The best camping near Elkhorn State Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Elkhorn State Park adventure.

Elkhorn State Park offers a glimpse into frontier history.

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Top-rated campgrounds near Elkhorn State Park

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Old Town River Ranch

7 sites · RVs, Tents30 acres · Three Forks, MT

Old Town River Ranch is a serine river front escape located in beautiful Three Forks Montana. We offer a private off grid camping experience directly on the Jefferson riverfront. We provide a limited number of campsites to maintain privacy for our guests, with just three riverfront spots and three creekside spots. Large aspens and willows span the property. Plenty of opportunities for fishing, swimming and wildlife viewing including bird watching. We do have two portable toilets on-site that are serviced weekly, otherwise this is a pack-in-pack-out site. Located just minutes off Interstate 90 (Exit 278) Old Town River Ranch offers a secluded getaway that’s close to all that three forks has to offer, Sacajawea, farmers markets, shopping and Bridger Brewing for concerts. Stop by to see our friends at the Old Town Farm Stand just before the entry to our Ranch to get your fresh home baked goods & farm raised produce. Come stay a night, or a few, we think you'll enjoy it. Campsite & Camper Sizes. Campsites #1 #2 & #3 can accommodate large campers (up to 35 feet) with fair amount of room to maneuver. Campsite #4 is limited to Truck Campers, Sprinters or very small towables. Campsites #5 (up to 20ft) and Campsite #6 (up to 25ft) can accommodate mid-sized campers with limited but manageable room to maneuver.

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Grey Sandy Campground & Store

7 sites · RVs, Tents3 acres · Helena, MT

Our campground is centrally located between Black Sandy State Park and White Sandy State Park. Our store is packed with everything you need to make your stay unforgettable! From camping essentials and cozy firewood to a wide array of candy, snacks, beer, wine, and refreshing drinks, we've got you covered. Need some last-minute fishing gear or a fun souvenir? We've got those too! Swing by and discover all the amazing things we have in store for you!

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Hidden Meadow Ranch

2 sites · RVs, Tents80 acres · Deer Lodge, MT

Small irrigated ranch in the Deer Lodge Valley, surrounded by mountains, access to public lands and beautiful scenery. East side of acreage has the Clark Fork River running through it, even though the neighbors are close still lots of privacy. Enjoy blue ribbon fishing and access to lots of fresh air and scenery.Learn more about this land:Pitch your tent next to the Clark Fork River, 7 miles from Deer Lodge, MT. Site provides a handmade rock fire ring and willows for privacy. Fire may not be available if it is dry conditions. Good fishing right out of your tent, short drive to several acres of public ground, ATV access, hiking, and mountain biking. This is an 80-acre working ranch with cows, sheep and hay so you may have to drive through the cows and you may have to deal with cowpies :-). Great cell service and private property on both sides, easy access to campsite. 10-minute drive to historic Grant Kohrs Ranch, old prison museum and many other unique Montana experiences.

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The Trail Enthusiast's Basecamp!

2 sites · RVs, Tents5 acres · Helena, MT

This five-acre oasis was once a landscape nursery. So given the close proximity to downtown we are a hidden sanctuary from the outside world, secluded by cottonwood trees and mature foliage. The site now serves as a wedding venue and offers views of Mount Helena to the South and the Sleeping Giant to the North. Learn more about this land: Pitch a tent in our aspen grove or park your camper/RV in the grassland field. You're close to downtown with lots of privacy/scenery. You'll have views of regal Mount Helena to the South and The Sleeping Giant to the North. The South Hill trail complex is a great place to explore as well as the Scratchgravels. The Missouri River is only 20 minutes away as well as Lake Hauser and Canyon Ferry. If new to the area and interested in history, we recommend the Tour Train. We also have several great breweries - our favorites include Ten Mile and Blackfoot Breweries (a perfect stop you can ride to after a trail ride/hike in the South Hills). This site is perfect for those wanting to explore Downtown Helena, it's renowned trail systems, but still sleep under the stars. Pets are allowed. Please make sure you pick up after them. There is water throughout the property that you are welcome to use for cleaning, but it is not potable.

