Looking for a rustic and comfortable horse camping experience near Troy? Equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. You're sure to find the perfect site for your Montana horse camping excursion.
$12 - $29 / night
The Bull River Guard Station was built in 1908 as the Ranger's house and office. This structure was a primary ranger station from 1908 to 1920, surviving the legendary 1910 fires that swept through the area. The cabin was home to Granville "Granny" Gordon (District Ranger), his wife and three daughters. Full vehicle access to the cabin depends on weather conditions. The road is normally plowed within 1 mile of the cabin during winter months.
The Bull River is 24.7 miles long from its headwaters to where it meets the Cabinet Gorge Reservoir. Fish species include westslope cutthroat trout, large scale sucker and mountain whitefish. Visit the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website for fishing regulations and hunting seasons and permits. Hikers might be interested in two excellent day hiking options located near the guard station: the Pilick Ridge Trail #1036 and the Berray Mountain Trail #967. Both lead to lookouts with impressive views of the Cabinet Mountains. The Berray Mountain Lookout tower, built in the 1930's, is listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. For those interested in horseback riding, there is plenty of opportunity to explore the surrounding land. Stock animals are not allowed in the cabin area, but visitors may tie up across the road or 50 yards behind the station. As always, certified weed free hay is required on all Forest Service lands.
The Bull River Guard Station is located in the Cabinet Mountain Range near the East Fork of the Bull River in the Kootenai National Forest. The Cabinet Mountains were named by early French settlers who thought the mountains had a cabinet-like appearance when viewed from the valley floor. The cabin is located minutes from from the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness area which is home to a large range of wildlife from the high rocks of the mountain goat, mountain sheep, pika and golden eagle, to the lower slopes and brushy canyon bottoms of the beaver, woodrat, and beautiful Western Tanager. Fall foliage in this area is truly stunning with a wonderful assortment of Mountain Maple scarlets, Mountain Ash reds, Alder browns, and the Larch golden yellows.
$75 / night
Priest Lake camping features 151 campsites, and 5 cabins. Priest Lake State Park lies just 30 miles from the Canadian Border, nestled deep below the crest of the Selkirk Mountains. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Idaho and mile-high mountains, Priest Lake State Park sits along the eastern shores of Priest Lake, a 19-mile long, over 300 foot deep lake. Amenities include showers, flush toilets, dump stations, full service park store with gasoline. Activities include hiking mountain biking, cycling, fishing, boating, swimming, horseshoeing, water sports, volleyball, disc gold
This remote cabin was built in 1908 and served as an administration building for the Wolf Creek District of the Blackfeet National Forest. The Blackfeet NF was dissolved in 1935 becoming part of the Kootenai & Flathead NF. Fairview was used as a remote work station until 1980. In 2011 major work was done to restore the cabin and put it on the rental system. The cabin is open year-round and is accessible by car.
Opportunities abound from this location. Hiking, fishing, floating, hunting, scenic and historical driving tours are just some of the activities to be enjoyed.
The Fairview Ranger Station is situated near Wolf Creek at an elevation of 2,995 feet within the Salish Mountain Range of the Rocky Mountains in the Kootenai National Forest. Wolf Creek and its many tributaries provide habitat for a variety of trout and big game animals. Wolf Creek has been an important route through history as a trail for the Kootenai Indians, early prospectors and railroads.
$75 / night
The__Pleasant Valley__Campground is located approximately__32 miles southwest of Libby on Highway 2. The campground has__7 sites tables and fire rings and able to accommodate up to a 32' rv. There is also__2 stock campsites with feed bins and a corrals. Campground roads and parking spurs are gravel or native material. Amenities include vault toilets.
Photo of the thorofare which connects Upper Priest Lake to Priest Lake and provides access to Upper Priest Lake campgrounds.Plowboy Campground is loacted on the southwest shores of Upper Priest Lake, with majestic views of the Selkirk Crest. Five campsites are furnished with fire rings, picnic tables, and bear-proof storage boxes. Plowboy is easily accessed by boat or by the Navigation Trail. Please note that this campground has a Pack It In, Pack It Out policy on all garbage.
Ranger
I recently spent a few days at this campground, and overall, it was a pleasant experience. The highlight of the trip was definitely the beautiful lake, which provided a serene backdrop for the entire stay. The surroundings are peaceful abd there is a lovely trail around the lake and an extensive set of trails heading up into the mountain behind the lake as well as a trail to a pond with a dam which is quite peaceful.
