This document serves as the practical reference guide for camping in Montana. It covers reservation systems, bear safety requirements, fire regulations, and agency-specific rules.
Reservation Systems by Agency
Camping in Montana involves navigating several different land management agencies, each with its own booking system and rules.
National Forest Service (USFS)
- Booking Platform: Recreation.gov
- Booking Window: Most reservable sites open on a 6-month rolling window.
- First-Come, First-Served (FCFS): Many USFS campgrounds keep a portion of their sites as FCFS. In remote areas, entire campgrounds may be FCFS.
- Dispersed Camping: Allowed in most National Forests for up to 14 days in a 30-day period. Must be 100-200 feet away from roads, trails, and water sources. No amenities provided.
Montana State Parks (FWP)
- Booking Platform: ReserveAmerica (montanastateparks.reserveamerica.com)
- Booking Window: 3 months in advance of the arrival date.
- Season: Reservable from the third Friday in May through the third Sunday in September.
- Special Accommodations: Several parks offer cabins, yurts, tipis, and dedicated hike/bike campsites.
National Park Service (NPS)
- Glacier National Park: Booked via Recreation.gov. Most sites require reservations, available on a 6-month rolling window, with a portion released 4 days in advance.
- Yellowstone National Park: Managed by Yellowstone National Park Lodges (Xanterra) for major campgrounds (e.g., Madison, Fishing Bridge, Bridge Bay, Canyon, Grant Village). Booked via yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. Smaller campgrounds (e.g., Slough Creek, Indian Creek) are booked via Recreation.gov.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
- Booking: Most BLM campgrounds are FCFS. Some larger recreation areas may use Recreation.gov.
- Dispersed Camping: Widely permitted on BLM land for up to 14 days in a 28-day period.
Bear Safety and Food Storage
Montana is home to both black bears and grizzly bears. Strict food storage orders are enforced across all public lands in the western half of the state, and increasingly in the eastern half.
The Food Storage Order
When camping in designated bear country (which includes all National Forests, National Parks, and many State Parks in Montana), you must store all attractants in a bear-resistant manner when not in immediate use.
Attractants include:
- All food and beverages (including canned food and alcohol)
- Garbage and food waste
- Pet food and bowls
- Toiletries (toothpaste, deodorant, lotion, soap)
- Cookware and utensils
Acceptable Storage Methods:
- Inside a hard-sided vehicle or RV (windows rolled up).
- Inside an Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) approved bear-resistant container.
- Suspended at least 10 feet clear of the ground and 4 feet horizontally from any vertical support (tree trunk).
- Inside provided bear-resistant food lockers (bear boxes) at designated campgrounds.
Tents: Never bring food, scented items, or the clothes you cooked in into your tent.
Fire Regulations
Wildfire is a severe threat in Montana, particularly from July through September.
- Fire Rings: In developed campgrounds, fires are only permitted in provided metal fire rings or grates.
- Dead and Down: You may only collect dead and down wood for campfires. Do not cut standing trees, dead or alive.
- Extinguishing: A fire must be completely extinguished before leaving camp or going to sleep. Drown it with water, stir the ashes, and feel them with the back of your hand. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave.
- Fire Restrictions: During dry periods, agencies will implement Stage I or Stage II Fire Restrictions.
- Stage I: Campfires are only allowed in designated recreation sites within agency-provided metal fire rings.
- Stage II: All campfires are prohibited, even in developed sites. Only stoves fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG that can be turned on and off are allowed.
Leave No Trace Principles
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly (Pack it in, pack it out)
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife (Observe from a distance, do not feed)
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors