours. The food was excellent, but it's like being in the UK, where you order everything yourself.
The park is clean, and the sites have a decent amount of space. You're close to Polson and Lakeside, where there are great beaches. The campground has its beach, but you have to drive to it.
One of the best things about the park is the great playground for kids. Our kids loved it!
The only thing we didn't love was the parking situation for guests or extra vehicles, but since it's a small place, we understand that it can be limited.
Overall, we will 100% stay at Rollings RV Park on Flathead Lake again and again. It's an awesome place, and we highly recommend it.
Guide
Ashley Lake never disappoints. The camp sites are a bit rough to get too but as long as you're tent camping or have a very small and agile pull behind you'll be okay. It can get a bit windy later in the day but it's still beautiful.
Guide
Wonderful little campground located just south of Whitefish Montana on highway 93. This KOA has a lot to offer from cabins to RV parking and several tent camping locations. Just a few minutes drive north and you will enter the small ski town of Whitefish Montana. Plenty of places to eat, shop or buy your groceries. During the summer months be sure to visit Whitefish Lake. 20 minute drive east and you will arrive in West Glacier Park. This RV park is located in a wooded area and is very family friendly with a local pizzeria on site.
LegendFunny, welcoming host, the best mountain and lake views you will find and a clear layout. The tent sites are just out in the open with no tree cover, but maybe they feel generous even offering them.
Traveler
It was a nice stay for a couple days. Showers and bathroom were clean and front desk was very nice. Seems like more people live there than visit though. Tent sites were very small and bunched together. Price was descent.
GuideThis small campground packs a tremendous punch! RVs (if I had to guess, accommodates 8-12 total), rustic cabins, two yurts, and pondside tent sites - there are no defined tent sites; anywhere along the pond perimeter is fair game.
We stayed just one night in one of the yurts ($35 summer 2021), which is equipped with two cots and a battery-operated lantern. After checking in with the camp hosts (who are lovely!), we got a key to the showers, bathrooms, and laundry room. The hosts keep these areas immaculate, cleaning often. There's also very limited wifi on the porch just outside the bathrooms/showers.
The campground has a great vibe and everyone is very friendly. Between the pond and Swan Lake just across the street, it is buggy, but you cannot beat the location!
The general store is still closed due to flooding last summer, but new construction is well underway.
Traveler
This was an amazing tent site. A little windy at night, but I loved falling asleep to the sound of the wind and waves breaking as we were right next to the water. The sunset was beautiful and the campground stayed quiet until after 8 so we were able to sleep in. Bathroom is a vault toilet with too many bugs, but oh well, it's camping.
RangerFinley point is a unit of Flathead Lake State Park, and has both tent camping as well as RV camping. There are RV spots practically right on the water, as well as tent spots. There’s also boat-in camping available, but you much sleep on your boat as there is no place for a tent next to the boat slips. The rangers do evening programs on the weekends, which are awesome. It’s a fabualous place to swim, paddle board, and spend time with family! Pets are allowed on leashes. There is not electric hookups or showers.
Guide
McGregor Lake campground is a family favorite. The lake is big, clean, has great fishing and crawdadding. The camp grounds are nice and level with tent camping along the lake. Most RV's and pull behinds are parked in a separate area but with such an amazing view it's all just perfect. Speaking of perfect... the camp hosts. So friendly and personable. Just remember to follow the posted rules, you will get chased off if you try to swim off the boat ramp. 😉
Legend
Sure, I have a bias against tent camping in RV Land. There's usually no tree coverage, all the spaces are the same, and you have to deal with fumes, motors and people who are, essentially, driving around large living rooms. That said, there are some good folks to meet, colorful camphosts and extreme ease of setup. This spot, while not the sexiest, checks off a lot of boxes. You have lots of mountains, lakes, the glorious Glacier National Park nearby and some cute cabins.
Guide
This is a free campground. There are five sites with generous spacing. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. There is a privy and one bear box in the middle of the circle. This campground doesn't really accommodate large RVs, but it's great for tent camping. Although it sits along the river, it doesn't really have great river access. The campground is no more than 10 minutes from Thompson falls, so it's easy to get to town if you need to.
Ranger
We lucked out with walk in tent site T1 — the only one right on the lake. We arrived in desperation — every campground was full, but the host had a cancellation on one night. She was amazing — she drove us to the site to make sure it would work, because we have a rooftop tent, which meant we had to camp at the parking spot (fine with us). We still walked in to enjoy the picnic table and beach at our site — the perfect viewing place for the perseid meteor shower.
LegendSo nice... everything feels right, like the game room, the large patio areas for conversation, the stadium layout of sites and heck yeah - put those tent sites at the top for the best views. It's by a fun meat shop (think deer meat, buffalo jerky, etc... if you like that sort of thing...) with overpriced post cards. This whole place has a swanky feel. It's off a busy road - that's pretty much the main drawback. But the view... yet another high-end feature.
GuideI have nothing negative to say about this beautiful park. We tent camped 3 nights, had our pick of sites in late September, right on the water. The camp hosts here were so friendly and welcoming. They made us feel right at home. Gorgeous view of Wild Horse Island. There are bear lockers, but not at each site. Just kind of scattered here and there. Fire pit, picnic table. We pretty much just hung out at the park, it was so peaceful and relaxing. Crystal clear water. Highly recommended, but I’m guessing it gets pretty crowded in summer.
LegendI lucked into this campground thanks to a packed state park campground. On the advice of the campground host at the state run site, I drove up the road to find this tribal owned and run campground. The staff is wonderful, and the campground is clean and well taken care of. My site is right on the lake with lake access. It’s a short walk to water, trash, and bathrooms (not all in the same location). While there is little separation between sites (no privacy), they do have dry sites separate from hookup sites and for once the dry tent sites have the premium location on the lake. I can watch the sun set into the lake from my tent. It is summer and there is a lot of smoke from Oregon wildfires that is making the view very hazy.
Guide
Yellow Bay State Park in Montana is one of my all time favorites. Growing up in Montana, this campground was a place my family and I always visited. Flathead Lake is such a gorgeous spot- so any camping a long the lake is perfect. Yellow Bay State Park is located on the east shore of Flathead Lake. Obviously, because this campground is located on Flathead Lake there are a lot of water activities. My family always brings their boat, and we go tubing, fishing, water skiing, and swimming. We also really love to kayak and stand up paddle board, and this is the perfect place to do it. This campground isn't very big-I believe there are 5 tent sites. There are fire pits, a boat launch and a public bathroom. The campground is pretty well kept and clean. They are pretty strict about where you dump your trash- do not burn your garbage in your fire pit. Make sure to dump your trash in the assigned garbage bins (they are bear-resistant bins). There is also a 14 day camping limit and it is open May 1st- September 30th.
Nestled in the stunning landscapes of Montana, Polson offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure and relaxation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Polson, MT is Yellow Bay State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.
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