Flathead National Forest
Flathead National Forest covers 2,404,935 acres across Montana and US. Dispersed camping is not allowed.
Current notices posted by the managing agency. Checked Oct. 5, 2026.
- Closure: FK&L Area Closed to Public Access Starting July 22, 2026 The area known as the FK&L Dispersed Camping Area (as shown on Exhibit A, attached below), west and south of Emery Bay Campground, is closed to public access from July 22, 2026 to July 22, 2027 for planned construction. Since July 22, 2026.
- Closure: Big Creek Canyon Creek Road 316 Closure for Emergency Repairs Big Creek Canyon Creek Road 316 closed to motorized travel during 2026 repair work. See details and authorized access info. Since April 15, 2026.
- Closure: Trail 800 Tally-Ashely Closure 4.4 miles of National Forest System Trail 800 Tally-Ashley will be closed for public safety during logging activities starting 9/4/2025 - 9/1/2026 unless rescinded sooner. Since Sept. 4, 2025.
- Closure: Logan Creek Hoke Creek Closure NFS Road 1625 is closed between milepost 2.84 and 5.08 for public safety due to road substrate slumping. This closed segment is from the junction with Rd #9881 at milepost 2.84 to the end of Rd #1625 starting 8/13/2025 - 8/12/2027 unless rescinded sooner. Since Aug. 13, 2025.
Check current closures and fire restrictions for Flathead National Forest on the managing agency's own page.
Flathead National Forest map
Flathead National Forest boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
One agency fire restriction order is recorded for this unit as of Oct. 5, 2026. Each links the signed order.
- Camp Creek Fire Updated Trail Closure Effective Sept. 11, 2026. The Spotted Bear Ranger District has updated the trail closure for the Camp Creek Fire to include only those trails directly impacted by the fire. The trail closure includes Ayres Creek Trail #273, Basin Creek Trail #267, and Stadler Creek Trail #271.
County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.
Common questions
- No, dispersed camping is not allowed on Flathead National Forest.
- The Forest Service lists 31 campgrounds and camping areas on Flathead National Forest.
- Flathead National Forest has 3 district offices: Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger Station in Hungry Horse (406-387-3800), Spotted Bear Ranger Station in Hungry Horse (406-758-5376), and Swan Lake Ranger Station in Bigfork (406-837-7500).
- Flathead National Forest is managed through the USFS Ranger District.
Camping on Flathead National Forest
No dispersed camping
The Forest Service lists 31 campgrounds and camping areas on Flathead National Forest.
14 campgrounds inside the forest boundary have their own page on campgroundsdb.com, with site counts and reservations:
- Big Creek Campground
- Devil Creek Campground
- Doris Creek camping
- Emery Bay Campground
- Holland Lake Campground
- Lid Creek Campground
- Lost Johnny Campground
- Lost Johnny Point Campground
- Murray Bay Campground
- Owl Creek Corral camping
- Riverside Campground
- Spotted Bear Campground
- Swan Lake Campground
- Tally Lake Campground
Fire restrictions change by district and season: check the current alerts and restrictions before you go.
Flathead National Forest maps
- Interactive forest map from the Forest Service
- Motor Vehicle Use Maps: which roads are open to which vehicles, and so where you can legally drive to a dispersed site
- Forest visitor map
Ranger district offices
| Tally Lake Ranger Station / Supervisor's Office | Kalispell, MT | 406-758-5208 | Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm |
| Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger Station | Hungry Horse, MT | 406-387-3800 | Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm (Closed on federal holidays) |
| Spotted Bear Ranger Station | Hungry Horse, US | 406-758-5376 | Tuesday – Saturday, 8:00am - 4:30pm (Closed on federal holidays) |
| Swan Lake Ranger Station | Bigfork, MT | 406-837-7500 | Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm (Closed on federal holidays) |
Fishing and water
Fishing inside the boundary: Echo Lake fishing , Fran Lake fishing , Pierce Lake fishing , Pilgrim Lake 1 fishing , Rock Lake fishing , Russ Lake fishing , Shay Lake fishing , Smith Lake fishing , Sunburst Lake fishing , Wildcat Lake fishing , Hungry Horse Reservoir water level , with stocking records and species on fishypedia.com.
- Finger Lake fishing (right at the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
- Handkerchief Lake fishing (right at the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
- Sylvia Lake fishing (right at the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
- Woodward Lake fishing (right at the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
- Loon Lake fishing (right at the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
Public lands next to Flathead National Forest
- Wilderness areaGreat Bear Wilderness lies inside Flathead National Forest.
- Wilderness areaMission Mountains Wilderness lies inside Flathead National Forest.
- Wilderness area Most of Bob Marshall Wilderness lies inside Flathead National Forest.
- National Park Service unitFlathead National Forest borders Glacier National Park.
- National forestFlathead National Forest borders Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
- National forestFlathead National Forest borders Kootenai National Forest.
- National forestFlathead National Forest borders Lolo National Forest.
- Wilderness areaFlathead National Forest borders Scapegoat Wilderness.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
- geo.dot.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- en.wikipedia.org (accessed 2026-09-30)
- fs.usda.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- fs.usda.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- fs.usda.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.