Swan Lake Campground

Flathead National Forest

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.

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.

Notifications and Alerts

Reservations will be held until checkout time (11 am) the day following your arrival date. Please call 1-406-404-4164 if you know you will not be arriving on time or for same day arrival/cancellations.
First Come, First Serve means the first one to arrive at the site and occupy it, gets it. You have 30 minutes to set up before you have to go pay. Then the site is yours as long as you want it, up to 16 days.

From July 1st through Labor Day Weekend, we recommend arriving as early in the week as possible and as early in the day as possible ie. 7 - 8 am.

Need to Know

CHECK OUT TIME IS 11:00 A.M. Check in is at 2:00 p.m.
If a site is not available for reservation online, it is shown as a first-come, first-served (FF) or walk-in (W) site. These sites will be identified at the campground on maps and campsite post markers with a W.
Reserved sites will be held until check out time (11am) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released. Guests with individual site reservations who want to move to a different site other than the one they reserved will be charged for both sites with no refund.
You are allowed 2 passenger vehicles per site, the first vehicle is included in the site fee and an extra vehicle charge of $5.00/vehicle per night will be collected at the campground. Sites that are identified as double occupancy can accommodate an additional camping unit. In this situation, you will be charged for each camper.
There is now a 10 day stay limit on all Group sites, starting in 2022.
Drop Camping is illegal without a Forest Service permit. If you rent a camper it may not be delivered by the owner.
There is a food storage order in effect on the Flathead National Forest. Know how to store all attractants all the time. See your Campground Host for more information or visit:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/flathead/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5347448
Don't Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.
Sites 6, 8 and 14 are not recommended for tent camping
Horses are not allowed in the campground
Click here for more information about Flathead National Forest

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.

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. Anglers can fish for several kinds of trout as well as Kokanee salmon and Northern Pike. Bike lanes wind throughout the campground.

Changes & Cancellations

Cancellations made within 14 days of arrival will be "considered" for a refund, by the concessionaire, of Camping fees only and will automatically forfeit the first nights fee. Day of Arrival cancellations must be turned in by calling 1-877-444-6777, then followed up with a call to Cheryl at 406-752-PWAI (7924) or 406-404-4164 to get the information to the campground and to be considered for any refund.

Contact Information

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200 RANGER STATION RD BIGFORK MT 59911

Phone Number

For campground inquiries, please call: 406-752-7924 FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: 1-877-444-6777

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Driving Directions

From Bigfork, Montana, take State Route 209 east for 4.9 miles to Swan Lake/State Route 83. Turn right and go 10.9 miles to the campground sign. Turn left at the sign into the campground.

Available Campsites

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