Best Dispersed Camping in Montana

Recent Dispersed Reviews in Montana

406 Reviews of 154 Montana Campgrounds

• 

  The Wandering Shores ..

  Guide

  

  Sep. 5, 2022

  McGinnis Creek

  Great Site at the TOP- Watch Rig SIZE (see video review)

  In this video we provide a comprehensive review of 3 of the free boondocking(dispersed camping) sites near Glacier National Park and Columbia Falls, Montana. All locations are located in the Flathead National Forest and there is a 16 day stay limit.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0llxG33OdoQ 

  Free Camping Near Glacier National Park- North Fork Road, Canyon Creek and McGinnis Creek Dispersed 

  GPS Point for North Fork Road Dispersed Camping

  48.499334,-114.131517 

  Natural Spring for drinking water etc. 48.447581,-114.165680 

  Conoco Station($5 Dump and Water) 48.371583,-114.203917 

  Bonus Content GPS Info Canyon Creek Dispersed 48.463612,-114.167320 

  McGinnis Creek Dispersed(start of road with North Fork Road Instersection) 48.52.3474,-114.128642 

  McGinnis Creek Large Boondocking Area from Video 48.531014,-114.157493

• 

  The Wandering Shores ..

  Guide

  

  Sep. 21, 2022

  Glacier Rim River Access 10363

  Video Review Now Available

  In this video we review 2 more of the free boondocking(dispersed camping) sites near Glacier National Park and Columbia Falls, Montana. This time we focus on the Middle Fork Flathead River(Blankenship Bridge) and Glacier Rim River Access Locations. All locations are located in the Flathead National Forest and there is a 3 day stay limit at Middle Fork and 16 day stay limit at Glacier Rim. 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO8kY0x0BoY&t=27

• 

  The Wandering Shores ..

  Guide

  

  Sep. 21, 2022

  Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping

  Video Review Now Available

  In this video we review 2 more of the free boondocking(dispersed camping) sites near Glacier National Park and Columbia Falls, Montana. This time we focus on the Middle Fork Flathead River(Blankenship Bridge) and Glacier Rim River Access Locations. All locations are located in the Flathead National Forest and there is a 3 day stay limit at Middle Fork and 16 day stay limit at Glacier Rim. 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO8kY0x0BoY&t=27

• 

  James B.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 8, 2024

  Strawberry Hill Recreation Area Dispersed Camping

  Great overnight stay

  We were on our way to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and needed an overnight.
  This is BLM land for dispersed camping.
  There is a pretty steep hill down. No problems with pickup camper.
  Sites access best suited for vans, pickup campers or small class C. Smal trailer might be able to make it.
  This is a beautiful area and was very quiet. There is a highway nearby but almost no traffic.

• 

  Julia B.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 21, 2018

  Middle Fork Flathead River Dispersed

  Free, busy, plenty of space, river access

  I was traveling to meet up with a group of friends in Glacier NP as a stop along my solo cross country road trip. We didn't set reservations and all the campgrounds were full, so we opted to "dirt bag" it and take advantage of some free dispersed camping by the Middle Fork Flathead River. It's a popular spot for people to do this, as well as for folks to spend a day on the river, swimming and floating etc. There are plenty of large, flat spots to camp so you can usually find a place even late in the evening. A nice location with river access, incredible night skies, easy access via 15min drive to the west side of Glacier NP (photos), flat ground, perfect for a quick camp fix! Of course, it's busy and so not very quiet or private and since it's dispersed camping, there were no facilities - but we're not picky. We took advantage of the space to play some camp games, too.

• A

  Ahron B.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 9, 2023

  Rock Creek Dispersed Spot - Lolo

  dispersed camping

  first dispersed camping spot for Lolo from the entry road for this Forest Service land entry. Just cross the bridge, and be careful of high water (signs stating it's impassable 100 yards past the photo of the bridge when high water.) The grey area is public land the white square at the end of the road is private property by the map legend. 

  maps attached are screenshots from the National Forest Service online map as of Sept. 8th, 2023.

  The dots show where dispersed camping is allowed for this spot.

