Alta Campground

Bitterroot National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: DARBY, MT, MT

Price: From $15 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (46 reviews)

Season: May through October

Alta Campground is located in a scenic forest in the heart of Montana’s Bitterroot National Forest. The West Fork of the Bitterroot River flows nearby, giving visitors access to some of the best fishing the area has to offer, as well as other water-related recreation.Fly fishing and wading in the Bitterroot River, which runs alongside the campground, are popular activities. A variety of trails and unimproved roads are great for exploring by bike or off-road vehicle.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Camp Host, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/alta-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Alta Campground offers direct access to the West Fork of the Bitterroot River for fly fishing and wading, with scenic forest surroundings in Montana's Bitterroot National Forest. The location provides multiple recreation options including hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing on trails and unimproved roads.

Wildlife alert: Dusky Grouse and Spruce Grouse present in the area; be aware while hiking and biking on trails.

Insider tips for Alta Campground: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 14 sites and high demand during peak season Bring a self-contained RV; most sites have no hookups despite electric hookups being listed as an amenity The campground is 30 miles southwest of Highway 93 past Painted Rocks Lake, so plan for a longer drive from Darby

Skip Alta Campground if: You need RV hookups — only some sites have electric and none have water/sewer hookups. You require year-round camping — seasonal closure November through April.

Best time to visit Alta Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only; plan visits within this window.

Nearby campgrounds: Rombo (DARBY, MT), Fales Flat Campground (DARBY, MT), Twogood Cabin (SULA, MT), Medicine Point Lookout (SULA, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Alta Campground

Cell signal at Alta Campground (DARBY, MT): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›MT›Alta Campground
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Bitterroot National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Alta Campground

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DARBY, MT, MT★ 4.8 (46 reviews)From $15/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Alta Campground is located in a scenic forest in the heart of Montana’s Bitterroot National Forest. The West Fork of the Bitterroot River flows nearby, giving visitors access to some of the best fishing the area has to offer, as well as other water-related recreation.Fly fishing and wading in the Bitterroot River, which runs alongside the campground, are popular activities. A variety of trails and unimproved roads are great for exploring by bike or off-road vehicle.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesBackpackersSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV70 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites4 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsCamp Host

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — only some sites have electric and none have water/sewer hookups✕ You require year-round camping — seasonal closure November through April

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 14 sites and high demand during peak season

Bring a self-contained RV; most sites have no hookups despite electric hookups being listed as an amenity

The campground is 30 miles southwest of Highway 93 past Painted Rocks Lake, so plan for a longer drive from Darby

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only; plan visits within this window

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Dusky Grouse and Spruce Grouse present in the area; be aware while hiking and biking on trails.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
406-821-3269· Bitterroot National Forest
Getting there →

From Darby, travel south on Highway 93 for about four miles. Turn right onto Road # 473 and continue southwest, past Painted Rocks Lake, for about 30 miles to the campground on the right.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Bitterroot National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Bitterroot National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Alta Campground cost per night?+
Alta Campground costs $15 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Alta Campground open?+
Alta Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Alta Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Alta Campground?+
Alta Campground can accommodate RVs up to 70 feet.
How do I make reservations at Alta Campground?+
Alta Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Alta Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Alta Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Alta Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Alta Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$15 /night★ 4.8 (46)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Alta Campground cost per night?+
What season is Alta Campground open?+
Does Alta Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Rombo

DARBY, MT

From $15/night

Fales Flat Campground

DARBY, MT

From $30/night

Twogood Cabin

SULA, MT

From $30/night

Medicine Point Lookout

SULA, MT

From $30/night

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