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Dear Reader: We are updating these listings now (April-May, 2004). The listings on this page now are in many cases outdated. We except to have our updated directory posted by June, 2004.
MONTANA
FREE CAMPGROUNDS
Listings in Italics are not official campgrounds, but are places where our readers have either stayed or were denied camping, or where they have had an experience worth noting,
Rest areas: Overnight stops are not permitted
Wal-Mart stores. Unless posted, RVers may spend the night for free in any Wal-Mart parking lot. For a list of Wal-Mart stores that do not permit free overnight stays, click here.
Anaconda
Sportsmans Park, located 27 miles south of Anaconda is about a quater mile long, along the river with free firewood (saws provided). There's a host, picnic tables, fire stoves and restrooms. From Anaconda go south 25 miles on route 273 then two miles west on route 43. Donations of $5 are accepted, which earns you a membership in the Sportsmans Club with full rights to attend meetings -- DAVE B. (7-00)
Lost Creek State Park is about three miles east of Anaconda. It's free with lots of trees, but sites are close together. -- DAVE B. (7-00)
Big Sandy
The town park on west side of main street offers free camping. There are no services,
and only overnight and short stays are permitted. -- R LINDBERG (10-00
Boulder
Just off Main Street is the city park. There are about 10 sites for RVs and a dump station -- HENRY PHILIPS
Butte
The Wal-Mart and Kmart in Butte allow overnight stays -- UNSIGNED (7-00)
Choteau
Choteau City Park And Campground is located in the center of Choteau. It offers 30 tent and RV sites along Spring Creek, as well as a park and playground. It's operated by the City of Choteau and donations are accepted. Restrooms, but no showers or hookups.-- TRAVEL MONTANA
Clinton (near Missoula)
The Rock Creek Tavern offers free camping in an un-mowed grassy field. A lot of RVers stop. Saturday night might be the one night to avoid, as the campground is right behind the tavern, and, well, taverns can get a little noisy, you know. Otherwise, this is a good deal. Clinton is 20 miles east of Missoula right along I-90. Look for the road signs advertising the annual Testicle Festival. -- THE EDITOR
Columbus
Itch-Kep-Pe City Park is the bank of the Yellowstone River located in a large grove of Cottonwood trees. Most sites have picnic tables and fire rings and there are bathroom facilities. The shade and the proximity to the river is what makes this free campground special. Many of the campsites can accommodate large RVs. Columbus is about 40 miles west of Billings on I-90. -- BETSY
Culbertson
The municipal park in Culbertson on US Hwy 2 just west of the North Dakota line has parking for about four rigs at no charge. It's several blocks from the highway in a mostly residential area and is pretty quiet. --B. & D. MOORE
Glendive
A very nice city park at 100 W Towne Street has 20 sites for RVs of 25 feet or less and offers two days of free camping. It's set right along the Yellowstone River in a quiet area. On the premises are a pool, tennis courts and a dump station. Take the Glendive exit from I-94. -- THE EDITOR
Haugan
Fourteen miles east of the Idaho border on I-90, the $10,000 Silver Dollar Saloon (plus store and cafe) offers free overnight camping. Some sites in the back row even have power. The cafe has good food.
-- SANDRA AND WAYNE
Helena
The Wal-Mart here allows overnight parking. -- D. MAYBEE
Landusky
Montana Gulch Campground is located in the Lewistown District one mile from town on a county road. This is a primitive campground with tent sites and restrooms. No drinking water is available at this site. It's open all year with a public restroom. -- TRAVEL MONTANA
Lewistown
Last year when we were headed west, we spent a night in Lewistown in a Kiwanas Club park on top of the hill heading west. If you use the truck route, come back towards town about a mile. There are no hookups, but nice level spaces and a donation box for payment. -- FOUND ON A NEWSGROUP
Lincoln
Free overnight RV parking is allowed in the big, flat gravel parking lot of the Hi-Country Trading Post, which is on the very west end of town along state highway 200. Lincoln, by the way, is the ex-secret hideout of the Unibomber. Lots of good stuff in the Trading Post including world famous beef jerkey and other meat snacks. -- THE EDITOR
$ Also in Lincoln: $6/night dry camping at Hooper Park next door to the library. Full hookups $12.
Missoula
The Wal-Mart here has "No Overnight Parking" signs posted, however locals told me (and I experienced it) that the store does not enforce it and will not bother you. Seven of us were there last night, no problem. DAVE B (7-00)
Feb, 2001: A reader confirmed that the no overnight parking signs are still up at the Wal-Mart, but RVers are still staying anyway.
Poplar
Free camping is allowed in the city park. -- EDITOR
Roundup
The Cowbelles Campground, one mile east of town by the fairgrounds, has a donation box by its entrance.-- D. & M. BROWN
Terry
The city park on U.S. 10 in the center of town offers free overnight parking for RVs and tents. There are toilets, and other facilities are nearby. -- CAL RING
Wisdom
(Southwest of Anaconda at the intersection of routes 278 and 43)
Wisdom has a beautiful, grassy, free campground owned by the American Legion. It has picnic tables, rest rooms (his and her pit toilets), fire rings, a manually operated water spigot, picnic tables, trash barrels and is only a five minute walk into the tiny town, where there is a public phone, post office and a couple of cafes. -- DAVE B
No More Free Camping
The following places do not permit free camping, even though they may be listed in directories or elsewhere as permitting it.
Belgrade: Lewis and Clark Town Park is now off-limits to free campers. Free overnight parking is now longer allowed anywhere in town. (6-00)
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