Montana has two main national parks to which campers flock every summer: Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. Montana also has national forest and state parks that offer a wide range of recreational opportunities. A camper can choose campsites at a wide variety of campgrounds. The national park and state park systems have rustic camping available with thermal pools, tepee rentals or back-country meadows for back-to-nature camping. Alternatively, Montana has campgrounds with amenities and activities for every level of camper.
Geography
The eastern third of Montana consists of plains. The western third of the state consists of the mountains and mountain valleys. The central portion of the state is a combination, with isolated mountain ranges. The western third of the state also has two well-known national parks--the northern tip of Yellowstone national park and Glacier National Park. Summer temperatures range from 40 degrees at night to about 85 degrees during the day.
Yellowstone National Park area
In the Yellowstone area, there are four campgrounds. These campgrounds provide for tent camping as well as RV sites and cabin rentals. Amenities include electrical and water hookups, Wi-Fi access, grills, grocery stores, picnic tables, laundry, phone service, handicap access and restrooms with showers. Campers looking for the back-country experience will need to have a back-country permit supplied by the ranger's station.
Glacier National Park area
Glacier National Park has a lot to offer the outdoor enthusiast. Activities include back-country backpacking trips, guided horseback-riding trips, tours at the Blackfeet Indian reservation and boat cruises. The park rangers provide amphitheater programs on park history, plant and animal life and other educational programs. The rangers also offer guided walks and hikes throughout the park. The park has 13 campgrounds that are accessible from June to September. These campgrounds allow for small RVs and tents; however, there are no RV hookups available. There are commercial campgrounds outside the national park area that provide dumping stations, hookups, showers and laundries.
KOA campgrounds
KOA has 18 campgrounds in Montana. These campgrounds have access to national parks and tours to the geysers in Yellowstone. They also arrange tours to historical towns or tours of Native American monuments. A couple of parks have tours that follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark. KOA has meeting rooms, LP gas, Wi-Fi access, cable TV, snack bars, laundries, showers and dumping stations. Park activities include fly-fishing, white-water rafting, hiking, rock climbing and horseback riding.
Montana's attractions
Montana has several outstanding recreational areas and historical sites that offer the camper a wide array of activities. The Big Hole National Battlefield provides guests with a Nez Perce native dance and battle remembrance. The Bighorn Canyon National Recreation area provides tent camping, lake boating and river fishing. Fort Union and Grant-Kohrs Historic sites provide an 1830 trading post and a historical working cattle ranch to explore. The Little Bighorn Battlefield provides a historical view of the battle between the Lakota and Cheyenne and the cavalry of Custer. The battlefield hosts re-enactments and range tours throughout the battlefield area.
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