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The Bitterroot National Forest is 1.6 million acres of sprawling
trees, canyons, rushing streams, and mountain peaks. Portions of
the forest spill over into Idaho, but most of the acreage is within
Montana, south and west of Missoula. Much of the Bitterroot National
Forest is wilderness, contained within the Selway-Bitterroot, Anaconda-Pintler
and Frank Church River of No Return designated wilderness areas,
which comprise one of the largest wilderness complexes in the lower
48. It is here in the Bitterroot that you can truly escape like
few other places.
This is one of Parkcamper.com staff's favorite national forests,
and always will be. While the Bitterroot Valley has changed for
the worse over the years thanks to poorly thought out development,
the forest remains a wonderful place for campers, and is less crowded
than some of the other options in the Northern Rockies. This page
is a work in progress as we add campgrounds in the next year or
so. Those traveling from Yellowstone to Glacier will definitely
want to try out the Bitterroot if you get a chance. It's a good
way to get off the road and away from the heavy traffic of the parks.
We give a hearty thumbs up to this endless and wild forest. Stay
tuned to this page as we plan to add many more campgrounds and photos.
Charles Waters Campground
Charles Waters Campground, Bitterroot National
Forest
Charles Waters is just about the perfect-sized campground-not
too big, not too small. Even better, the 26 sites are huge and
don't feel cramped, which is often the case with public campgrounds.
Charles Waters campground is reached by taking U.S. 93 north from
Stevensville 3.76 miles to Bass Creek Road. Hang a left on Bass
Creek Road and stay on it for 2.07 miles until you see the campground
sign.
Visitors can expect vault toilets, potable water, four picnic
sites, a nature trail, a bicycle unit, and the ability to use
RV's up to 70 feet.
We found this campground to be especially beautiful, although
a road leading up to the Bass Creek recreation area was a source
of noise, but I wouldn't expect it to be a constant problem. Charles
Waters campground is loaded with big ponderosa pines, and Bass
Creek (it's really small) trickles past it all in thick brush.
This is a great place to stay, and being close to the Selway-Bitterroot
Wilderness boundary means you have unlimited opportunities for
solitude. Scenic Bass Lake is five miles vie trail from the end
of the road, and well worth it for the scenery and fishing. Campers
at Charles Waters can take comfort in knowing they are next to
one of the largest wilderness areas in the lower 48.
Healthy ponderosa pine trees and huge site in
Charles Waters Campground.
Charles Waters campground facts:
Video Tour available:
Open: May to Snow Season
Sites: 26 plus 1 double site
Laundry: No
Showers: No
Dump Station: No
Store: No ( 5.79 miles to Stevensville)
Quiet Hours: 10 am to 6 am
Fee: $10 per vehicle, $5 for extra vehicle
Vehicle length limit: 31 foot RV or 27 foot trailer
Handicapped Accessible: Yes (toilet and sites, nice and wide.)
Toilets: Yes | Tables: Yes | Fire rings: Yes
Water: Yes
Elevation: 3,705 feet
Fishing: Yes (Bass Creek, although small. Hike up to Bass Lake
for bigger fish)
Generator: Yes (8 am to 8 pm reasonable usage)
Gas: No (5.79 miles to Stevensville)
Repairs: No(5.79 miles east to Stevensville)
Reservations: Not available
Blodgett Campground
The impressive Blodgett Canyon
Blodgett Canyon has long been one of our favorite
areas in he Bitterroot National Forest. The trail in to the canyon
is fantastic, leading past rich areas of timber, Blodgett creek,
and finally up to snowcapped, knifelike peaks and ridges. So what's
the lowdown on the campground? Well, five sites, including the
host site. That's it. On top of that, Blodgett Campground has
a gate at the end of a bridge which closes when the sites are
filled. So what's the plus? It's free. There's water from a pump,
too. The sites are nice and big.
Those interested in fishing will enjoy gorgeous Blodgett Creek
(it's the stream you see at the top of this page). Hiking up into
the canyon one can also fish High Lake.
To get to Blodgett Canyon Campground, take Ricketts Road in Hamilton
west to Blodgett Camp Road (otherwise known as FS 736) four miles
to the campground. Get there early if you want a site, or you'll
get "the gate".
Campers can expect water, picnic tables, fire rings,
vault toilets, spacious sites and a wilderness setting. Unfortunately,
on our last visit there our neighbors didn't use campground etiquette.
The father drank heavily and shouted at sunrise (yes, sunrise)
and the family partied far into the night. He even stumbled over
to our site at 7 a.m. with beer in hand, offering advice. It was
a friendly conversation, and I smiled as the stench of beer wafted
towards me. A little self-awareness goes a long way in the backcountry
as it does in the city. The camp host was a nice fellow who truly
cares about the landscape. He does a good job and we look forward
to returning to Blodgett Canyon Campground one day. The Bitterroot
gets in your blood, leaving a unique imprint compared to other
national forests across the west.
Blodgett campground facts:
Video Tour available: Coming
soon
Open: Year round, closed during heavy snow
Sites: 5, including host site
Laundry: No
Showers: No
Dump Station: No
Store: No (5.22 miles east to Hamilton)
Quiet Hours: 10 am to 6 am
Fee: Free!
Vehicle length limit: up to 45 feet
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Toilets: Yes | Tables: Yes | Fire rings: Yes
Water: Yes
Elevation: 4275 feet
Fishing: Yes (Blodgett Creek)
Generator: Yes (8 am to 8 pm reasonable usage)
Gas: No (5.22 miles east to Hamilton)
Repairs: No(5.22 miles east to Hamilton)
Reservations: Not available
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