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Ponderosa Pine Ranch camp

1 site · RV, Tent3 acres · Three Forks, MT

Learn more about this land: Our property is in a close proximity to the Fairweather Fishing access on the Missouri River. Camping is not allowed at the access so we would be the closest camping site to this great outdoor playground. There is opportunity for fishing, floating, boating, hunting and swimming in the summer . There are groves of mature trees and open sites available. This is directly off of paved county road. The property adjacent to ours has the original ranch house and barn and other outbuildings that were part of the Ponderosa Pine Ranch which owned most of the valley we're in. The ranch house and buildings were divided away from our part of the property several years ago, so we have our home here and what was mostly pasture. The campsites are all pasture grass with trees for shade. We do not have cell phone service here. We have one site that has 30 amp electricity.

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Wildhorse Trail Properties

2 sites · RVs5 acres · Belgrade, MT

Easy access from the Belgrade exit. Nice quiet area with beautiful views. Get an out of town feel close to all of the amenities that Belgrade/Bozeman has to offer. Beautiful views of the Bridger Mountains! Close to rivers and mountains. A day trip to Yellowstone or Big Sky is easy. Enjoy a level gravel pad with a picnic table. There is one 50 amp service and 3 30 amp.

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Gallatin River Getaway

2 sites · RVs, Tents250 acres · Three Forks, MT

This property has been a farm and ranch since 1863 it was used as a stage stop for travelers going to the gold fields in Bannock and Virginia City Montana. Come check us out.We offer two private campsites on the Gallatin River near Logan, Montana, 1/4 mile apart on a working farm and ranch. Ranch also is located below ATT and Verizon cell towers. Five minutes from entrance gate to interstate ninety. We are thirty minutes from Bozeman, six miles from Three Forks, MT, three miles from Headwaters State Park (Headwaters of the Missouri River), 12 minutes from the Copper City Mountain biking trails, 20 minutes from Lewis and Clark Caverns, eight miles from Madison Buffalo Jump. Yellowstone National Park is two hours south of the property. Easy full recreational access to the Gallatin River, including fishing if you follow Montana FWP rules and regulations. Gallatin River is a blue-ribbon trout stream and there are four additional blue-ribbon trout streams that are within close proximity. Inhabited by most major indigenous species of Montana, except bison and mountain goats. This is a working farm and ranch and equipment and activities related to the operation should be expected also a train runs close to property. Host lives on the property and is available to contact.

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Madison Islands

15 sites · RVs24 acres · Three Forks, MT

This property is located on the Madison River at the headwaters of the Missouri River! It has views of surrounding mountain ranges including the Bridgers, Tobacco Roots, & the Spanish Peaks. It is also minutes from downtown Three Forks, MT for dining and shopping. On-site activities include fishing , swimming, hiking, biking, boating/floating, wildlife viewing, bird watching, and stargazing under the big sky. The camping area even has enough space to accommodate grazing horses. With open grassy fields and a large wooded area there is plenty to be explored in this Montana outdoor paradise. Address and Directions: On I-90 exit on 278 you will be on "Frontage Rd" go east to "Old Town Road" than turn east on "Old Town Main Street" NOTE: (You will see a old Victorian house on the west side of the street. Old Town Main street is on the optimist side of the road). Easiest entry is off of Main Street. Enter just in front of the larked RV and make your way into and through the field.

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A Creek runs through it!

6 sites · RVs5 acres · Garrison, MT

Beautiful 5 acres bordering the Clark fork River with Warm Springs Creek running right though it. Spend Your days fly fishing right outside your RV door, or go for a walk down many beautiful country roads, or go put your feet in the creek and read a book. Lots of activities to do including rafting, fishing, hunting, mining(so I am told) motorcycle or mountain bike riding, and snowmobiling. It is centrally located between Missoula, Butte, and Helena just outside Deer lodge. 6 RV sites(2-50 amp and 4-30 amp) and access to a black and grey water dump out. Non potable water is on site for maintenance use. This property is perfect for a group gathering or a great place to stay on your way to Yellowstone National Park with the family or on your way to Your favorite hunting spot. Using the Phosphate Exit 170 is best for entering the property.No advance notice needed! Last minute campers welcome! Come stay for a night or a month. 2 minutes to I-90 in Garrison MT. Each hook up is $50 a night or rent the entire property for $300 a night for a group. Please call 425-330-1314 for special requests!

