Camping in Montana (safe area, safe, design)

[AK76]

Being in Alaska, camping wherever is almost a non-issue, generally, if you can get there rightfully, you can set up camp and enjoy the yourself.

How is Montana for such things if you take a boat up/down a river and find a nice spot to camp, for example?

If you know it is not private land but public, can this be done without consequence regarding law/regulation, or is camping restricted to campgrounds or permiting etc.? How about a lake?

If we hike someplace and pitch a tent is that much of an issue aside from the Natl. parks where a backcountry permit is requred ?

Alaska adventuring is remote almost anyplace and this is acceptable and expected.

Please share your thoughts and knowledge.

Thank you

[flyingcat2k]

Originally Posted by AK76

Being in Alaska, camping wherever is almost a non-issue, generally, if you can get there rightfully, you can set up camp and enjoy the yourself.

How is Montana for such things if you take a boat up/down a river and find a nice spot to camp, for example?

If you know it is not private land but public, can this be done without consequence regarding law/regulation, or is camping restricted to campgrounds or permiting etc.? How about a lake?

If we hike someplace and pitch a tent is that much of an issue aside from the Natl. parks where a backcountry permit is requred ?

Alaska adventuring is remote almost anyplace and this is acceptable and expected.

Please share your thoughts and knowledge.

Thank you

For backcountry camping on USFS, you may need a backcountry permit for wilderness areas (Bob Marshall, Beartooths, ect). Also, there are restrictions on lake camping IF it is not a formal campground site. I believe you are required to be 50' off the high waterline and latrines must be 200' from all water sources.

Personally, if you aren't extremely familiar with the area, I'd recommend NOT going up a river and camping at some random spot. Most of the river drainages are private land and the State of Montana only allows access up to the high water mark. If you want to camp, ask the landowner for permission beforehand (they could say yes but if you are in Western Montana, probably not) or just stay in designated camping areas along the river. One gray area is the islands in the river that are not high enough to support private ownership. These may be State of Montana lands and in which case, a permit may be required (I'm thinking of channel islands in the Yellowstone).

Montana has high fire season that can occur at any time. You'll need to know about red flag days (no open burning what so ever) so camping rings and firewood isn't a good idea. If you use a camp stove, that should be fine provided you find a safe area to set it up. Again, some of the best safe areas for those are established camping areas.

[happiness is]

Here is a link to some info on camping from the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks web sit.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks :: Camping