The best camping near Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge adventure.

Discover the natural splendor of Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge.  

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Top-rated campgrounds near Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge

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Outback Montana RV Park & Campground

42 sites · RVs, Tents15 acres · Bigfork, MT
WELCOME TO OUTBACK MONTANA RV PARK! Nestled between Woods Bay and Downtown Bigfork, Outback Montana RV Park is in a prime location for you to explore the BEAUTY that is Flathead Lake and Montana’s most spectacular national forests. Our campsite is unique in that it is heavily forested, shaded, and outdoorsy. We’re not one of those paved glorified parking lots. Outback is an authentic camping experience. We provide everything from 50/amp pull-thru with full water and septic, to grassroots campsites where you can sit back and enjoy the stars. A stone's throw from Flathead Lake, our park is a short distance to several boat launches, and minutes from restaurants and activities ON THE WATER! Come and enjoy Montana with us, we offer exceptional service and our staff is here to help with every aspect of your vacation in paradise! OUR STORY Established in 1976, Outback has a rich history within the Bigfork community. Home to many craftsmen, artists, ranchers, and entrepreneurs. Bigfork was originally a frontier town, and has grown into what some refer to as “The Jewel of the Flathead Valley”. Minutes away, Outback has been a vital support system for the community for over 45 years, housing guests and locals year-round. Outback is proud to support our travelers from abroad, and introduce them to all of the colorful events and festivities that make Bigfork such a wonderful destination! Learn more about local events here. With so many opportunities, and resources yet untapped, we are always upgrading and growing. Learning new things, and new ways to create and support experiences within this beautiful space. Join us! We are so happy to meet you along the way. OUTBACK & BEYOND Outback is proud to support our travelers from abroad, and introduce them to all of the colorful events and festivities that make Bigfork such a wonderful destination! From Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park, boating on Flathead Lake, to running the Spartan Race, or braving the rapids in our Annual Category 4 Whitewater Festival! Outback is your base camp for mission MONTANA THINGS TO DO: •FLATHEAD LAKE Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi in the lower 48 states, with over 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline. Recreation on and around the lake includes sailing, power boating, waterskiing, swimming, fishing, picnicking, and camping. In the summer, roadside stands along the east shore offer a variety of locally grown cherries, apples, plums, and other fruits. •GLACIER NATIONAL PARK Experience Glacier's pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for adventurous visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. Relive the days of old through historic chalets, lodges, and the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Explore Glacier National Park and discover what awaits you. •FLY FISHING The Flathead River system of northwestern Montana offers memorable fishing opportunities. From sites of easy access to that remote wilderness, the Flathead waters can provide diverse fishing experiences. Three main branches, the North Fork, Middle Fork, and South Fork, eventually come together to form the main stem of the Flathead River that flows into the 28-mile-long Flathead lake. Access to the three forks and the main Flathead is readily available in places, but to effectively fish the best of the Flathead, floating is suggested. The hardest thing about fly fishing in this part of northwestern Montana is keeping your eye on your fly and not the spectacular scenery. •BIGFORK SUMMER PLAYHOUSE The Bigfork Summer Playhouse was founded in 1960 by Dr. Firman ‘Bo’ Brown and his wife Margery Hunter Brown as a place for University of Montana theatre students to perform in the summer. In the early days of the Bigfork Summer Playhouse, the company ate group meals, rehearsed, and lived in the same place. There were no facilities to build scenery, nor extra storage of any kind. As a matter of fact, the building didn’t even belong to the Bigfork Summer Playhouse — it was a Community Hall owned by the Masons and the Eastern Star and seated approximately 200 people. The summer group would rent the facility and bring in the stage, risers, and seats for the audience. We’re pleased to say that now the playhouse is a 435-seat air-conditioned theater with great fly space, a spacious lobby that contains a concession area, and wonderfully comfortable continental-style seating for hundreds of guests. Numerous spaces off-site to accommodate production needs including a dormitory facility for the actors; living quarters for the directors, technicians, and musicians; costume shop; scene shop; and rehearsal space. •SPARTAN RACE Spartan Race is a series of obstacle races of varying distance and difficulty ranging from 3 miles to marathon distances. They are held in the US and have been franchised to 30 countries including Canada, South Korea, Australia, and several European countries. The series includes the Spartan Sprint, the Spartan Super, the Spartan Beast, and the Spartan Ultra. •WHITEWATER FESTIVAL The Bigfork Whitewater Festival is celebrating 46 years of extreme whitewater action and community-oriented fun! This is the longest-running event in Bigfork and is one that the entire Flathead Valley looks forward to each year. Participants come from around the world to race. Spectators are also a huge part of this festival and come to enjoy the races and other events held in town. •BIGFORK FESTIVAL OF ARTS It was in May of 1978 when the idea of a Bigfork Festival of the Arts was first proposed. As so often happens in Bigfork, it started with a conversation on Electric Ave. between members of the community. The first festival was held on the first weekend in August of 1978. It was a resounding success despite the committee’s inexperience. The feedback from the community was very positive and the group agreed that it should become an annual event. Over the years, the festival has grown steadily to its current size. In 2019, there were more than 140 booths representing a wide variety of arts and crafts by nationally and internationally recognized artists and craftsmen. Festival attendance is estimated to be more than 6,000. •4TH OF JULY PARADE Bigfork knows how to throw a party. And when it’s our country’s birthday, Bigfork really knows how to celebrate. The centerpiece of the celebration is the annual parade through Bigfork which begins at noon. Bring your whole family to view our great parade to celebrate the birth of our country. The 4th of July Parade in Bigfork has been voted “Best Parade in the Flathead” year after year.
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$30
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86%
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The Sanctuary

