Montana Camping & Driving

We have found that one of the coolest functions of this group is that VW owners can now get campground advice from other VW owners. This allows us to share info like which sites can take two VWs, which sites are flat enough to camp, and which sites allow for a group camp.

Please leave this forum Montana-specific information.

Montana is divided geographically by the Rocky Mountains, which trend NW-SE through the Western third of the state. On the Western side are expansive conifer forests and plenty of ice-cold, clear blue streams and rivers (though plenty of dams too). Some areas might bring the Cascades to mind.
As the Rocky Mountain Front smooths out into the Great Plains of North-Central and Eastern Montana, the topography ranges from rolling hills to dead flat, with some island mountain ranges here and there. It is drier and less forested to the East.
The climate is largely determined by two factors: position East or West of the Rocky Mountains, and elevation. Summers are somewhat short and not usually terribly hot. Even the hottest of days have cool nights. The East has hotter Summers than the West. In the mountainous parts of the state, including the West, snow can come at any time, especially as you go up. For instance, there've been two June snows in Missoula (at ~3200') out of the last six. Winters on either side of the Divide are cold, sometimes brutally so (the coldest temperature ever recorded in the Lower 48 was taken near Rogers Pass: -70F). Wind is more of an issue along the Front and to the East, though any decently steep-sided valley can issue punishing winds to inhabitants.
The weather dictates the camping season to the extent that access roads and grounds usually aren't plowed after snow. A first good snow will likely fall sometime in October. Water at most campgrounds is shut off during the Winter as well. Though this varies greatly with elevation, snow generally disappears by late April.

Montana can wholly claim one National Park, Glacier, but often in Montana guidebooks you'll see that Yellowstone is taken as a de facto province of Montana that just happens to be almost entirely in Wyoming. There are also dozens of State Parks, and untold thousands of square miles of National Forest and other BLM lands to be explored.
Montana's vast size (smaller than California by only 16,000 square miles) but small population (one million) make it a great place to explore. Those who've spent time in both say that Montana--Western Montana, at least--"feels" more like Alaska than any other state (except, of course, Alaska). Larger population centers are Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Butte, Bozeman, Helena, and Kalispell, though "larger" and "population center" shouldn't deter you: Billings is the biggest city at ~100,000; and within less than an hour's drive from most you can be completely lost in the woods and/or mountains.
Driving your well-running ACVW around in Montana shouldn't prove much of a chore. You almost certainly will climb a pass or three on your trip, probably in 3rd gear (1700/1800/2000 operators will feel the burden of terrain somewhat less than 1600 operators), and other drivers are pretty forgiving. Montana has among the worst, if not THE worst drunk driving problems in the country so be on high alert, especially at night. Carrying chains is strongly recommended October-April, especially if you're going to leave paved roads behind. I like to drive with my lights on all the time.

The state is packed with wildlife, ranging from possible "What was that thing?" little bumps under your tire to potentially life-ending collisions with bighorn sheep, elk (rarely), moose, and deer. Particularly deer. Be most vigilant in Spring and Fall, and in the hours around dawn and dusk. While camping, be aware that bears are everywhere so keep a clean camp. Local lore says that outside of the city in the Western Montana you are never more than 300 yards from a mountain lion so keep a close eye on the little ones-put them between the adults during the hike and never at the end. Bear and puma encounters are quite rare (they'd really rather keep to themselves), so don't let it scare you or anything.
During hunting season you will hear gunshots, you will see hunters, and you might even see pickup trucks with large, dead mammals in them. You might even (like I did) see a mid-80s Subaru station wagon being driven by a slip of a girl with blonde pigtails driving down the road with a 8-point buck strapped to the top of it. Hunting is taken seriously here, and most of it is not purely recreational. Keep in mind that, whatever your personal beliefs, the majority of hunters are scrupulously respectful of the land and the game. You are not likely to be shot unless you run your mouth a lot about the immorality of hunting (even then the danger is quite low).

Fishing, in Western Montana at least, transcends mere sport and has attained the level of religion. No kidding. A River Runs Through It was written about this area. The trout fishing around here is considered among the best in the world by many of those who know what they're talking about. Get a license and see what it's all about. Catch a brookie as the sun sets on the lake and fry him over a fire for supper--fish will never taste better.
With certain restrictions, trapping is allowed on many federal and state lands, including parts of national forests. While I'm not familiar with rules about how and where traps are to be set, I am familiar with the fact that dogs are maimed and die every year out here after being caught in traps. Where dogs are allowed, please keep them on a leash and on the trail--hearing about someone's pet getting her leg or neck snapped in one of these damned things is heartbreaking.

See the Campground Map tab at the top of the page for the Montana campsite locations reviewed below, and more.