A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Forest Service campground

Seeley Lake Lolo Campground

Forest Service campground in Lolo National Forest, Missoula County, Montana. 4,010 feet. 28.4 miles from St. Ignatius.

Managed by
Forest Service Lolo National Forest
Elevation
4,010 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
29 29 standard non-electric
Longest rig
64 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Seeley Lake Campground is located on the western shore of Seeley Lake, a glacial-formed lake situated in a valley between the Swan and Mission mountain ranges. Seeley Lake is one of a half a dozen lakes within the valley known as the 'Chain of Lakes' through which the Clearwater River flows.

Seeley Lake Campground is well known for its picturesque views of the Swan Range and for its towering Western larch trees. The campground receives heavy use and is a popular destination for swimming, boating, fishing, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.

Recreation

The campground is popular for swimming, boating, paddling and picnicking. 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.

Facilities

29 individual RV/Tent campsites are avaliable for reservation the Friday before Memorial Day to the Tuesday after Labor Day, when the campground gate closes for the season.

The sites are equipped with a picnic table, fire ring with grill, and a paved parking stall. Accessible vault toilets, accessible flush toilets, drinking water and trash receptacles are available throughout the campground. Campground hosts are on site 24 hours a day.

The 29 sites are just a short walk away from a spacious day-use area that includes two beaches, a roped-off swim area, a paved boat-launch, boat trailer parking and several picnic sites. Day-use facilities are open from 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m Mountain Time. No fees or reservations are required for day-use.

Natural Features

The campsites offer the chance to spend time with old growth Western larch trees, a coniferous-decidious tree with distinct needles that turn bright gold in Autumn. Many of these trees are over 500 years old and several feet in diameter. Just a short distance away is the Girard Grove, home of a Western larch tree over 1000 years old and more than seven feet in diameter, known as “Gus”.

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.

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.

Missoula, one of Western Montana’s outdoor recreation hubs is about an hour from Seeley Lake, MT. Missoula is a full-service city with 2 hospitals, an international airport, and access to services, hotels, and outdoor activities.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • beachcombing
  • berry picking
  • biking
  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • jet skiing
  • kayaking
  • motor boat
  • paddle boating
  • paddling
  • photography
  • picnicking
  • star gazing
  • swimming
  • water access
  • water skiing
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Seeley Lake Lolo Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 19, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.