USDA Forest Service · Montana
Spotted Bear Campground
USDA Forest Service · Montana, United States
- Cost
- Overnight Use: Single Site: $13 per night Additional Vehicle: $5 per night
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 3,743 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- SPOTTED BEAR CAMPGROUND (NFSR 1060) · crushed aggregate or gravel · moderate degree of user comfort
- Nearest town
- Hungry Horse, MT
Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
US Forest Service campground. 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. 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. The South Fork Flathead River can be accessed by walking or driving mile to the Spotted Bear Ranger Station, and then crossing the footbridge across the river, that accesses the sandy beach and river. 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 drinking 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. There is a food storage order 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. Spotted Bear campsite Drinking water access- No drinking water 9/30 - 5/15. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 22° | -26° | 42° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 31° | 18° | -19° | 48° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 40° | 27° | 0° | 55° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 45° | 31° | 6° | 63° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 54° | 36° | 21° | 79° | 6 of 11 |
| June | 67° | 47° | 30° | 87° | 2 of 11 |
| July | 81° | 57° | 44° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 57° | 45° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 69° | 50° | 35° | 82° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 52° | 36° | 20° | 70° | 7 of 10 |
| November | 39° | 23° | 3° | 61° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 32° | 20° | -8° | 47° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Upper Twin Creek Access · 4.3 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Upper Twin Trailhead · 4.4 mi as the crow flies
Upper Twin Creek 17 mi Hike · Drive there - South Creek Trailhead · 4.5 mi as the crow flies
South Creek 2.6 mi Hike · Drive there - Trail Creek Trailhead · 5.1 mi as the crow flies
Schafer Creek 18 mi Hike, Trail Creek 3.3 mi Hike · Drive there - Middle Big Bill Trailhead · 5.7 mi as the crow flies
Schafer Creek 18 mi Hike · Drive there
All 452 trails in Flathead National Forest
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Beaver Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi
- Peter'S Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi
- Silvertip Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 1 sites
- Swan Guard Station · USDA Forest Service · 14 mi · 1 sites
- Devil's Corkscrew Campground · USDA Forest Service · 15 mi
All public campgrounds in Montana · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-06. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.