05 reviewsPrice
$5 - $13/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
12 campsites
Season
The campground is lo...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Check Policy
Price
$5 - $13/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
12 campsites
Season
The campground is lo...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Check Policy
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52 miles south of the intersection between US Highway 2 and FS Road 38 Hungry Horse, MT 59919
Fly fishers chasing cutthroat trout and hikers with eyes on the Spotted Bear Lookout trail will get full value here. Hosts Karen and Terry know the area well, the vault toilets are clean, and the ranger station is a quarter-mile away. Bring a spare tire.
No cell service, no showers, and 55 miles of dusty gravel road between you and real supplies. Campers who need connectivity or forget that Diamond R across the road is the only gas option will feel the remoteness hard.
Reference information about Spotted Bear Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>This is a fee campground for $13 per night/$5 per extra vehicle (no fee 9/30 - 5/15) located 55 miles south of the town of Hungry Horse on the gravel East Side Reservoir Road #38. The campground is located at an elevation of 3,800 feet and is maintained from May 15 through September 30.</p><p>Spotted Bear Campground is situated next to the Spotted Bear and South Fork Flathead Rivers just off the East Side Reservoir Road #38. The 13 unit campground is set back from the road and most of the campsites are located above the river. The site is located in a second growth stand of trees. It is a high use site that often has open campsites mid week. It is often used as a base for huckleberry picking or fishing in the summer.</p><p>The South Fork Flathead River can be accessed by walking or driving ¼ mile to the Spotted Bear Ranger Station, and then crossing the footbridge across the river, that accesses the sandy beach and river.</p><p>Campsites can accommodate tents and trailers up to 32 feet in length. All campsites have tables and metal fire rings. There are accessible vault toilets. There is no potable water after 9/30 - 5/15. Stock is not allowed in the campground. No garbage service 9/30 - 5/15. The site is operated on a first come, first served basis.</p><p>There is a <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/flathead/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5347448">food storage order</a> in effect on all national forest land that requires that human and stock food, garbage, and other attractants be kept unavailable to bears. Your stay may not exceed 14 days. This is a remote location and there is no cell phone service in the area. The closest public phone is located 1/4 mile south at the Spotted Bear Ranger Station. Phone, gas, and food are located 55 miles north in the town of Hungry Horse.</p><p><a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5430027.jpg">Spotted Bear campsite</a></p><p><a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5430028.jpg">Drinking water access</a> - No potable water 9/30 - 5/15.</p>
The elevation is 3,700 ft. The campground is located near the South Fork of the Flathead and Spotted Bear Rivers within sight of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in a thick stand of Douglas fir and Western larch. This is a pretty little campground and well worth the drive. Some sites have bear-proof containers. The Diamond R Guest Ranch is across the road. It offers gas (most of the time) and meals to the public. The drive to the campground is long and rough on tires and a long way from a grocery store. Start the trip with a full tank of gas, spare tire, tire changing tools and a well-stocked pantry. The campground is in Grizzly Bear country; practice safe food storage. NOTE: During winter months, the Spotted Bear Ranger District Office is closed. Contact the Hungry Horse Ranger District Office for information.
Open from May 15 through December 1. Services are provided only from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
The parking aprons are gravel.
From Hungry Horse, MT, take US Rt. 2 east 0.6 miles to East Side Hungry Horse Reservoir sign. Turn right at sign and go 0.1 miles to "Y" intersection. Bear right and go 53.8 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign into campground. NOTE: After 0.7 miles (following the "Y" intersection), the road becomes dirt and rough.
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Summer brings the easiest access. Daytime highs reach 65-75°F, nights drop to the low 40s. The campground operates Memorial Day through Labor Day with full services, including potable water. Huckleberries ripen mid-summer, and trails into the Bob Marshall are fully open. Spring opens in May but can be unpredictable. Winter closes the mountain roads entirely. Snow gets deep, temperatures fall well below freezing, and potable water and garbage services shut down.
Summer is easiest access and peak season; potable water and full services run Memorial Day–Labor Day.
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There is no potable water after 9/30 - 5/15. Stock is not allowed in the campground. No garbage service 9/30 - 5/15.
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