camping suggestions in Montana

nike holley wrote:
Hey all...

We plan to drive to Montana from Tacoma this summer...

We like peace & quiet, not the typical 'crowded rv park' experience...

We don't use the pool, the rec room, or the bathrooms(we brought our own)...

We tow a 28' trailer with a suburban... no kids... 1 dog...

Looking for advice on a few destinations to stay, maybe near water...

Thanks...

Nate & Marie

Swan River Valley - Holland Lake CG. Forest Service campground on a beautiful lake. This was my mother's favorite camping spot outside of Glacier NP. Look it up on All Stays or on the National Forest camping website - I think that the Bay Loop has the best lakeside sites. Reservations are recommended.

We volunteered at Missouri Headwaters State Park in Three Forks, MT for 3 summers (SW Montana)right off I 90. It's a primitive park with no hookups but water and vault toilets available. It is one of the places that Lewis & Clark stopped. There is also a shady small park that used to be a KOA in Three Forks that is a nice place to stay. I think it's called Camp Three Forks.
There's a state park at the Lewis & Clark caverns that has some hookups, and a state park at Flathead Lake with elec & water with dump onsite. There are a lot of fishing access sites in MT that allow camping for minimal cost, they are primitive and will have a vault toilet but maybe no water. They are not well maintained so the roads will be bumpy but nice views, right on some river. Take plenty of bug spray because mosquitos can be thick but beautiful place to visit.

We love this place! Right on the river, super pretty and laid back. Neareasr cell service is maybe a fifteen minute drive.

https://freecampsites.net/#!34434&query=sitedetails

There are so many excellent national forest service campgrounds. Get the name of the national forest you'll be traveling through and then check out this site:

http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/pictures/pictures.htm

Ditto on 7th Ranch. Spectacular views of sunset from the hill above the park, and you can also see a portion of the Little Bighorn Battlefield from the CG.

Nate and Marie. I live in Kalispell and am familiar with quite a few great places to camp. Send me a PM with specifics on things you like to do, what parts of MT you want to visit, how much time you have and want to spend in one location and I'll try to give you some suggestions on places to camp and things to see/do.
Jerry

We stayed at Jellystone park outside Missoula. Jim and Mary's is across the street. I'd stay at both places. We really enjoyed staying 7th Ranch Rv Park. Beautiful views and well kept. If you can head to a West Yellowstone Mt. loved visiting Yellowstone and the park, Grizzly RV park is awesome.

A place we love for peace and quiet is just west of Great Falls, on the Missouri River. Actually just at the edge of the mountains, called Prewett Creek. The abandoned BNSF rail line is obviously there but not used, mountains shield it from I15 traffic but can access from either the west or east. It is one of our favorites and not well known....I hate to give away our secret place but....
Just have to watch our for rattlers, is the only caveat. There is a pub/restaurant, great fishing in the Missouri, and close to GF or Helena if one needs to go.

US12 through Idaho is more scenic than I90, and has more camping options.

In Montana, I'd focus on the National Forests. National Parks will limit what you can do with the dog.

Montana east of the Rockies is open and flat, and mostly open range land (BLM and private). And the only water will be streams and a few reservoirs. But I suspect the fly-fishing people find good stuff through out the state.

When we are hogging out miles heading east on I-90 we usually stay a night or two at Jim & Mary's RV Park on the west end of Missoula right off the freeway. Clean, manicured family park, friendly staff, spacious sites, with plenty of pull throughs. With Missoula's sprawl and traffic we don't spend time there, but this park a great stop on the way to Yellowstone or up to Glacier.