63 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents300 acres · Superior, MT
YIPPIE-KI-YAY WINTER IS OVER AND WE ARE OPEN WITH FULL SERVICES!! IT'S IN THE 70°S, 80°S, 90'S DURING THE DAY! Welcome Patriots of America and Canada! At the sanctuary you will find like-minded people that love our countries and love the outdoors! Remember you are in Montana, "while in Rome be a Roman", thus when in Montana be a Montanan! We love our land and we love our wild animals please respect both! We are a multipurpose off-grid campground. We have designated camping spots like all other commercial campgrounds, but we also have cabin rentals, we have multiple sized group campgrounds, we have bike camp for bicycles and motorcycles, we have off the grid wolf camps, and we have winter hunting camping. We offer restrooms and showers, we have an RV dump, we have steel safety fire pits, we have hiking trails with incredible views, we have ATV roads, and we have four wheel drive roads, we have volleyball and badminton courts. We also have the best views in all of Mineral County. Don't be fooled by other farmers and ranchers on hip camp that tell you to go over next to a swamp or a pond, or at riverbed and let your fend for yourself with no amenities and charge you more than we charge you. If you want to be pure off grid, we have our Wolf Camp Mountain, but at least you can come back to the main compound and get a shower and relax at the lodge. We are just 3 miles off of Interstate 90, exit 47, in the small town of Superior, Montana. We have 5 restaurants, 4 bars with 3 casinos. Darlows is a wonderful grocery store including full service deli, beer, wine, and liquor and five churches of different denominations. The Sanctuary is up the canyon mountain via Pardee Creek Road. We are backed up into 50K of USFS acreage! The Clark Fork River on edge of property provides boating, rafting, and fishing fun! Our property plus USFS property provides miles of hiking, ATV, horseback, motorcross roads and trails. There are three cabins to rent, 25 RV dry spaces, 4 Group areas, and can accommodate over 200 tents! Heat in the winter is wood stove. We have restrooms, showers, cooking facilities, and a lodge with satellite internet connection.
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$45
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God's Country Camping

1 site · RV, Tent12 acres · Lolo, MT
This property is so beautiful and peaceful no lights out here at night, just moonlight when it's out. Spring fed pond, Ponderosa pine trees, fallen white birch, rustic and gorgeous. Some of my camp spots are on rough terrain. I always suggest you get out and walk around to see what you can manage with your vehicle. The idea of my place is more wilderness camping, there is wildlife that comes around. RV camp spots on the east and west end of the pond. Camp spot out by the wooden round pen on the west side. Learn more about this land: Completely private, borders 2000 acres of a bird sanctuary. Two blocks from Bitterroot river canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swim, trails, hiking, scenery, wildlife. Spring fed pond on property for fishing, swimming and adventures. My pond is spring fed, which means that is goes up and down with the seasons and run off from the snow in the mountains. So as the summer goes on the pond levels go way down, please be aware of that.
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$25
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Wildiron Bigfork

15 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents10 acres · MT
We live on 10 acres of mixed forest and field. In the summer we have an active blacksmithing school and flower farm here. The idea of a sustainable, self reliant lifestyle has always been part of our life and passing it down to others is a joy for us. We sustainably manage our food and forest to be the best stewards we can for our environment and our neighbors. Our Cabin and structures were built primarily of materials that were recycled or milled on site. which makes them warm and inviting. The Cabin is located close to our shop which houses an active blacksmithing school in the summer months where the rest of the structures are separate and in an area tucked away on the edge of the woods.Jeffrey and Betsy work to make your stay as welcoming as possible. We maintain a small orchard of fruit trees, a garden which feeds us year round and a small flower farm on the property. Avid skiers, bikers, paddlers and hikers, offering the property for others to enjoy was a conscious decision made when planning all of our infrastructure. Come and enjoy all the beautiful Flathead Valley has to offer.
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Blue Mountain BaseCamp

