27 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Tent campsites near St. Ignatius, Montana offer a mix of lakeside locations and mountain settings within the Lolo National Forest and adjacent tribal lands. Turquoise Lake Backcountry Site provides hike-in tent camping with pristine alpine views, while Kreis Pond Campground offers a more accessible option with several tent sites surrounding a small pond about 35 miles northwest of St. Ignatius. Blue Mountain Forest Road 365 provides dispersed camping opportunities for tent campers seeking more solitude.
Sites throughout the region typically feature basic accommodations with fire rings and occasional picnic tables, though amenities vary significantly. Kreis Pond maintains vault toilets but no drinking water, while backcountry locations like Turquoise Lake require campers to pack in all supplies and filter water from natural sources. A review mentioned, "You must pack out what you pack in. You can filter water from the lake, but I would recommend hiking in with water as well." Most areas enforce standard 14-day stay limits, and campers should note that sites on tribal lands may require special permits. Forest service roads accessing dispersed camping areas can be rough and dusty, occasionally requiring higher clearance vehicles.
Areas farther from main roads provide deeper seclusion but demand more preparation from tent campers. The Turquoise Lake area offers a challenging but rewarding experience approximately 6 miles from the nearest road access. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, the terrain at higher elevations can be "very rugged and most sites won't fit anything larger than a 1-person backpacking tent." Wildlife encounters are common, with one camper noting the likelihood of "being neighbors with some goats" at Turquoise Lake. For those seeking easier access, Blue Mountain dispersed camping areas provide good views and reasonable privacy despite occasional passing vehicles on the forest road. Primitive tent camping in these areas is best from late spring through early fall, with some higher elevation sites remaining snow-covered until June.
"Absolutely beautiful backpacking loop! About 6 miles in you will reach your destination of turquoise lake."
"Nice little lake, was there in fall so not busy. Wooded and sites are along the lake, but views aren’t fantastic. Saw bear prints, definitely lock up foods. Bring water treatment methods."
"There’s only about 5 spots and summer will be crowded when it’s hot and awesome weather! Bring tubes to float around the water and hammock to hang around."
from $10 / night
Check Availability"Tent spot is around $30. This place was great. The porta potty was the cleanest one I’ve ever been to. You have to fill up your own water for the shower."
from $33 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Great place .has all the hook ups.and public restrooms and laundry room. Place for tents. Great place to stay"
"Several sites grouped together by lake down an access road. only one other camper here on a Sunday night. Nice wooded sites and easy access to lake for swimming or boating"
from $145 / night
"Parking is good, and it’s easy to get the the restrooms."
"Primitive cabins with electricity and bunk beds but nothing else. Dock to jump off of. Trails all over seely lake. An area with benches surrounding the fire and a stage. Easy to get to."
"On my drive up I did not see any established distributed campsites. However there are some turn offs that you could park at. This area would probably not be ideal for RVs."
"Not the best in terms of views, but worth the drive to get out of the city."
TravelerPulled off i-90 for a stop, plenty of campsites available. Able to reserve online thru recreation.gov as well as first come first serve. saw maybe 4 other cars. Only downside is proximity to freeway and loud train. Would go off multiple times throughout the night waking us up every time. Well maintained, plenty of restrooms they were closed though but a bear box and dumpster were available for trash/food storage.
LegendUpsata Fishing Access campground is located four miles north of Montana Highway 200. This is a pleasant small five site campground. All five sites are next to each other on a flat grassy area which appears to be regularly maintained. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. One vault toilet serves the site. No water or trash service. The fishing access has a small parking area for vehicles and boat trailers, boat ramp is gravel. Only one other site was occupied on our visit, but that was on a Sunday evening.
GuideGreat place to stay. First come first stay 8 day max stay. Vault toilets, picnic table, sites are spread out. $18 dollars per day
LegendMonture Creek Fishing Access site is a nice small campground/fishing access site with five campsites. Two just off of Hwy 200 and three more back away from the highway. Monture Creek has good trout fishing with the creek being only about 100 feet from the campsites. One vault toilet serves the fishing access and camping area. Each campsite has a picnic table and metal fire ring. Sites 1, 2 and 3 sit far enough back that the large pine trees do a pretty good job of blocking most of the highway noise. Like all the fishing access sites with camping in the state, the nightly rate is based on if you have a fishing license and are a Montana resident or not. This is a trash-in, trash-out site and no water is available so come prepared.
Traveler$20 a night for a spot right on the crystal clear water. Native land & no alcohol. Fire ring with grill attachment and a picnic table. There’s electric/water sites not on the water and I believe the ones right on the lake are not. Dogs allowed. Spacious spots, some with a decent amount of privacy. Bathrooms.
TravelerWe had a hard time leaving this spot! Beautiful views of the lake, lots of hiking trails, and lake access. Our spot didn’t have quick access to the water- we had to hike down 1/2 mile or so to reach the rocky shore. There’s one hike in spot that allows you to camp right on the water that looked amazing. Our spot was walk-in with plenty of parking nearby. Well maintained pit toilet, water, bear box, and recycling all within easy access. Firewood and ice available for purchase and paddle board and kayak rentals down by the boat launch.
