Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Seeley Lake? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Seeley Lake with tent camping. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
$12 - $18 / 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.
This campground, on the shoreline of Cooper's Lake near Ovando, Montana, is a semi-remote, developed campground which offers shady rest and a beautiful view of the lake and adjacent mountains. The Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wildernesses are 7 miles away by trail.
Guide
The Missoula KOA appears to be the only game in town. I guess that is why they can charge a premium price and leave you with two choices, take it or leave it. Only problem is we could not find another place so we "took it".
This is a big and busy campground. Lots of good things about it. For example, for a premium price, you can get a site with your own private dog run. Two older but OKay hot tubs and a heated swimming pool. Bicycle and other stuff rental. Everything from tent sites, cabins, small full hook-up sites to large spacious premium sites. Despite some of the bad reviews, the staff was very friendly to us and, because of no parking for our Tesla, they were able to move us to a better site. WARNING: You are not allowed to plug in any electric car. We were warned that if we plugged in our Tesla, we would be fined and asked to leave the park immediately. The Tesla supercharger was less than two miles away so no problem for us. Wifi was great. 34 mbs. AT&T was 2 bars 5G.
The BAD: Very busy. Many days in summer they are 100 per cent booked. Make reservations early and be specific what you need. Be ready to pay a premium price, even for tent camping. Camp is old but well kept. Bathrooms are clean but very old style and shower stalls are very small and not handicapped friendly. Surrounded by lots of older double-wide's. Some well kept and some not so well kept. Not friendly to electric cars (see warning above). Several times during our stay they paused their golf cart in front of our Tesla, I assume making sure we did not plug in.
Scout
https://www.camppaxson.org/app/
*Must rent entire facility*
"Camp Paxson sits on the shores of Seeley Lake, one of a chain of five lakes nestled between the Swan Mountain Range and the Mission Mountain Range in Western Montana. It is a 15-acre peninsula of land that Salish, Blackfeet, and Crow tribes cared for, hunted, and fished for centuries prior to European colonization and we recognize their time-honored traditions and connections rooted in the earth. While the history of the land reaches centuries back, the buildings on this Forest Service landmark are just 80 years old. Camp Paxson originally consisted of a tent camp with six small frame structures. By the 1930s, a larger facility was needed. The Depression-era Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps began building the current facility in 1939, and the bathhouses and cabins were completed in 1940. Because of its unique architecture and as an example of the contributions of the WPA and CCC during the Depression years, Camp Paxson was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The camp was originally used by a variety of groups including the Boy Scouts and the Forest Service for their Smokejumper training housing. Camp Paxson is a Lolo National Forest Service site administered by the Camp Paxson Preservation Project, a non-profit organization that operates with the mission to preserve and improve historic Camp Paxson and to advance the public’s appreciation of this cultural and natural resource both locally and regionally through expanded appropriate use. The facility is used by schools, churches, weddings, family reunions, and other gatherings of large groups.
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.
Traveler
Very well kept. Not just a group use area. Nice trailer or tent sites. Clean restrooms and fresh water. Wonderful camp hosts. Beautiful spot on Blackfoot river. Only 6 miles to Lincoln, Montana if you need anything.
ScoutThe tent site was spacious and had outdoor lighting. Definitely had a lot more amenities than we are generally used to! Didn't get there in time to use the hot tub, but the people were really nice!
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.
Scout
Harper's Lake north of Missoula on Hwy 83 and Hwy 200 right along the Clearwater River.the campground sports two small lakes Blanchard Lake and Harper's Lake which are within walking distance to the campground. The sites are mostly for tent camping, but there are sites large enough for trailers. There is no water, electricity or sewer hook-ups.
TravelerOnly $12 a night if resident fishing license and $18 if not. Two lakes to swim or fish. And we had a decent size creek right by our campsite too. The majority of tent sites are literally huge. We had an amazing time staying here.
ScoutIt is inner city. Not for everyone, but I liked everything about it— except it is slightly noisy due to planes, trains, and autos. Next to a janky trailer park, but I am not a remote camper. My tent site next to the showers and bathroom was perfect.
Scout
Overall, this is a great spot to camp. Tent camped one night, and had no issues. Bugs are very minimal for being right next to the creek. I will say the road up, has seen much much better days. The speed limit on this road is 45, and I didn’t catch myself going over 15mph. Heavy washboarding, and deep potholes. Drove a Transit van.
RangerEnjoyed my stay but it is in a very busy location. You either access the campground through a busy downtown area or a narrow residential area. The campground itself is very large but crowded. The RV sites have some space between them but not a lot. The tent sites are nicely surrounded by trees. The laundry area is spacious and well stocked. I really appreciated that the bathrooms had individual stalls and showers. I enjoyed my stay but this could be an extremely busy and crowded campground during peak season. The Camp store was well stocked and reasonably priced.
