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Recreation.govMT

Big Larch Campground

Lolo National Forest

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Campground guide

What to know before booking

Big Larch Campground is located on the east shoreline of Seeley Lake within the Lolo National Forest in Montana. Two group camping areas, 29 individiual RV/tent campsites, and three bicycle campsites are available for reservation the Friday before Memorial Day to Labor Day. Big Larch Campground is located on the east shoreline of Seeley Lake, a 1,025 acre, glacial-formed lake within the "Chain of Lakes" - through which the Clearwater River flows.

max Stay

32 days

Official campground details, summarized

Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.

Facilities

Two group camping areas, 29 individiual RV/tent campsites, and three bicycle campsites are available for reservation the Friday before Memorial Day to Labor Day. These campsites will transition to first-come/first-serve outside of these dates. 19 individual sites are available on a First-Come/First-Serve basis. These campsites can be paid for onsite by scanning a QR Code using the Recreation.gov mobile app. Visitors will need to download the free recreation.gov mobile app through Android or iOS. This is best done prior to arrival All campites are each equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings with grills, and a large paved parking area. Accessible vault toilets, drinking water and trash receptacles are avaliable throughout the campground. Campground hosts on site 24 hours a day. The campground also offers a spacious day use area that includes a roped-off swimming beach, a boat ramp, a dock, boat trailer parking, and several picnic areas. Day use facilities are open year-round from 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily. No fees or reservations are required for day use.

Natural Features

Big Larch Campground is located on the east shoreline of Seeley Lake, a 1,025 acre, glacial-formed lake within the "Chain of Lakes" - through which the Clearwater River flows. The campground is nestled in a mixed conifer forest, including plenty of tall larch and pine trees. While there is ample space between sites, the lack of understory makes for minimal privacy. At an elevation of about 4,000 feet, temperatures are pleasant throughout most of the summer months. The area contains a wide variety of wildlife and is home to white-tailed deer, elk, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, moose, grizzly and black bears (learn about bear safety ). Both the bald and golden eagle reside in the forest, along with trumpeter swan, herons and dozens of varieties of ducks.

Recreation

• The campground is popular for swimming, fishing, biking, paddling and boating. Anglers cast for a variety of freshwater fish including Kokanee salmon, bass, whitefish, pike, trout and perch, among other species. Water skiing is a popular activity on the lake. • The Clearwater Canoe Trailhead just North of Seeley Lake offers excellent flat water for viewing wildlife such as blue herons and river otters. The water trail is popular with canoeists and kayakers as it stretches 3.5 miles, or a couple of hours, down the river. • The Morrell Falls National Recreation Trail on the East side of the valley offers an incredible day hike exploring recent burns, dense forests, and a large waterfall.

Nearby Attractions

• The town of Seeley Lake, MT on the southeastern tip of the lake offers a variety of recreation services such as boat, canoe, and kayak rentals as well as guide services and resorts. Services like gas, groceries, restaurants, and lodging can also be found in town. Access to a variety of forests, sweeping views, mountain lakes, and rugged peaks can be discovered just a short drive up any of the nearby Forest Service roads. • Just a day trip away from Seeley Lake, Glacier National Park is known for a variety of opportunities to explore alpine landscapes, active glaciers, and view unique wildlife. Contact the park for current conditions. • About an hour from Seeley Lake, Missoula is one of Western Montana’s outdoor recreation hubs. Missoula is a full-service city with 2 hospitals, an international airport, and access to services, hotels, and outdoor activities.

Campsite map

Site markers come from Recreation.gov campsite coordinates.

2 mapped sites

Campsites

A sample of official campsite metadata for scanning equipment fit before booking.

Site 00B

BLUB

GROUP STANDARD NONELECTRIC

20 ft

vehicle

25

people

Yes

shade

Site 00A

BLUA

GROUP STANDARD NONELECTRIC

20 ft

vehicle

25

people

Yes

shade

Important notices

Notice: Beginning in 2024, check out time is at 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Check-in is at 3:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Please check-out on time so that attendents may prepare the campsite for the next guest.
Bears frequent the area; please store all food and attractants in a locked vehicle, or in a certified bear resistant container. Click here for more information.
Bear resistant trash and food containers must be closed and secured by users after depositing items. Failure to secure containers could result in a citation.
Campfires must be completely extinguished before leaving campsite unattended.

More at Lolo National Forest

Other tracked campgrounds from the same park or area.

Surrounding campgrounds

Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.

Common questions

How do I book Big Larch Campground?

Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.

How quickly will I hear about a cancellation?

Kestrel rescans every two minutes, and every 30 seconds during the provider's daily release window. Alerts go out by email as soon as a matching site appears.