Montana · Camping

Black Bear Campground

June
season
May–Oct
best months

Is Black Bear Campground open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Bitterroot National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Bitterroot National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

  • At 4,591 ft
  • Darby Ranger DistrictBitterroot National Forest

Black Bear Campground is a Forest Service site in the Darby Ranger District of Montana's Bitterroot National Forest. It sits in the forest's backcountry, and the nearest town is Darby, about 16 miles away. The site has vault toilets, and no fees are required to use it. That makes it a simple base for an overnight stay in the area, with no cost to set up camp. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Darby show July highs around 82°F with lows near 50°F, and September still runs in the low 70s by day. That station sits about 700 feet lower than the campground, so temperatures at the site run a little cooler. Several trails and other campsites lie within a few miles. Black Bear Point is less than a mile away, and Bear Gulch is about 1.6 miles off. Gird Point campground is roughly 3 miles away, and Skalkaho Creek offers canoeing about 3 miles from the site.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Black Bear Campground

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      34° / 19°

      8 wet

    2. Feb

      38° / 21°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      47° / 27°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 31°

      7 wet

    5. May

      64° / 39°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 45°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 50°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 48°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      71° / 42°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      57° / 33°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 25°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      32° / 19°

      8 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Darby, MT, 15.6 mi away at 3,880 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.