Guide
Well managed, clean, and pretty campground with views through the trees of Salmon Lake. Best access to the lake is from the day use and boat ramp area south of the campground. We enjoyed exploring all the trails leading down to and along the lake. The park manager was very friendly and helpful. We lucked out and got a site with water and electricity. The only down side was we could hear the highway during the day, but it quieted at night. The sites closer to the lake probably didn’t have that issue. The walk-in tent sites are really nice above the lake.
RangerWe were stuck a night in Missoula waiting for a new tire, so booked this place in town. We have a nice self converted camper van and were told we couldn’t stay due to their “no sleeping in vehicles rule” our options were to go buy a tent or cancel our reservation without refund. After some back and forth, the manager finally agreed to let us stay home night in the van. We had a tent site for an unheard of $80. The site was decent, as far as KOAs go but I wouldn’t stay here if you have other options. They had a foot truck and a decent hot tub but be prepared for tons of screaming kids too
Legend
Hooper Park is a nice city park on the east side of town which contains a camping area. The campground has RV sites with electric and water hookup and sites with out hookups for tent camping. Campsites sit in a nice flat grassy area under large ponderosa pines. Restroom facilities area available as well as trash bins. Camp sites prices are based on the type of camping you are doing, RV vs Tent and if you are using an electric site or not. The park has a large pavilion that comes in handy if it starts raining and you want to eat your meal while staying dry. The park/campground is on the east side of town and a short walk just about everything Lincoln has to offer. This is a good spot to stay if you are traveling and need an easy to find campsite with out having to travel miles down a forest se
GuideWe stayed at Salmon Lake on 2 different occasions in June 2021. We were lucky enough to score last minute reservation on the lower loop. The lower loop is right on the water and has only 2 campsites, #22 and #23. These two sites are farther down the hill so we did not hear the street noise that other campers complain about in the upper loop. We were tent camping when we stayed in site #22 and #23, Site #22 has a very nice covered picnic table and is large enough to accommodate a large RV or trailer. This lower loop only has pit toilet but the upper loop has flush toilets and very clean showers. We did appreciate that they sold firewood at the campground for $4. This campground also has very nice walk-in campsite for cyclist and hikers. We enjoyed both of our stays and would highly recommend the lower loop since the sites were right on the water and you had more privacy.
Guide
All the forest service campgrounds in the area were full and we happened across this place. We stayed 3 days & it was very peaceful. Each day a few sites opened up mid-day. There is a beautiful flat water river with two access points and locals tube and paddle here. There are tent sites, back-in sites, and pull through sites. Our site was on the river though separated by a thin strip of woods. At night we could hear coyotes. There are a lot of people who drive through looking around and kicking up dust, but that's the only negative. There are no hookups, only a central hand pump for water and no dump station. Prices are cheaper for residents and those with state fishing license (who have already contributed to the up keep).
Scout
America''s Next Top Llamas are having a blast at Seeley Lake Campground
Scout
Great spot right on seeley lake. My area was just a short walk to the beach area. Not much privacy but other than that very nice place
TravelerA loop off the road in open evergreen forest with grass ground covering. Tent sites are well spaced, about 150ft, but the open forest means you can see several neighbors. The forest floor is generally shaded with some sun patches so most sites have good shade. Sites on the river side have trails down a 15ft bank to the river. Some trails are good and some steep. Because of the bank, you can’t see the river from camp. From sites on the road side you can access the the river between river side sites. Our site had only a small beach and we did not spend much time at the river.
There are 3-4 outhouses, mainly placed near the road.
The one water pump was locked up and marked as non-portable.
The road is near enough that you can see and hear passing traffic.
We arrived on a Wednesday in late July, about 4:00 pm, and found the campground about 75% full. Temperatures were upper 70’s to 80’s and we found the shade comfortable. Light bugs. Moderate mosquitoes in the evening. Generally it was pleasant to sit outdoors.
Traveler
We stayed at a couple of state parks in Northwest Montana, but this one was by far the best! We planned to spend a week in the area and had to split the stay between two parks. Placid was amazing! The water was perfect, campsites were easy to get in and out of. The bathrooms and showers were super clean. We ran into the same park manager again and he remembered us from our stay at another place. The campground hosts were great. We spent a little time in Seeley Lake and had some great food at The Ice Cream Place. We highly recommend it too - and get Huckleberry everything!
