A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

South Dickey Lake

Forest Service campground in Kootenai National Forest, Lincoln County, Montana. About 3,100 feet. 16 miles from Eureka.

Managed by
Forest Service Kootenai National Forest
Elevation
About 3,100 ft As the Forest Service states
Reservations
First come, first served Claim a site when you arrive. Recreation.gov lists it for Scan and Pay, so the fee can be paid from its app at the campground

Overview

South Dickey Lake is a popular day use group picnic area on the shores of beautiful Dickey Lake. It provides access to a grassy swimming beach. There are 5 day use sites, but only one site can be reserved. All other sites are first come-first serve.

Recreation

The lake provides ample opportunity for boating, fishing, swimming and water skiing. Anglers can expect a catch of kokanee salmon, kamloop and rainbow trout. A grassy lawn gently slopes down to the lake.

Facilities

The reservable group picnic area can accommodate up to 50 people and is equipped with two tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible vault toilets and potable drinking water are also provided. The swimming beach is available for use, but is open to the public as well. This site is a day use area, open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Overnight camping is not allowed. Visitors who wish to stay overnight can make reservations at North Dickey Lake Campground.

Natural Features

The facility is located in northwestern Montana, next to 800-acre Dickey Lake. Larch and fir trees surround the lake and dot the landscape at the picnic area. It is situated at an elevation of about 3,100 feet. In the spring and early summer, the sound of the loon can often be heard from the beach.

Nearby Attractions

The facility is 20 miles from the United States-Canadian border, and 65 miles from the entrance to Glacier National Park.

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

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • swimming site

The land around South Dickey Lake

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 February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.