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 16, 2019

  6100N Dispersed Camping Area

  Large flat camping area

  Disperse campsite 6100N is located a short distance off of forest road 100. This camping area is a nice large flat grassy area to camp in, perfect for tents. Camping area sits along the Upper Ruby River. One large rock fire ring is available. Fir and Juniper trees surround this camping area. Disperse camping along FS route 100 is only allowed in designated locations in this part of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. All forest service disperse camping rules are in affect. Stay is limited to 16 days. No facilities at this site so come prepared. Site is at an elevation of 6621 feet

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 17, 2019

  6100M Dispersed Camping Area

  Disperse camping on the shore of the Ruby River

  Dispersed Camping Area 6100M is a large camping area a short distance off forest road 100 with five established sites. Three of the sites are in the open and two are tucked in the trees along the edge of the Ruby River. The tree sites are very nice, sitting among large fir trees. Rock fire rings can be found at all sites, one of the treed sites along the river has a metal fire barrel. Disperse camping along FS route 100 is only allowed in designated locations in this part of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. All forest service disperse camping rules are in affect. Stay is limited to 16 days. No facilities at this site so come prepared. Site is at an elevation of 6567 feet

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 16, 2019

  Coal Creek Dispersed Camping Area

  Flat camping area next to Coal Creek

  Coal Creek Disperse Camping Area is a large flat grassy parking area just barely off the main road. Site has a large rock fire ring with plenty of flat areas to set up a tent or park a camper. Site is right next to Coal Creek. Being so close to the road you will have no privacy, but the remoteness of the area should mean little to no traffic at night. Disperse camping along FS route 100 is only allowed in designated locations in this part of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. All forest service disperse camping rules are in affect. Stay is limited to 16 days. No facilities at this site so come prepared. Site is at an elevation of 7000 feet

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 16, 2019

  6100X Dispersed Camping Area

  Just a grass camping area next to a creek

  Dispersed Camping Area 6100X is not much to talk about. The location is just barely off the road in a bumpy grassy area along Forest Service route 100. This camping area is wide open, not much of a site, but does have a small rock fire ring. I would suggest not using the fire ring as small sage brush is growing along the edge of the ring, would build a new ring if you wanted a fire. While the ground is a little bumpy you should have no problem find a level enough spot for a tent and a camper should be no problem at all. Disperse camping along FS route 100 is only allowed in designated locations in this part of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. All forest service disperse camping rules are in affect. Stay is limited to 16 days. No facilities at this site so come prepared. Site is at an elevation of 7024 feet.

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 4, 2020

  Cow Creek Dispersed Camping Area

  Dispersed camping with great views

  Cow Creek Disperse camping area is a large fairly flat grassy area just off the road. Area is in the wide open on a high spot above the Ruby River meaning less bugs as you are unprotected from any breeze that may be blowing. The site has great views of the surrounding mountains and of the Ruby River below. Site has on large rock fire ring. Plenty of room to fit a large group at this location, with no problem finding flat spots for your tents. Disperse camping along FS route 100 is only allowed in designated locations in this part of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. All forest service disperse camping rules are in affect. Stay is limited to 16 days. No facilities at this site(so come prepared. Site is at an elevation of 6428 feet.

• 

  Renee G.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 24, 2024

  Copper City BLM

  Classic blm camping

  Lots of open space and locations to pull out--beautiful views as well! To access this place we went towards Copper City Trail Head, and drove by the entrance onto BLM lands. Also, note that this place seems common for mountain bikers and trail bikers, so you'll likely run into a few of those. Also also, this place is DRY--so be sure to bring your own water (but on the plus side, no bugs!!)

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 20, 2019

  6100J Dispersed Camping Area

  Disperse camp with a Outhouse!!!

  A Outhouse!!!. Dispersed Camping Area 6100J is a large camping area a short distance off forest road 100 with four to six established sites depending on how you look at it. But the best thing of all is just across FS road 100 is a vault toilet. The camping area sits between FS 100 and the Ruby River, unfortunately none of the sites are along the river. I said 4-6 sites as a few of the rock fire rings are very close to another fire ring, could fit to groups of campers at these sites, but why would you want to be so close to someone else while disperse camping. Good size fire rings at nice flat locations with plenty of room to set up camp. The vault toilet did not have any paper in it when I visited, but it was after the usual camping season and the middle of hunting season. The site also has 3 tie up rails for horses at the entrance to the camping area. Disperse camping along FS route 100 is only allowed in designated locations in this part of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. All forest service disperse camping rules are in affect. Stay is limited to 16 days. No facilities at this site(except for the vault toilet) so come prepared. Site is at an elevation of 6472 feet

