Dispersed camping · Montana
What the Lolo National Forest actually allows for dispersed camping — how far off a road you may drive, which roads that applies to, and the closure orders that override it. Every figure below is sourced; the primary documents are linked at the bottom.
| Rule | This forest | |
|---|---|---|
| How far off the road you may drive | 300 ft | from the road centerline |
| Where that applies | Along any designated open road | |
| Distance to keep from water | — | unverified |
| Stay limit | 16 days | per the forest order |
The corridor applies to the whole designated road system, minus the exceptions the MVUM prints. This is the most permissive pattern.
Blanket rule on all designated open routes: 'Motor vehicle travel off of forest roads and trails for the purpose of dispersed camping is permitted on National Forest System lands up to 300 feet from the centerline of the road or trail' (MVUM 'DISPERSED CAMPING' legend text, verified identical on Seeley Lake, Superior, and Missoula West district MVUMs). No dot symbol/marked-route system. The forest's regulations page words it slightly more narrowly: 'For direct access to established dispersed campsites only, vehicles may be taken up to 300 feet from designated routes.'
Lolo MVUMs have no dispersed-camping special designation. 'Seasonal and Special Designation Table' entries govern seasonal open dates and vehicle classes for specific routes only.
NCDE Food/Wildlife Attractant Storage Order R1-2023-02 covers ALL Lolo NFS lands (Mar 1-Dec 31 annually through 2028): bear-resistant storage of all attractants required. No Rock Creek corridor or Seeley Lake designated-campsite/dispersed-camping orders found on the current alerts page; current summer-2026 alerts are road/bridge/area closures (Graves Creek Rd #26-013-Lolo-D5 eff. Jul 15, 2026; Cabin City Campground area closed #26-006-Lolo-D7 eff. May 11, 2026; several Superior RD road closures). Regulations page also: property may not be left unattended more than 72 hours.
Seeley Lake MVUM dated Jul 10, 2020; Superior and Missoula West MVUMs carry the same 300-ft-from-centerline legend text (verified via pdftotext). Regulations page (start date Mar 6, 2026) cites R1-2025-01 for the stay limit: 16 days single site / 32 cumulative days per calendar year (Montana), order effective Aug 1, 2025-Jul 31, 2030. Water setback: no order found; page gives only 200-ft-from-water human-waste burial guidance. Plains/Thompson Falls and Ninemile MVUMs not individually checked. Note the regs-page wording ('established dispersed campsites only') is tighter than the MVUM legend ('for the purpose of dispersed camping'); the MVUM is the enforceable designation document.
Open the map for Montana — forest roads, boundaries and closures are on the map; scored campsite locations are built for Wyoming and Idaho so far.
Confidence in this summary: high. Forest orders change mid-season and districts differ — this is a research summary, not legal advice. Check the sources above before you drive out.