Four more campsites have been added by the Bureau of Land Management to the 26-miles of the Blackfoot River Recreation Corridor.
In September the agency agreed to making Daigles Eddy, Goose Rock, one just upstream of Goose Rock and Bear Creek Flats new boat-in only places for floaters to rest their weary, sun-soaked heads at night.
The four are in addition to another five sites between Russell Gates fishing access site and Johnsrud Park FAS. In that stretch, there are float-in campsites at River Junction, Clearwater, Ninemile Prairie and two at Corrick’s River Bend.
There are also drive-in campgrounds that can be used by floaters at Thibodeau, Riverbend, Russell Gates and River Junction.
To float camp on the river a special permit is required, which must be obtained in advance by contacting Fish, Wildlife & Park’s Region 2 office at 406-542-5500. Once a campsite is reserved, the camper must log on to FWP’s website at http://fwp.mt.gov/recreation/activities/boating/blackfoot/ for a copy of the application. The application has to be mailed in with a payment to receive the permit, which FWP will mail.
The cost to camp is $18 a night if you don’t have a Montana fishing license, $12 if you do. Groups are limited to 10 people. Fire pans are required. Human waste and garbage must be packed out.
Between Russell Gates fishing access site and Johnsrud Park FAS, the corridor agreement also allows public access up to 50 feet above the high water mark unless otherwise posted.
That’s different from the stream access provision of most Montana rivers, which limit public activity to the high water mark of the stream channel. The Blackfeet River Recreation Corridor Agreement allows more extensive riverside activity on private land in return for a prohibition on overnight streamside camping except in designated campsites.