The swimming area is nice with kind of sandy beach, but there is a bit of seaweed in the swimming area. There are also two docks perfect for fishing. I had a great time casting off from them and even caught a couple of crappies and trout which was a nice bonus. However, one downside was some road noise, which occasionally disrupted the peaceful atmosphere, especially in the evenings. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was noticeable enough to mention. Additionally, the campground and swim area can get very busy during peak summer weekends. If you're looking for a quieter experience, it might be best to visit during the off-season or on weekdays. All in all, the campground is a solid choice for anyone looking to enjoy nature, fish, or swim in a beautiful lake. Just be prepared for a little road noise and crowds if you visit during popular times.
Guide
Stayed early October and only 1 other camper. Glad it was open, as information is limited and most areas close Sept 15th or Oct 1 and close gates for access. Basic sites, vault toilet. Underused, but great for horses with fence, etc. Only one other car camper. Beautiful stars at night!
Scout
I’ve been camping at Priest for 30 years now and can honestly say this is the grungiest, stinkiest spot i’ve ever seen at this lake. The sites are super close together, it looks like someone hack-job attempted to do some clear cutting with zero attempt to cleanup and it literally smells as though the last camper dumped a weeks worth of black water all over our site. I’ll never book this spot again
Legend
It’s Saturday and no one is here but me. Picnic tables, metal fire rings with grills, vault toilets. Big pretty pine trees! I get one bar of Verizon service but it’s not very useful.
TravelerBeautiful & clean campground with friendly staff. Quiet area and not over crowded. Pet friendly. Lots of trail hiking and a pretty lake for kayaking, swimming, etc. My only complaint was not enough grassy areas and all campgrounds were just dirt. So keeping RV clean was difficult with myself and dogs going in and out despite having mats to wipe off feet/shoes.
TravelerThere were a lot of people there. Even on some of the rougher hiking trails there were always people around, so if your looking for seclusion, round lake might not be for you. The fishing was amazing though, and the view is beautiful. There are lots of hiking trails nearby, and there are some cool features, like beavers dams and little ponds filled with fish. The bugs weren’t bad either, there were almost no mosquitoes or spiders.
Scout
All the state (not Federal) parks at both Priest and Lake Pend Oreille (Farragut) have become prohibitively expensive for out of staters. Per the Boise newspaper a state legislator from Hayden. ID was angered that he was unable to camp the state parks in his area at the drop of a hat 'due to the large number of out of state campers'(who had the foresight to make reservations months in advance). He was able to push a punitive bill through the State legislature which effectively more than doubled out of state camp fees in these two parks. Not only is the camp site at least twice as expensive but there is now a daily vehicle fee added. A basic campsite (no utilities) can now cost upwards of $70 per night.
ScoutNice little campground by the water. Really quiet, nice space in between sites. Bathrooms are okay.
ScoutEasy to find & plenty of short noticed camping sites available.
GuideWe love round lake!!! We coMe here all the time. But, we stayed in a different part of the park than we normally do. And it felt like a completely different stay. That is why we are doing another review. This place is the best!
GuideWe had a great time. This park is not far from our home,so we have come here a handful of times. The park is clean, and well taken care of. We have a favorite spot. We hiked the Round Lake trail. It also was very well maintained.
ScoutSwung by here yesterday (late Dec) after calling to confirm hookups were still functional. There was only one hookup spot plowed, and it’s connectivity was not stable. We decided not to stay as our Tesla kept reporting electrical risk every 10 minutes. Not worth the risk to car camp when it’s 18 degrees.
RangerThere was only one other camper so it was nice and quiet, it’s very close off the 2 highway so it’s really easy to get to. There are toilets that were ok at the time. Sites had some nice privacy with the trees, the horse camp sites at the back were a little more open but looked to be in really good condition. There were also a couple of hiking trails right at the site with signs. Really beautiful views near the back. Did not have Verizon service.
Guide
No car access which makes it much quieter and less used. I was there on a hot July weekday and there were only two parties camping, both which had come by canoe. There is a Vault toilet. There are a few picnic tables, and a few fire rings down on the lakeshore, but lots of sites in addition to the developed sites scattered in the trees. No running water. A beautiful, easy trail to hike in to the campground which took about an hour from the trailhead.
GuideStayed hear for two nights in spot 15. All sites are very large, covered in shade, and plenty of flat ground for a tent if that’s your jam.
Spending the hot afternoon floating and fishing the lake was perfect. Morning walks in the trails were peaceful with coffee in hand!
