USDA Forest Service · Montana
Big Nelson Cg Complex
USDA Forest Service · Montana, United States
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 4,495 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
- COOPERS LAKE (NFSR 9938) · native material · suitable for passenger cars
- Nearest town
- Ovando, Montana
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 campground, on the shoreline of Coopers Lake near Ovando, Montana, is a semi-remote, developed campground which offers shady rest and a beautiful view of the lake and adjacent mountains. The Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wildernesses are 7 miles away by trail. Big Nelson has tent camping only. No camping is allowed in the parking lot and no trailers are permitted. Pack out what you pack in. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Fees
Overnight Use:
Additional Vehicle Fee: $5 fee for each additional vehicle after two vehicles.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 19° | -31° | 40° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 30° | 17° | -21° | 48° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 40° | 26° | -1° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 44° | 30° | 4° | 65° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 55° | 37° | 24° | 77° | 4 of 11 |
| June | 68° | 47° | 35° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 80° | 57° | 42° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 56° | 45° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 69° | 48° | 32° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 52° | 36° | 20° | 71° | 6 of 10 |
| November | 39° | 27° | -2° | 59° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 31° | 19° | -6° | 45° | 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
- Kershaw River Access · 8.7 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Arrastra River Access · 8.9 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Mineral Hill River Access · 9.0 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Mineral Hill River Access · 9.1 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Kershaw River Access · 9.4 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
All 507 trails in Lolo National Forest · All 56 trails in BLM lands in Montana
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
- Moose Creek · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi
- Monture Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi
- Monture Guard Station Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 1 sites
- Copper Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 14 mi
- Indian Meadows Guard Station · USDA Forest Service · 15 mi · 1 sites
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.