USDA Forest Service · Montana
Swan Lake Campground
USDA Forest Service · Montana, United States
- Sites
- 43
- Hookups
- 1 with water, 40 no hookups
- Season
- May 13 to September 30
- Max RV length
- 75 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 3,117 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
- BIRCH LOOP (NFSR 1073N) · paved · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Flathead National Forest
- Nearest town
- BIGFORK
- Address
- 200 RANGER STATION RD, BIGFORK, MT, 59911
- Phone
- 406-752-7924 FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: 1-877-444-6777
- Activities
- Biking, Camping, Canoeing, Fishing, Hiking, Swimming, Water Skiing, Wildlife Viewing
40 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
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.
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.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (406) 210-8199.
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.
Fees
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35° | 27° | -6° | 43° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 33° | 23° | -10° | 49° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 43° | 29° | 6° | 58° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 47° | 34° | 13° | 69° | 6 of 11 |
| May | 59° | 40° | 32° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 69° | 49° | 37° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 59° | 48° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 82° | 62° | 49° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 71° | 55° | 43° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 55° | 40° | 31° | 72° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 43° | 32° | 13° | 60° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 36° | 30° | 3° | 49° | 9 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.
Nearby campgrounds
- Swan Guard Station · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 1 sites
- Mission Lookout · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 1 sites
- Yellow Bay State Park · Montana State Parks · 9 mi · 5 sites
- Blue Bay Campground · Tribal Lands · 11 mi · 22 sites
- Peter'S Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi
All public campgrounds in Montana · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-06-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.