Seeley Lake Lolo Campground (MT)

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.

Note: The Boyscout Bridge in Seeley Lake, Montana is permanently closed. This campground must be accessed from the North entrance of Boyscout Road. The following directions account for this detour:

From I-90 take exit 109 for MT-200 E and travel for 32.3 mi. Turn left onto MT-83 N and travel 14 mi to the town of Seeley Lake, MT. Continue north on Montana Highway 83 for 5 mi (Passed the Seeley Lake Ranger Station). Turn left onto Boyscout Road. Continue for approximately 4 mi and turn left into the entrance of Seeley Lake Campground. For campsites in Loop 1: Take the first right after entering the campground and follow the one-way traffic loop.  For campsites in Loop 2: Take the first left after entering the campground and follow the one-way traffic loop. Keep right at the fork to access sites 17-26.  For campsites in Loop 3: Take the first left after entering the campground and follow the one-way traffic loop. Keep left at the fork and continue driving past the Day-Use parking to access sites 27-29.