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Big-Enough Ranch

2 sites · Lodging40 acres · Boulder, MT

Horse ranch on 40 acres located just outside of Boulder, MT. Exceptional views and peace and quiet at this retreat cabin. 20 acres to the East has and old hunting cabin alongside a creek. Also an old mining test pit from the late 1800’s mining boom, as well as a hand built irrigation ditch that runs through the property.

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CedarRose Farm

4 sites · RVs, Tents52 acres · MT

CedarRose Farm is a fantastic former produce farm that we operated for 21 years, surrounded by other friendly smallholdings, art studios and homesteaders. A clean portapotty is on site starting May 3rd through September 15th. We offer campfire popcorn poppers, complete with kernels, oil and butter! S'Mores kits and toasting forks, with enough goodies for 8 S'mores. Check out our 'Extras' and relax and enjoy yourself! Please ask us about visiting us on the farm, we have a shady outdoor dining room you're welcome to enjoy. Ask for directions to "Sunset Point", its a quick hike to a secret campfire ring with perfect lounge chairs and amazing views! There's always something to do, horses to feed and brush, chickens and ducks that need feed and watched by the pond. Stargazing and birdwatching are great here, its very dark at night, almost no light pollution, and I've counted 43 different birds! We love biking, hiking, paddle boarding and having campers! We know you'll love it as much as we do!

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White Bridge Lane Private Campsite

2 sites · RVs, Tents25 acres · Boulder, MT

Dawson Family Ranch is a family-run business with a focus on sustainable land and agriculture practices. The ranch is located along a mile of the Boulder River between the Elkhorn and Bull Mountain Ranges. The river offers fishing for rainbow and brown trout. Public land access is within a short drive (2-7 miles depending on direction) and offers different recreational opportunities including hiking, hunting, and motorized recreation. Boulder Hot Springs is less than 4 miles away.

The best camping near Elkhorn State Park guide

Overview

About

Camping near Elkhorn State Park is a step back in time, as you find yourself exploring the quiet remnants of a once-thriving 19th-century mining town. Tucked away off gravel secondary roads outside Boulder, this petite state park might be among Montana's smallest, but it offers a unique window into the state's past.

Your journey takes you through the historic Fraternity Hall and Gillian Hall, both located in the privately-owned town of Elkhorn. These picturesque structures, preserved from the late 1800s, offer a unique glimpse into frontier architecture. Don't forget your camera; these buildings are so well preserved they've been recorded in the Historic American Buildings Survey.

Travel further up the main road, three-quarters of a mile outside the state park boundaries, and you'll find the town cemetery. Here, amongst the final resting places of the town's early inhabitants, you can see the tombstone of Peter Wys, the Swiss miner who discovered the silver veins in the Elkhorn Mine. His legacy, like the town itself, is a testament to the draw of the Boulder Batholith's rich mineral deposits that brought settlers to the area in 1868.

An Elkhorn State Park camping expedition offers an immersive historical experience set against the backdrop of Montana's beautiful landscapes. Perfect for the history buffs or anyone seeking a unique outdoor adventure.

When to go

Elkhorn State Park is a year-round destination, with each season offering its unique charm. Summer brings lush greenery and ideal conditions for hiking and wildlife viewing, while winter cloaks the park in a quiet blanket of snow, perfect for photographers seeking a tranquil landscape.

Know before you go

Check for any special restrictions or closures before your visit, as conditions can change due to weather or maintenance activities.
Remember to pack in and pack out, as the park operates on a leave-no-trace principle to preserve its natural beauty.
Montana residents can enjoy free daily entrance with the state parks fee included in their vehicle registration.
Nonresidents should be prepared to pay a day use entrance fee of $8 with a vehicle or $4 as a walk-in.
For a safe and enjoyable visit, familiarize yourself with the park rules and Recreate Responsibly guidelines.