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 30, 2021

  Little Blackfoot River Dispersed Campsite

  Big Roomy Disperse campsite along the little Blackfood River

  Bumped in to this disperse campsite while heading out for a hike.  This is one of three disperse campsite along the Little Blackfoot River in the Helena National Forest that have been marked by the Forest Service as a disperse camping area. This is a nice large flat right next to the creek with plenty of room for multiple tents or RVs.  The site has a large rock fire ring and the big bonus of having a picnic table.  A short trail leads to the river, but does require a little bit of scrambling.  The River (more of a creek at this point) has a nice spot if you need to cool off from the summer heat.  Another short trail goes up a small hill and leads to an area with lots of fallen trees which can be cut for firewood if fire restrictions are not in place.  The only bad thing about this disperse site is that it is right next to the road.

• 

  Quinn Z.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 29, 2020

  Flower Lake Dispersed Camping

  Very secluded hike-in only BEAUTIFUL dispersed camping.

  Oh man, what an epic camping spot. Getting here is a doozy, but it is so worth it.

  In early September, myself, my brother, and our two cousins decided it was time for a long-overdue reunion, and getting lost in the back-country was going to be the stage for it. We struck out from Bozeman, drove as far as we could go (past Lower Seymour Lake) and then once we hit the end of the road, strapped on our (very heavy - remind me not to bring so much food next time) packs and trekked in.

  The trek is pretty damn tough if you aim to do it in one go, like we did. It's about 7 miles to Upper Seymour Lake (also very beautiful, and with dispersed camping), which isn't too strenuous, but then you have to cut over a pass to get to Flower Lake. That is pretty much straight up and straight down, switchbacks the entire way. I was struggling. The views from the top are amazing though. Also, don't mistake Page Lake for Flower Lake - once you descend the other side of the pass, you'll hit Page Lake before you hit Flower Lake. Page Lake is also beautiful and has dispersed sites, but keep going. I think you'll find it is worth it.

  Once we got to Flower Lake, it was serene. From the time we left Upper Seymour Lake to the time we got back, we didn't see or hear another soul. Five days of just us. The area around the lake is pretty dramatic - it sits in a little valley basically surrounded by steep mountains. Around the lake there are a few areas with rough dispersed sites. Fire pits, a few logs to make "benches", that's about it. Plenty of space to throw tents down, and TONS of firewood from the dead trees in the area. You can camp out in the open if that's your jam, or in trees. We chose the trees for better cover and because that's where we found the best dispersed site. Flower Lake itself is beautiful but absolutely frigid, so we didn't go in. There is a little stream that feeds it where we gathered our water to filter, and I finally decided to take a half-bath. Good god it was freezing, but it felt good once it was over.

  Definitely check the weather before going in. We got slammed with a blizzard that lasted all of the second day and night. We were expecting snow that day, but this was more than we were imagining. It was COLD. Intense wind. Lots and lots of snow. We didn't leave the campfire the entire time except to dig out our tents when the snow got too high around them. Given we were running three-season tents, that night was bitter cold (the water bottle in my tent next to me was frozen the next morning) but we all tossed and turned and made it through it. Not gonna lie, the blizzard was a bit unnerving when we were in it, but it made the next four days of sun so much more appreciated. If you're in the sun, it's actually pretty warm, and a lot of the snow was gone a few days after it fell.

  Lots of great hiking here, as the CDT (Continental Divide Trail) goes through this area. I recommend the hike to the top of Rainbow Mountain for some truly stunning views. Not too hard either, once you've cleared the initial pass to get in, and you're not carrying your full pack. 

  BRING BEAR SPRAY. HANG YOUR FOOD. This is grizzly country and we saw a LOT of signs of them. Fresh droppings. Fresh prints in the snow after the blizzard. We never ran into one directly, but they were definitely around. Be in the habit of making noise so as not to surprise them. I can't possibly imagine how many times I yelled "Hey bear!" over the course of the trip. We noticed that one side of the lake had far more signs of bears than where we were. We avoided it, and I wouldn't recommend camping there. See my photos to get an idea of where.

  The hike out was not a cakewalk either, but with lighter packs and having the hard ascent and descent happen at the beginning rather than the end, it wasn't half as bad as going in.

