Camping at Beavertail Hill State Park Campground in Montana

Looking for more campgrounds while road tripping across Montana?
Check out Quartz Flat Campground west of Missoula and Red Shale Campground in the southeast.

AMENITIES

• Flush & vault toilets
• Drinkable water, available from pumps located around the campground
• Picnic tables and fire rings at all sites
• Firewood available for purchase when no burn ban is in effect
• Amphitheater — check at the entrance station to see if any programs are being offered

ABOUT THE SITES

• Beavertail Hill State Park Campground offers 24 campsites and two tipis.
• All campsites offer electricity.
• The campground is open from May through October. Beavertail Hill State Park is open for day use during the winter, but for walk-in visitors only. Day use fees apply if you are not a Montana resident.
• Campsites cost up to $34 per night. These are peak prices, and may be lower during the shoulder season. There is a $10 reservation fee when booking online.

• The campground is mostly shady, filled with ponderosa pine and cottonwood trees. Campsites closest to the entrance see the most sun.
• Most campsites are spacious, with vegetation creating a natural barrier between sites. This is especially true for campsites toward the back of the loop.
• Beavertail Hill State Park Campground is located very close to I-90. While you won’t see the road from the campground, you will hear some traffic noise. Fortunately, it wasn’t audible from inside our trailer.
• We stayed at campsite #16. It was a large, fairly open site located opposite the tipis and near the restrooms. It worked well for a one-night stay, but for a longer stay I prefer the more secluded campsites further along the loop.
• Pets on leash are allowed at Beavertail Hill State Park Campground.

FUN STUFF

• Hike the nature trail. A 0.8-mile loop trail encircles the campground and takes you down to the river. For a guided walk, pick up an illustrated interpretive guide from the park entrance station.
• Go fishing. The Clark Fork River is a prime spot for trout, whitefish, and more. If you fish, be sure to obtain a Montana State fishing license.
• Relax by the river. The Clark Fork River is wild and beautiful. A fence runs alongside the riverbank (maybe to keep cattle out of the park?), but a gate allows people to pass through. The river was moving fast during our visit, so may not always be safe for entry, but it’s a nice spot to pull up a chair and relax.

NEARBY & NOTABLE

• Missoula, Montana is a fun college town west of Beavertail Hill State Park Campground. We spent an evening there enjoying dinner at Biga Pizza followed by ice cream at Sweet Peaks and highly recommend both.
• Beavertail Pond, located on the opposite side of I-90, is another good fishing location.

We didn’t have much of a chance to explore this area, as our ultimate destination on this trip was South Dakota, but the gorgeous scenery made me wish we had time to slow down and savor it a little.

THE VERDICT

Beavertail Hill State Park Campground is flat-out gorgeous. Unfortunately, its proximity to I-90 detracts a bit from the overall experience. Some traffic noise is usually audible, but thankfully it was never overpowering. It didn’t affect our quality of sleep in our teardrop trailer, either.

Although we didn’t have much time here, I enjoyed a leisurely walk down to the river, where the morning mist skimmed the surface of the water as the sky deepened to a true bluebird blue. Beavertail Hill State Park Campground is small, so I took the opportunity to walk past most of the campsites. Shaded by cottonwoods, the sites were inviting and most offered a good amount of privacy. Restrooms were basic but clean, and the kiosk near the campground entrance provided helpful information, as did the morning ranger on duty.

If you’re looking for a campground convenient to to I-90 and Missoula, Montana, you can’t go wrong with Beavertail Hill State Park. Oh, except for one last little thing: the price. At $34 per night, camping here does not come cheap. We also had to pay an additional $10 reservation fee when booking online. That may not be bad if you’re spending multiple nights here, but it was tough to swallow for a single night stay. Because I knew we’d arrive late, I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet.

Considering the cost, it was reassuring to see how well cared for the park is. Campsites were immaculate, and the facilities were clean. Ultimately, Beavertail State Park Campground is a great place to relax and unwind after a long road trip, leaving us very happy campers.

We pulled into Beavertail Hill State Park Campground at dusk. It had been a long day of driving, and we were thankful to see our campsite. Since this was a quick overnight stop for us, we made quick work of setting up the trailer, then headed to the nearby restrooms to prepare for bed.

Glorious sunshine greeted me the next morning as I stepped out of our trailer. Not knowing what to expect, I wandered through the campground, then joined a trail leading into the woods. Before long, I found myself on the banks of the Clark Fork River, the sunlight glinting of the cottonwood trees as their leaves fluttered in the light breeze.

I was taken in by the natural beauty of this quiet spot. With the rushing river at my feet, the noise of the freeway disappeared. Here on the riverbank I was alone, without another soul in sight.

After a few minutes, I reluctantly turned away from the river to make my way back to our campsite. We had another long drive ahead of us today, all the way to Red Shale Campground near the South Dakota border. I continued my walk along the loop trail, surrounded by fragrant ponderosa pine and the trills of songbirds.

At our campsite, the boys were just starting to rise. We ate a simple breakfast and quickly packed up our belongings. With clear blue skies overhead, everyone was excited for a new day. Our time at Beavertail Hill State Park Campground may have been short, but it was indeed sweet.