Swan Lake Campground

Montana

Montana

Swan Lake Campground

Free — you'll pick up right here.

No verdict for this water

We won't guess. Here is exactly what we do and don't know.

What we do know

  • Inside Flathead National Forest

    2 managing-area boundaries mapped — agency alerts for them feed this page automatically.

    Boundary data

What's missing

  • No access route mapped

    We don't yet know which road reaches this trailhead, so we can't tell you if it's gated.

Nobody's filed a report here yet — be the first.

Here's your day on the water, mapped

Swan Lake Campground

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Photos

Directions & GPX

Permits & access

Managing agency
Forest Service
Fee
To Make Reservations by phone please call: 1-877-444-6777 Individual Site Reservations: $22.00 per camper unit per night . Camping unit is tent, trailer, motorhome, mobile sleeping unit, etc. If you have an additional camping unit in your spot, please be ready to pay the addtional $22 per nite (cash of check only) to the host or in the fee tube. Guests must arrive and check in with the campground host by 11 a.m. the day following your arrival or risk forfeiture of fees and the site may be given to another camper. You are allowed two motorized vehicles per site, the first vehicle is included in the site fee and an extra vehicle charge of $5.00/day per vehicle will be collected upon arrival at the campground. Group Site Reservation (G1): 1 - 25 people - $200/night 26 - 50 people - $250/night 51 - 75 people - $300/night 76 - 100 people - $350/night There is no extra vehicle charge in the group site. Starting in 2025, there will be a $100/night non-refundable down payment fee to reserve the group site . The remaining balance will be due 30 days prior to arrival.

About this water

Overview This recreation area is located near the village of Swan Lake at the north end of the scenic Swan Valley in northwest Montana. The campground consists of two loops. Ponderosa Loop offers open, large sites with plenty of space, while sites at Birch Loop are shaded and more clustered together. There is also a reservable group site which accomodates up to 100 people. Here, we have 38 rentable sites. 24 sites are reservable and 14 sites are for our walk-up visitors. The stay limit is 16 consecutive days. Recreation Campers and day-use visitors have access to a boat ramp and a beach. Both power and non-motorized boating is permitted. This campground also offers Kayak, Paddleboard and Canoe rentals and firewood for sale.Anglers can fish for several kinds of trout as well as Kokanee salmon and Northern Pike. Bike lanes wind throughout the campground. Facilities The campground has 38 family-sized campsites and large group site with paved parking areas, fire rings and picnic tables. Drinking water and vault toilets are available. There is no dump station at this campground but there is a fill station as you enter the park on the right just passed the Pay Kiosk.Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you want to move your reservation to a first-come, first serve (walk in) site upon arrival, you will have to pay for the new spot as you held a reservable spot that fellow campers were not able to book online. Natural Features In the heart of the Rocky Mountains lies the 2.4 million acre Flathead National Forest. Home to lynx, grizzly bear, and bull trout, with numerous lakes, streams and rivers to enjoy, the forest is the premiere destination for visitors looking to experience natural landscapes of the American West. Swan Lake is surrounded by dense conifer forest and the craggy, snow-covered peaks of the Swan Mountain Range. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (406) 210-8199. Nearby Attractions Glacier National Park is within an hour drive. About a mile from the campground is the Swan River National Wildlife Refuge, with a wildlife and bird observation area.Charges & Cancellations Please cancel 4 days prior. For day of arrival cancellations please call Leona at 406- 210-8199 so we can get the information to the Campground Host. All Considerations will be made after your original reservation dates have passed. *No shows have no chance of a refund.

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Keep exploring — more water worth the drive

South Fork Flathead RiverPhoto: Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

South Fork Flathead River

~36 min drive

South Fork Flathead River is a 0.3-mile paddling stretch near Essex, Montana. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 2,174 cfs. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Swan Lake Boating Site

~0 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Montana.

Middle Fork Flathead RiverPhoto: US Geological Survey, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Middle Fork Flathead River

~1h 2m drive

Middle Fork Flathead River is a 2.3-mile paddling stretch near Essex, Montana. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 167 cfs and a gradient of about 45.6 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Kearney Rapids Boat Launch

~20 min drive

Kearney Rapids Boat Launch is a boat launch in Montana.

Swan RiverPhoto: USFWS, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Swan River

~1h 2m drive

Swan River is a 22-mile paddling stretch near Condon, Montana. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 439 cfs and a gradient of about 102.9 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Crossover Boat Ramp

~23 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Montana.

Flathead Lake Circumnavigation

~27 min drive

Flathead Lake Circumnavigation is a paddling stretch in Montana.

Canyon Creek Boating Site

~34 min drive

A worthwhile stop near Montana.

Bunker Creek

~30 min drive

Bunker Creek is a 14-mile paddling stretch near Essex, Montana. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 301 cfs and a gradient of about 61.2 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Murray Bay boat launch

~39 min drive

Murray Bay boat launch is a boat launch in Montana.