Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt)

Flathead National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Columbia Falls, MT, MT

Price: From $22 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (121 reviews)

Season: May through October

Big Creek Campground lies in the expansive Flathead National Forest in northwestern Montana, 2 miles south of the Northwest entrance to Glacier National Park. Visitors can enjoy access to the Flathead River as well as the countless other recreational opportunities provided by the surrounding forests. Big Creek Campground has 22 campsites, 12 of which are reservable and 10 are walk-up, first come, first serve sites.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/big-creek-campground-flathead-national-forest-mt to be notified when sites open up.

Big Creek Campground offers 23 sites in Flathead National Forest with access to the Flathead River and proximity to Glacier National Park's Northwest entrance. The campground provides fishing, hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing opportunities in a scenic northwestern Montana setting.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Mountain Lion, American Wolverine, Mule Deer, Great Gray Owl, Spruce Grouse, and garter snakes are present in the area.

Insider tips for Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt): 12 of 22 sites are reservable; 10 are first-come, first-serve walk-up sites. Maximum stay limit is 16 consecutive nights. Road to campground is paved for 10 miles, then gravel for approximately 9 miles from Columbia Falls via State Route 486.

Skip Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) if: Requiring RV hookups — no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs.. Visiting outside May-October — campground is closed seasonally.. Dislike advance planning — federal campground requires booking early for reserved sites..

Best time to visit Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt): May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: Fish Creek Campground (West Glacier, MT), Apgar Group Sites (West Glacier, MT), Apgar Campground (West Glacier, MT), Sprague Creek Campground (West Glacier, MT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt)

Cell signal at Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) (Columbia Falls, 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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Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) — photo 1
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Flathead National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt)

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Columbia Falls, MT, MT★ 4.7 (121 reviews)From $22/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Big Creek Campground lies in the expansive Flathead National Forest in northwestern Montana, 2 miles south of the Northwest entrance to Glacier National Park. Visitors can enjoy access to the Flathead River as well as the countless other recreational opportunities provided by the surrounding forests. Big Creek Campground has 22 campsites, 12 of which are reservable and 10 are walk-up, first come, first serve sites.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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 RV48 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

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:✕ Requiring RV hookups — no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs.✕ Visiting outside May-October — campground is closed seasonally.✕ Dislike advance planning — federal campground requires booking early for reserved sites.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

12 of 22 sites are reservable; 10 are first-come, first-serve walk-up sites.

Maximum stay limit is 16 consecutive nights.

Road to campground is paved for 10 miles, then gravel for approximately 9 miles from Columbia Falls via State Route 486.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

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: American Black Bear, Mountain Lion, American Wolverine, Mule Deer, Great Gray Owl, Spruce Grouse, and garter snakes are present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

From Columbia Falls, Montana, follow State Route 486 north for approximately 20 miles to the campground entrance on the right. The road is pavement for 10 miles and gravel for approximately 9 miles. An alternate route through Glacier National Park would be to enter the park through West Glacier. Take Glacier Route1 Rd/Going to the Sun Rd for 2 miles. Turn left onto Camas Rd for 11 miles. Turn left onto North Fork Rd for 2.7 miles of gravel. Campground will be on your left.

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 — Flathead National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Flathead 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 Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) cost per night?+
Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) costs $22 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) open?+
Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt)?+
Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) can accommodate RVs up to 48 feet.
How do I make reservations at Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt)?+
Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) 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 Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) open, and what are check-in times?+
Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapForest Service Concessionaire
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.

$22 /night★ 4.7 (121)
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 Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) cost per night?+
What season is Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) open?+
Does Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Fish Creek Campground

West Glacier, MT

From $30/night

Apgar Group Sites

West Glacier, MT

From $45/night

Apgar Campground

West Glacier, MT

From $20/night

Sprague Creek Campground

West Glacier, MT

From $30/night

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