TravelerSpacious sites, lots of trees, double level paved sites, no hook-ups. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. The lake has a nice beach area with picnic tables plus there's a boat launch. There are pit toilets, no showers. There is water spigots. Our only complaint was the 1000's of flies! Bring citronella and a fly swatter if you want to sit outside!!
GuideSites Right along the river. A few sites are in a cul de sac style and would be great for group camping. The other two are fairly secluded. No water. No garbage. There is a Vaulted toilet. Each site has fire ring and a picnic table.
LegendThe campground offers many lakeside campsites complete with picnic table and fire rings. There were 3 yurts for those interested. all vehicles, including camping vehicles, park alongside road; there are few, if any, pull-in sites. There is room for a tent or two in the sIte. Most of the lakeside sites also have a small amount of slope.
The camp hosts were absolutely fantastic! There is firewood and ice for sale at the park. Polson is about 20-30 mInutes away and has grocery stores, etc. If you go to Polson, check out The Cove Deli for some really great ice-cream.
The showers were really awkward, but did the job. They take $ coins (available from host if needed) and quarters.
If you aren’t bringing your own boat, Boat Rentals and Rides is only 2 miles down the road. We rented 2 glass bottom kayaks. Warning: lake conditions change suddenly and we saw the waves blow in 2 dIfferent directions durIng the 2 days we were there. There were no bear boxes at the sites, only one by the bathroom.
Tent camping near St. Ignatius, Montana provides access to both Mission and Swan Mountain ranges, with elevations from 3,000 feet in the valleys to over 9,000 feet at mountain peaks. Primitive camping sites throughout the region experience temperature swings of 30-40 degrees between day and night, even in summer months. Local forest roads can become impassable during spring runoff from late April through early June.
Hiking and mountain biking: Blue Mountain Forest Road offers numerous trails for hiking and mountain biking. "Blue Mountain is a great place to recreate! Very dog friendly and tons of trails for hiking and mountain biking. Camping is allowed west of road 365," notes Celine K.
Paddle sports: Holland Lake Boating Site caters to non-motorized water activities. "We use this area a lot. The boat launch is definitely not for larger boats, so there's not a lot of the chaos associated with type places. Parking is good, and it's easy to get to the restrooms," says Heather B.
Fishing opportunities: Mere's Magic Trout Pond offers stocked fishing close to camp. "There is potable well water and a canoe if you wanted to row in the pond," according to Melita B.
Secluded mountain camping: Campers seeking isolation can find it on Blue Mountain. "We drove about 45 minutes up the mountain on the 365 road, and found a very secluded camping spot with an absolute beautiful view. We hardly saw anyone on the way up but the road is very narrow," reports Ady.
Lake-based campsites: Lindbergh Lake Boat Ramp offers lakeside camping with few crowds. "Several sites grouped together by lake down an access road. Only one other camper here on a Sunday night. Nice wooded sites and easy access to lake for swimming or boating," writes Matt.
Unique amenities: Some private camping areas offer extras not found in public sites. At Mere's Magic Trout Pond, "The porta potty was the cleanest one I've ever been to. You have to fill up your own water for the shower."
Tribal permit requirements: Tribal lands have specific entry requirements. "This campground was difficult to find online so we drove out anyways. Campers should know that it is on Tribal land and permits are required for use," explains Brittany H..
Road conditions: Many campsites require driving on rough forest roads. "Road is absolutely clapped out going up for like ten miles. Wouldn't recommend an rv or trailer unless you don't mind washboards. I got a flat tire going up so be careful of sharp rocks."
Campsite locations: At Blue Mountain, "This area allows disperse camping beyond a certain point (there is a small sign). There is a map provided at the road trailhead. However it is confusing since I believe the map is upside down."
Water sources: At tent sites without services, plan for water needs. "Bring water treatment methods," advises a Kreis Pond Campground visitor.
Pond camping: Kreis Pond offers family-friendly tent camping. "Great secret camping spot. There's only about 5 spots and summer will be crowded when it's hot and awesome weather! Bring tubes to float around the water and hammock to hang around," suggests Kirsten R..
Wildlife awareness: Keep food secure at all tent camping locations. "Saw bear prints, definitely lock up foods," warns a camper at Kreis Pond.
Cell service planning: Connectivity varies significantly between sites. "I was able to get Verizon signal at my campsite. However driving up signal was spotty," notes a Blue Mountain visitor.
Seasonal timing: The best tent camping near St. Ignatius occurs between late June and early September. "7 well spaced campsites all around the pond. Truly enjoyable stay. Clean toilet facilities."
Road access limitations: Most dispersed camping areas have challenging access. "Be prepared for several miles of dusty, gravel, washboard road," warns Tom N. about the drive to Kreis Pond.
Campground surfaces: RV campers should prepare for uneven terrain. "There are a few spots with hookups, but the ground is very uneven," notes an RVer about Mission Meadows RV Campground.
Finding your way: GPS reliability varies throughout the region. "Honestly I never made it to this campsite because my GPS couldn't figure out how to get me there without going on private property," reports one frustrated camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near St. Ignatius, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near St. Ignatius, MT is Turquoise Lake Backcountry Site with a 4-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near St. Ignatius, MT?
TheDyrt.com has all 27 tent camping locations near St. Ignatius, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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