Best Dispersed Camping near Pompeys Pillar, MT

A Montana State Parks Conservation Permit is now required to camp here. Don't know if they enforce that requirement. Here's the link. Your permit is good all year.

https://ols.fwp.mt.gov/landing_input

This is a great spot. I was here on a week night very quiet. Only one other couple. Lots of birds. You can see where the beavers have been at work felling trees on they way in. Wild turkeys were pretty vocal last evening.

Easy to imagine Capt. William Clark floating past in 1806 in his lashed together canoes on his way to the Missouri to rejoin Capt. Merriweather Lewis.

It is actually a fishing access point with boat ramp. A little slow going in on the dirt road. Could be slick if rainy. There are 4 campsites with fire rings and a pit toilet at the far end.

Length limit on vehicles is 20 feet. They clarify 20 ft tow vehicle and 20 ft trailer. Don't know how strict they are on this. It would be tough to get anything big in here anyway. You can stay here up to 7 days.

Fortunately, there is good signage guiding you in here from the frontage road. If there wasn’t, one would almost feel as though they were driving onto someone’s property as opposed to public land.

I loved this place because it was close enough to I94 to feel convenient but far enough away that the noise from the freeway wasn’t bothersome although it’s so peaceful here, you can still hear the road. But you’re hearing it from a distance. It’s far from overpowering.

We were lucky enough to get the site under this truly massive tree that was likely here when captain clark was on his expedition. The pics don’t do justice to its size but use my camper for comparison. Haha

Sites are well spread apart. Fire rings and picnic tables at each. FYI, there is no place nearby to purchase firewood. Stop in Miles City or Billings on your way in depending on the direction you’re coming from if you need it.

You do have to have a MT Conservation License to stay here. They out of state variety that I had to purchase was $10 and is good for an entire year at this and any other location in the state that requires it. The good news is that the sign board at the campground has a QR code on it and I had three bars of Verizon to do it from the campsite.

No one ever came through to check if I had it, but one would have to understand that they do maintain these places to some degree and that maintenance has a cost.

We saw several geese. Heard several wild turkeys but never saw them. And we were greeted with an amazing sunrise right before we set out on our way.

Definitely recommend this place if you’re traveling I94. Would most definitely stay again.