Clean bathrooms, showers, and friendly staff. Can’t go wrong!
GuideEnded our tour of Northern Idaho at spot #140. Tons of flat area to put down a tent, mosquito shade (they are pretty bad), and enjoy the amazing view!
Bathrooms with vault toilets, water pump, and grey water dump all just a short walk away
ScoutWe stayed in a tent only spot - spot 17 I think. The spot was somewhat small. I’d say the largest tent it would accommodate is an 8 person cabin tent. Also the end of the site (where we put our tent) is slightly slanted. So that was frustrating. The campsite was clean and well maintained. This spot is somewhat private because there’s only a spot on one side of it. Although that other spot is close. This spot is very close to the main hiking trail, that leads around the lake and to the beach area. Probably about 15 feet away, down a slight hill. This makes it nice for recreation, but also means people are walking that trail all day. There’s a one toilet bathroom relatively close to this spot. But it’s not that clean and somewhat yucky. Round lake is beautiful with a lot of recreation. I enjoyed camping here and will be going back!
Scout
My family and I stayed here for a week, if you’re looking to get away from it all, this is definitely the place. We can’t wait for our next vacation!
ScoutLove staying here, we stay here every summer. Enjoy the lake and it’s only 20 mins from Silverwood theme park.
GuideI’ve been to Priest countless times. Camp in the woods or on the beach. Upper or lower Priest Lake.
RangerOnly spent 1 night here in Aug 2019, but it was amazing. The cabin itself is a nicely restored 2 story with kitchen (including gas refrigerator and range) and sleeping space for 6, with folding futon downstairs and 1 full size upstairs across from 2 singles. Nicely fenced in yard gives an extra feeling of security when you hear the bears or wolves at night. There's a nice sized fire ring and plenty of wood in the garage. There was even a bike in the garage. Although unrestored, there are 2 cabins out back, within the yard. One was the original mess hall, and the other was the bunkhouse. Behind those, there's a well made horseshoe tossing area. Gas lights provide plenty of light in the ranger station. Bring your own water and bedding. There's a well kept outhouse, just outside the gated area. Can't wait to return.
ScoutWe used to camp here in the 80s and it was always peaceful and beautiful. And we liked it because its got free showers and the bathrooms are very clean for camping. However,! There used to only about 34ish spots and now there are 51 spots. Its very crowded and people feel like they are right on top of each other. Your fire pit area is right next to your neighbors picnic table and/or their fire pit. They also clear cut all the bushes between spots and threw wood chips down so there is no privacy at all. I know they are worried about fires but good grief. Hence the reason it feels like you are right on top of your neighbors. The day use area is still pretty much the same as it's always been and the lake is just as beautiful but not the camping part. Thanks a lot Idaho fish and game! :( UGH!!!
ScoutSuper clean, great back-in spots for RVs, awesome walking trails around the lake.
GuideWe enjoyed our stay here in our tent. The spaces are close together but many were empty during the week. A very nice trail runs completely around the lake and nicely maintained.
ScoutIt is a gorgeous area. Our spot was about 20 feet from the water. Sandy campsite is a nice change of pace from dirt ( although I love dirt😁). The staff were incredible friendly and welcoming. I am a solo camper +🐶 and I felt very safe here. Very family friendly place. I really just wish more places would allow dogs at the beach or even have a nice sectioned off part for the doggies. Very heartbreaking to be so close to that beautiful water and not be able to enjoy it because I couldn't bring my bestie. 😕 Otherwise, I love it and will return!!
Scout
Farragut state park has many campgrounds available to fit every campers style. Tent camping, RV camping, cabin rentals, even camping with your horses! Whatever your style there is a campground here for you. Water and bathrooms at every campsite make it comfortable, the views and countless trails to hike make it breathtaking, and the list of things located in the park make it the perfect vacation site! Peaceful lake views, disc golf, tree to tree adventure course, swimming area, fishing, museums, and horse trails are a few of the things to do while camping in this amazing state park. Even with all these events located here, you'll find peaceful serenity and a true camping feel for the whole family.
GuideLionhead is by far my favorite campground of hundreds I’ve been to. it’s designed more for tent camping of very small rv’s such as truck campers or tent trailers. There are numerous trails to explore and the beach is beautiful white sand with crystal clear water. Indian Creek is also nice and has a store with everything you could need and ice cream by the scoop. Indian Creek also has full and partial hookup sites - free hot showers- and boat slips to rent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Troy, MT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Troy, MT is Round Lake State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Troy, MT?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Troy, MT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
