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Camping Around Flathead Lake

Camping around Flathead Lake. Recreational activities on and around Flathead Lake include multiple camping sites, including the 13 public access site maintained by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, sailing in and around the Dayton area, motor boating, waterskiing, swimming, fishing, and picnicking.

Public Access and Camping

Access sites include: Bigfork, Elmo, Juniper Beach, and Sportsman’s Bridge.

State Parks include: Big Arm, Finley Point, Wayfarers, West Shore State Park, Woods Bay, and Yellow Bay, and Wild Horse Island. One of the largest islands within Flathead Lake is Wild Horse Island State Park which is 2,165 acres. There is no over-night camping on Wild Horse and the park is only accessible by boat. All sites maintained by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks have boat launches, camping, and swimming facilities.

Montana’s Flathead Lake

The Lake’s most southern point where US Highway 93 and Montana Highway 35 intersect is Polson Montana. Polson is a small town of about 5000 people that was incorporated in 1910. Polson is located on the Flathead Indian Reservation. The Flathead Indian Reservation is governed by The Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribe which is headquartered five miles to the south of Polson in Pablo.

Polson is a lakeshore community in the trading center for one of most fertile farming areas in Montana. This prime cherry growing region is home to dozens of orchards, which Polson celebrates with an annual Cherry Festival. The Friday Farmers Market is about a block long and is a local and tourist attraction.

The Mission Mountain Range is to the east of Polson with its snow-capped peaks. The Flathead River that flows along the west side of Polson features whitewater rafting and Kerr Dam. There are two museums located in Polson, The Miracle of America and the Polson-Flathead Historical Museum. Five miles to the south in Pablo, the governmental headquarters of the Flathead Nation is the Peoples Center, a museum focused on the preservation of the rich history of the Tribes. All offer many displays and historic memorabilia.