  This is a great spot for back-country aficionados. It was my first real pack-in back-country camping trip (other than when I did Outward Bound when I was a teenager), and one I won't ever forget. 100% recommended, but be prepared. If you got hurt out here, or caught in bad weather, or god forbid had a nasty run in with a bear, getting out could be difficult. Definitely let someone know where you're going, and when you expect to be back. That said, don't talk yourself out of it if you want to give it a go. This place is special. Really special.

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 1, 2021

  Little Blackfoot River 2nd Disperse Campsite

  Small disperse campsite along the Little Blackfoot RIver

  This is the second disperse camping sit along the Little Blackfoot River that has been marked as a disperse campsite by the Helena National Forest.  It is nice having these sits marked by the Forest Service as their are several parcels of private land along the road.  This site is small with only one small level area for a tent of mid sized RV.  The site has a large rock fire ring in the center.  Their is no easy trail access to the river.  Plenty of down trees in the area for firewood if you have a way to cut them, their is also plenty of small stuff that can be easily collected for a fire.   Site is right next to the road, but road noise should be little to none as a few curves will slow vehicles down and their isn't much more road left until the campground and trailhead at the end of the road.

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 22, 2018

  Ruby Reservoir Recreation Area

  Primitive campground on the Ruby Reservoir

  The BLM's Ruby Reservoir is a disperse camping area. The only facilities at this campground is a double vault toilet. There is no signage on the highway to indicated the campground. After passing the dam look for the first paved turn with a stop sign on the right side of the road, this is your turn, the pavement will stop after a couple hundred feet. Lots of campsite can be found by following the web of roads once the pavement ends. Off road travel is not allowed. Their are no metal fire rings, all the fire rings in the area are made of rocks. Being a primitive camping area this is a trash-in-trash-out site, and you will need to bring your own water. This is a nice area, and I have camped here several times during hunting season. The fishing is decent as well. If you want to find garnets just head to the lake shore and start digging. Small ones can be found on the surface, bring a shovel and dig deeper if you want something decent. If you use a gold pan shake the gravel around for several minutes then flip the pan is the easiest way to find them as the garnets are heavy and will settle to the bottom of the pan. Site is free with a 16 day stay limit.

• 

  Lanna M.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 18, 2022

  Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping

  Nice campsite on the river near Glacier NP

  I loved this spot! I was able to get a spot back in the trees and shade a bit, but could still just walk down to the river. When I was there they also had porta potties available, because it’s illegal to even bury waste in this location. Super convenient and free spot for anyone traveling to Glacier National Park! I stayed 3 nights and it’s one of the coolest dispersed camp spots I’ve found.

• 

  SwitchbackKids

  Legend

  

  Jul. 27, 2017

  Custer-Gallatin National Forest Dispersed Camping

  An oasis from the hustle and bustle of Yellowstone, with all the wilderness

  We arrived to the Yellowstone area in the evening, and since we had been traveling around the U.S. for almost a year, we were well-versed in finding alternative camping options near national parks.

  Instead of camping somewhere in the park, we decided to drive through Gallatin National Forest, to the north of the park, until we found a good place to camp. We found a perfect overlook where we pitched our tent and watched the most gorgeous sunset. The best part? No people around for miles and miles.

  Dispersed camping in the U.S. Forest Service land is almost always a win: the sites are free and remote; there are usually plenty of available spots; and you get a very unique camping experience. Just remember to look up regulations for the specific area you’re looking at, and don’t forget the toilet paper!

  In Yellowstone, we worked our way from north to south, hitting the highlights. Many of the hiking trails were closed due to bear activity, so we stuck mostly to the close sights: driving through Lamar Valley, viewing Old Faithful & many other geysers, seeing Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and spotting wildlife everywhere we went.

  You can read much more about our five days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Yellowstone)

• 

  Hailey N.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 28, 2022

  Blankenship Bridge - Dispersed Camping

  POTHOLES! BUT BEAUTIFUL!

