U.S. Forest Service · Kootenai National Forest · Troy, MT

Yaak River Campground

Yaak River Campground is located approximately 8 miles west of Troy, Montana and 6.5 miles east of the Idaho border on Highway 2. This campground is located at the confluence of the Kootenai and Yaak Rivers. There are campsites on both sides of the Yaak River.

More like this: reservable in Montana · pets allowed in Montana · group sites in Montana

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Yaak River CampgroundYaak River Day Use Area Picnic AreaYaak River Day Use Area Picnic TablesYaak River Campground site
Photos courtesy of Eigene Bewertung, KNF · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups45
group standard area nonelectric1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

46 sites in 3 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWater / sewerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresRating
1Loop AStandardPull-through30PavedPartialNo / –8 / 2YesStandard
2Loop AStandardBack-in30PavedPartialNo / –Riverfront8 / 2YesStandard
3Loop AStandardBack-in30PavedPartialNo / –8 / 2YesStandard
4Loop AStandardBack-in30PavedPartialNo / –Riverfront8 / 2YesStandard
5Loop AStandardBack-in30PavedPartialNo / –8 / 2YesStandard
6Loop AStandardBack-in30PavedPartialNo / –Riverfront8 / 2YesStandard
7Loop AStandardBack-in30PavedPartialNo / –8 / 2YesStandard
8Loop AStandardBack-in30PavedPartialNo / –Riverfront8 / 2YesStandard
9Loop AStandardPull-through30PavedPartialNo / –8 / 2YesStandard
10Loop AStandardPull-through30PavedPartialNo / –Riverfront8 / 2YesStandard

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length30 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

The campground has 45 sites, including one host site, all with tables and fire rings. Most sites offer an average length of 32 feet. Vault toilets, garbage service, firewood and drinking water are available during the peak season. The campground campsites are not currently on the reservation system. The reservable group site is available for large groups up to 75 people. It is equipped with multiple tables, grills and a large campfire circle. A boat ramp located in Loop B gives access to the Kootenai River.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

SeasonMay
ForestKootenai National Forest
BookingAll sites are on a first come first serve basis The day use group area can be reserved by contacting Recreation.gov or by calling the Ranger District office at 406-295-4693
Fees$16.00 daily fee per single site 50% discount with US Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access Passes $60.00 daily fee for the group site
RulesFireworks are not allowed on National Forest System Lands. 16 day stay limit on National Forest System Lands. Pets are welcome but must be leashed

Kootenai National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Yaak River Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.63 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.85 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.44 inches of precipitationApril: 1.65 inches of precipitationMay: 1.79 inches of precipitationJune: 2.52 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.88 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.71 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.21 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.42 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.50 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.79 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 27.8°F averageFebruary: 31.3°F averageMarch: 38.9°F averageApril: 46.0°F averageMay: 54.9°F averageJune: 61.0°F averageJuly: 68.1°F averageAugust: 66.8°F averageSeptember: 58.3°F averageOctober: 45.6°F averageNovember: 34.9°F averageDecember: 27.9°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Troy, 6 miles from the campground at 1,929 feet, station USC00248390 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 24 inches a year.

Getting there

From Troy, travel west on Highway 2 for approximately 7 miles. The fee station and campground hosts are located on the east side of the road, prior to crossing the Yaak River.

Nearest townTroy, Montana
Coordinates48.5590° N, 115.9730° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Silver

    32 mi from the campground · 2,593 acres · 30% contained

  • Wildfire
    Parker Lake

    37 mi from the campground · 1,531 acres · 1% contained

  • Wildfire
    Upper Smith

    39 mi from the campground · 4,848 acres · 41% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceEverything RV ↗22.5 mi
Outdoor gearNorth 40 ↗31.3 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗36.5 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Lunch at the Yaak River Campground in the Kootenai National Forest

  • 1.3 mi
    Sears Flat Loop B
    1.1 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 1.3 mi
    Sears Flat Loop A
    1.7 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 1.3 mi
    Sears Flat X-C Ski
    0.3 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 2.8 mi
    Cougar Ridge X-C Ski
    3 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 4.6 mi
    Feeder Creek
    2.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, snowmobile

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Kootenai National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The group day use area is located on the east side (Loop A) of Yaak River Campground. Both facilities are in a heavily wooded part of the forest, with the Yaak and Kootenai Rivers running nearby. Tall grasses, shrubs and young pines cover the ground and mature evergreens offer shade overhead. The facility is situated at an elevation of about 1,900 feet, close to the Montana-Idaho border in northwestern Montana. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area.

Recreation

The Yaak and Kootenai Rivers provide ample opportunity for visitors to enjoy fishing, rafting and canoeing, among other activities. Boats can be launched at a primitive boat ramp near the campground. Anglers can expect a catch of mostly whitefish and a variety of trout. Hiking and mountain biking opportunities are available on a variety of trails within the Cabinet Mountains. Kootenai Falls, the largest un-dammed waterfall in the state and an attraction of historical significance for the Kootenai Tribe, is located about 15 miles east of Yaak River Campground. It offers spectacular views, as the river drops 300 feet in just a few hundred yards. A swinging bridge is available and provides a different point of view to see the falls.

Nearby

Yaak River Campground is located along the David Thompson Historic Route, which is listed as one of the Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Ross Creek Giant Cedars, a 100-acre grove of majestic cedar trees, is about 23 miles south of the campground.

Guidebooks for Montana

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Montana
    Vicky Soderberg and Ken Soderberg, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon Montana, Wyoming and Idaho Camping
    Becky Lomax, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Montana
    Kenneth L. Graham, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Yaak River Campground?

Sites at Yaak River Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. All sites are on a first come first serve basis The day use group area can be reserved by contacting Recreation.gov or by calling the Ranger District office at 406-295-4693 Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Yaak River Campground?

$16.00 daily fee per single site 50% discount with US Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access Passes $60.00 daily fee for the group site

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Yaak River Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Yaak River Campground have?

46 sites, including 45 standard sites without power and 1 group standard area nonelectric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Yaak River Campground?

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Yaak River Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Yaak River Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Yaak River Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 3 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Fireworks are not allowed on National Forest System Lands.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Yaak River Campground?

The Yaak and Kootenai Rivers provide ample opportunity for visitors to enjoy fishing, rafting and canoeing, among other activities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Yaak River Campground?

Troy, Montana. Yaak River Campground is located along the David Thompson Historic Route, which is listed as one of the Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rocky Mountains.

Source: Getting there

What if Yaak River Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Kilbrennan Lake Campground (4.7 mi, first-come), Yaak Falls Campground (7.1 mi, first-come), and Loon Lake Campground (14.1 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby