Best Tent Camping near Trout Creek, MT
National forests surrounding Trout Creek, Montana provide numerous tent camping options, with Lake Creek Campground and Copper King Campground offering established tent sites. Lake Creek Campground, located about 6.5 miles off Highway 2, features four developed tent sites and several dispersed camping areas along a creek. Copper King Campground near Thompson Falls offers five tent sites with generous spacing between them, making it particularly suitable for tent campers seeking privacy. Bull River Pavilion in Trout Creek itself provides tent-only camping with basic amenities. The Cabinet Mountains Wilderness and Kootenai National Forest lands also contain primitive tent camping opportunities for those seeking more remote experiences.
Most tent campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, typically from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Sites are generally set on dirt or gravel surfaces with minimal improvements. Campers should bring their own water or purification equipment, as drinking water is limited to a few established campgrounds. Bear activity is common throughout the area, requiring proper food storage in bear boxes (where provided) or hanging food from trees. Vault toilets are available at established campgrounds, but primitive tent sites require campers to follow Leave No Trace principles for waste disposal. Fire restrictions frequently apply during summer months, particularly in backcountry tent camping areas.
In early fall, tent campers often find greater solitude at these sites as visitor numbers decrease. According to reviews, Lake Creek Campground offers "super quiet and lovely" tent camping with bear boxes at most sites and creek access. One camper noted that Copper King Campground "doesn't really accommodate large RVs, but it's great for tent camping," with five well-spaced sites, each featuring a picnic table and fire ring. Walk-in tent sites at Green Bay Campground (currently closed for 2024) require a short hike from parking areas but reward tent campers with waterfront locations. Tent campers frequently use these areas as bases for fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing, with multiple trail networks accessible from most campgrounds.