  This free camping area has unbelievable breathtaking views especially at sunrise/sunset! The stars are also extremely visible since you’re staying on the rocks right along the river. The only reason I rate this place a 4/5 is the potholes leading up to the camping! There’s ways through it softer than others but almost no way you won’t bottom out. My fiancé and I have a Chevy truck and a 16ft camper and we bottomed out about 3-4 times before reaching the rocks. It’s Worth it I’d say, everyone who’s stayed around us has had friendly pets (cats and dogs) and they’ve all been extremely friendly and welcoming as well! You can stay long than the 3 day limit as well that’s what we have been told, BY LAW you can’t stay long than 14 days dispersed camping but we had been told by a man who visits here monthly that the locals just have an issue with people staying longer than 3 days because they want their own space. Sharing caring, and I’m glad we had the friendly people around us that we did, made the experience so much better. The water was too cold to bathe in so we fished instead! Caught nothing. Locals were jumping off the bridge, lots of flys but not many bugs. All rocky unless you’re staying in the trees where it’s mostly tent camping! Overall we loved this spot! It’s amazing and we are staying longer than expected and definitely coming back here!

• C

  Chad L.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 2, 2020

  North fork Flathead River dispersed camping

  Great spot on Flathead

  Dispersed campground right on the Flathead river. Great to hear the river at night. Only downsides are it’s a busy boat launch with people coming all day long and it can get loud on the weekends. Free camping with 3 day max stay. The road will likely cause need for a front end alignment as you drive from Columbia Falls. About another 10 miles (of terrible roads) on North Fork road and you are at the west entrance to Glacier and close to Apgar / Lake McDonald. We stayed for 3 days and loved it. Nature at its best.

• 

  Haley L.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 12, 2024

  Big Creek Road

  Large, quiet dispersed spot

  Dispersed spot in the flathead national forest. Did some group camping here. Nice and open, however it was absolutely littered with trash. Some a moose!

• 

  Scott S.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 5, 2020

  Custer-Gallatin National Forest Dispersed Camping

  Jardin - Dispersed = Roadside Beauty Near Yellowstone

  Free Camping alongside the road overlooking Yellowstone and Mammoth Spring. After a few miles on this road, the no camping signs stop and it is free game! We scored a nice overlook and enjoyed the view. Way better than a campground on a busy summer day.

• 

  Quinn Z.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 29, 2020

  Upper Seymour Lake Dispersed Camping

  Lake-side hike-in dispersed camping with amazing hiking nearby.

  Full disclosure: I didn't camp here as I passed through this area en route to another dispersed campsite a bit deeper in. That said, we stopped here for a snack / water break and to filter some water so I had some time to explore.

  The area is BEAUTIFUL. The lake is stunning, and sits nestled right up against some pretty dramatic mountains. Lots of trees and dispersed camping sites throughout. The hike in is about 7 miles, very gentle incline. Not too hard unless you're not used to carrying weight. 

  When we went through, there were people camping, but not too many. Once we went beyond this camp area, we didn't see a soul. That's likely because of the really intense pass you have to go over to get to the dispersed site we were aiming for (see my review for that here: https://thedyrt.com/camping/undefined/flower-lake-dispersed-camping).

  Tons of great hiking in this area as it is close to the Continental Divide Trail. A lot of it definitely involves going up the sides of mountains, but if you're day-hiking and not carrying a heavy backpacking pack, they're not that hard.

  Bring bear spray. Hang your food. This is grizzly country.

  For true back-country seclusion you'll probably want to go further in than this dispersed area, but for a less strenuous and equally as beautiful locale, this is a pretty amazing place.

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 7, 2021

  Dispersed site 9210

  Disperse campsites at part of former Indian Hill Campground

  Disperse camping area 9210 is a two site camping area, with each site having a picnic table and metal fire ring.  This is at the site of the former Indian Hills Campground which was decommissioned a few years ago.  All of the campground was removed on the opposite side of the creek.  The forest service left the first two sites for disperse camping.  You can find the site by turning at the sign for forest road 9210, which goes for only a couple hundred feet to the two camp sites.  Both sites are quite nice and sit among very large trees and along side the creek.  An information sign is at the site.

• 

  Abreon T.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 15, 2024

  North fork Flathead River dispersed camping

  Beautiful

  Very clean, open space, next to the river. Had clean toilets, big rig safe. Dry camping/dispersed camping. Beautiful views! 😍

• 

  Steve O.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 16, 2023

  Lost Horse Dispersed Campground

  My go too dispersed area in the bitterroot .

  This is my favorite area for dispersed camping in the area. Lost Horse creek is beautiful. Can get a little tight with campers in peak season.