1 site · RV1 acre · Missoula, MT
Nestled at the base of the majestic Blue Mountain, our property offers a great opportunity to camp with just a brief 0.23-mile stroll to the trailhead, granting easy access to trails awaiting your exploration. Trailside Convenience: The convenience of having a trailhead within reach, complete with a pit toilet. Our site: Camping within city limits of Missoula is limited to the KOA. Our site is perfect for those wanting a convenient place to camp with plans to head out to the trails or to Missoula. Our home is nestled on one acre with Ponderosa pine trees, Aspen, and Birch. We are located in a neighborhood and we have two kids and two friendly dogs. There is a photo of how close our site is to our house letting you know that when the Aspen trees have no leaves, the site is not as private as when they do. Perfect Balance: Located just 1.5 miles beyond Missoula city limits, our site strikes the perfect balance between access to nature and the city. Start your day with a refreshing hike, revel in the natural beauty, and then seamlessly transition into town for the city's offerings, all within easy reach. Whether you seek a quiet morning walk along scenic trails or desire the vibrancy of city life, our property serves as the ideal base for your Blue Mountain adventure. Experience the best of both worlds at Blue Mountain BaseCamp !
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$45
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98%
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Bucketlist #1

2 sites · RVs34 acres · Big Arm, MT
Drive-in, park, and begin enjoying all the crazy, fun, or just relaxing things you want out of your private lakefront property. You're on the shores of Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake, this side of the Mississippi, and home of Wildhorse Island, where the Boone and Crocket world record Bighorn Sheep was discovered, killed by winter weather. This 2160 acre island is also the home of deer, mountain lions, bears, several species of eagles, and wild horses. Day hiking is allowed and is a 5-minute boat ride from your beach spot. Just slightly over an hour to Glacier National Park and access to all the mountain lakes, rivers and streams to explore, you won't be bored. Right around the corner, you have access to a boat ramp at one of the state-owned Parks with public showers, if the lake water is too cold. If you want to make her an honest women, while you're here, you're staying on our wedding and event venue (www.flatheadlakeforevers) and we will help make that happen too. Tell us what you want and we'll help you make it happen. Pictures posted on this site are all from this 34 acre, 900 ft. of lake frontage venue. Don't miss this one. Sorry no more instant booking, we don't ever want another Tod on our property.
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$100
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The best camping near Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge guide

Overview

About

Camping near Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge, an exceptional wetland complex in Montana, is an experience rich with remarkable sights and sounds. The refuge spans over a 1,770-acre reservoir and includes more than 800 glacial potholes, making it a haven for waterfowl and shorebirds. Here, a vast range of wildlife thrives thanks to dedicated conservation efforts. As a testament to this, around 200 bird species grace the skies above the refuge. Ease of access is a highlight of the Ninepipe refuge. An access road and a barrier-free paved trail lead you to a jointly managed viewing area located just off US Highway 93, on the eastern side of the reservoir. From there, campers can observe the thriving birdlife in their natural habitat. On the west side of the refuge, the road presents another opportunity: the chance to observe nesting great blue herons and double-crested cormorants. Travel along SR 212 on the refuge's north shore for 2 miles and you'll find a dike entrance. Here, you can spot ducks, grebes, and even short-eared owls. For an equally intriguing experience, Duck Road provides a 2-mile route offering views of the unique pothole ponds. Amid the symphony of bird calls and the rustling of the prairie grass, camping near Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge is sure to thrill all campers who seek the tranquility of nature.

When to go

The best time to visit Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge is from July 15 to the start of the waterfowl season, when the entire refuge is open for exploration. Winter offers a unique charm with opportunities for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. However, access is limited during the breeding season from March 1 to July 14 and during the waterfowl season for wildlife protection.

Know before you go

  • Be mindful of seasonal access restrictions to protect nesting birds and other wildlife.
  • Check for special closures due to events like low water or fire danger before your visit.
  • Walking and wading are the primary means of exploring the refuge; off-road vehicles are not permitted.
  • Pets must be leashed and controlled at all times within the refuge.
  • Remember that Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge is open from sunrise to sunset, with no public use permitted at night.

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