Guide
This was the only campground open in late season on Seeley Lake. Not many people. So, very quiet. Some sites are wide open with very little shelter or shade, others are nicely tucked into groves of trees. Almost all sites are angled to back an RV into. Many could handle 30 foot rigs easily. Really strong Verizon signal
TravelerWe loved this campground! It was very well kept and close to the town of Seeley Lake which we liked. The campground was very quiet and the beach area was nice and relaxing. We have a family of 5 so Hauling or 5th wheel around the camp ground was a little tight but we managed. The only thing we didn't like was there were a ton of mosquitos when we went! :(
GuideThis was a wonderful stopover on a road trip. Beautiful lake, rich forest area. Camping spots were nicely spread out, all paved. Ours, number 27 was a pull through. Easy access, a clean spacious vault toilet very close by. Restrooms with showers and flush toilets were a short distance away. THERE ARE NO SEWER HOOKUPS. However at Seeley Lake, about four miles away there is a dump station.
Excellent cell service for Verizon and T-Mobile.
Reserve ahead to be sure, 18$ plus 10$ internet fee. Or walk up first come first served for $18. And with electric hookups!
Great campground.
Traveler
We had a really nice couple of mid week nights here. We couldn’t get two consecutive nights in a row so had to move spots, but it wasn’t a big deal. Our daughter braved a chilly swim and there were lots of dirt roads and little trails for the strider bikes. Bring bug spray, the mosquitos are out. They really go nuts when you first pull in but relax after a few minutes. Keep an eye out for bears. We saw a black bear across the road from the campground. The closest cell service is just outside of Seeley Lake.
LegendThis is a popular area along the Swan River Valley scenic drive. It is also near Girard Grove, home of Gus, the largest larch tree in the US. There are many trails, some leading you to this grove on Boy Scout Road.
We were there in mid-September and and there were two camp hosts. Camping fee is $10 plus $5 for extra vehicle. Our site was near Seeley Lake but the smoke made the lake hazy. Our site #21 had lots of room to stretch out. We saw trailers there so there is room for large RVs. It is a very scenic facility and there are large pines everywhere.
Guide
Lake Alva is a no motorized water vehicle lake which makes it the quietest of the large lakes in the Seeley Lake chain. The beautiful mountain views and calm waters make for a restful trip. Great swimming in the summer time out to a small island in the center with pebble shores and a bustling population of crawfish. The water is clear and can be very cold. At the shores you can see down into the bottom of the lake. It is a great place to go star gazing in a canoe or kayak. The water is very mellow, no wake waves and the small size of the lake prevents the large white caps that show up on Seeley itself. It's a great place for beginning boaters to get in some risk free paddling. The camp ground is well spaced with separation and plenty of amenities.
Legend
Big Nelson Campground is anything but big. This is a tiny cramped campground. I found 6 campsites, but the Forest Service website list this campground as having four. With the exception of site three, all the other sites require you to park in a parking area. Site 3 was the first site I noticed on arriving at the campground and was located to the left of the parking area. Sites 4, 5 and 6 require parking in the parking area and walking down a set of stairs to access. Sites 4, 5, and 6 can only be accessed from the stairs, driving down the road to the boat launch will only get you to the boat launch. Site 4 is on the left at the bottom of the stairs. Site 4 is tiny, it is a picnic table next to a metal fire ring, if you want to pitch a tent at site four you would need to do it next to the fire ring and skip making a fire or pitch it in a small flat area above the picnic table near the parking area on the opposite side of the fence. Site four really doesn't have much room for a tent. Sites 5 and 6 are fairly roomy, especially when compared to site 4. Site 5 is on the right side of the stairs, plenty of room for a tent, nice view of the lake and has a metal fire ring and picnic table. Site 6 can be reached by walking through site 5 or from the boat launch road. You could unload your gear at site 6 right from your car, but would can not park next to site 6, you will need to drive back up to the camping area. Site 6 has plenty of room for a tent and also has a picnic table and metal fire ring. The campground has one small vault toilet and is at the beginning of the road to the boat ramp. The boat ramp isn't really a ramp, but the shore of the lake with a gradual entrance in to the water. Campsite 2 I found as I was leaving the area, it is just past the vault toilet as you leave. Campsite 2 requires a walk down a few stairs. It is a tight campsite with just enough room for a small tent next to the picnic table. A metal fire ring is on the opposite side of the picnic table. What I guess would be campsite 1 is further down the road and down below the road, I would not suggest using this site as it is a bit of a walk from the parking area, the road is two narrow to park here. Site 1 does not have a picnic table but does have a fire ring, odds are you won't even notice the site coming in or out. During my stay the campground did not have a fee, but the information sign indicates a fee may be coming next year. This is a dry campground, your only source of water is the lake so come prepared, this is also a trash-in trash-out site.
Tent camping near Seeley Lake, Montana, offers a blend of stunning natural beauty and a variety of outdoor activities, making it an ideal destination for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Seeley Lake, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Seeley Lake, MT is Camp Paxson with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.
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