Tobacco River Camping

Tobacco River Camping

Get Ready

Get Ready

We are about a mile outside of the town of Eureka, but you'd never know it. Our land borders state land and is quiet and free of night light pollution! Excellent star gazing and wildlife viewing.

Eureka is a sweet small town, with everything you need — but without crowds. We are truly the Last Best Place. Just an hour from the Flathead, 1 1/2 hours from Glacier Park, and 1 hour 15 from the Kootenai Falls. Ten miles from the Canadian border. Come to Northwest Montana, and experience Montana without the crowds!

Glacier International (also called Kalispell Regional) — FCA — is the nearest airport. Allegiant offers REALLY cheap flights from the West Coast…Alaska too — and Delta and United fly direct from Denver and Chicago. We are just over an hour from Kalispell — a gorgeous, easy drive.

We love kids, and are happy to accommodate the spaces by providing a tent or tiny camper if you need more beds. Also a couple of thoughts:

A river is not a lake. Our kids grew up on the river and understand how to navigate it. We'll assume you know best for your kids! (All swimming, wading, fishing is at your own risk!) The glamping area does have steep hills, rocks, and even cliffs. Our campers and cabins are vintage! If your kids are rambunctious or prone to breaking things, it might not be ideal.

We love dogs! BUT, ya'll need to be cool for this to work: You must pick up after it, not allow it to chase wildlife, not allow it on the bed, and sweep or clean up the cabin if there is shedding or dirt brought in. Also, please note that sometimes our goats roam the glamping area. Damage caused to the property, stains on the bedding, or physical damage to other guests by said pet is your responsibility.

Sheets, towels, blankets and cooking items are all provided. See our packing list section below for our full recommendations.

Only The Logger cabin and the community kitchen has electric, no other unit has electric, but they are equipped with solar or battery powered lights. No units have a toilet in them, but there are multiple shared bathrooms around the property that are clean and well appointed. There is no food storage or food prep in any sleeping unit. Our community kitchens have all you need to store and cook — including an espresso maker. We also provide a large gas grill.

Yes! The Pacific Northwest Trail runs through Eureka — and Rails to Trails runs through our property, per an easement we provided to the county to allow through-hikers (and bikers, and walkers, and horse riders…but no motorized vehicles are allowed.)

Our ranch comprises 450 acres of trails and forests and farmland, 1 1/2 miles of river, is adjacent to state forest, and Rails to Trails runs through our property. You can easily walk to town, bike to Lake Koocanusa on Rails to Trails, or spend all day just swimming or walking the trails on our property and watching wildlife. See our other blog posts on area activities.

The short answer is no, not without prior permission from the owners. If your friend/family group is small, and we aren't totally booked out, we can try to accommodate, but our first priority will be the comfort of our guests, thanks!

As you can imagine, in these times, wildfires are a huge source of concern across the West. The short answer is "SOMETIMES, with permission.”   We follow the county’s fire restrictions, and need to evaluate the rainfall or drought conditions on the ranch. Our area only has a volunteer fire department. 

We occasionally have bears near the property in the Fall. We will alert guests if any have been seen. It's best to carry bear spray on our river trail. As for bugs — sometimes we get cluster flies (which are harmless, and cling to windows, and aren't interested in your food.) They can be noisy but otherwise won't bother you. We very rarely have wood ticks. We do have occasional wasp issues, which we try our best to manage!

Well, technically all rivers are dangerous because they flow / aren't stagnant. All bodies of water are dangerous, for that matter. (The #1 cause of death in Glacier National Park is drowning!) That said, this is a slow flowing river, with no rapids near our property. There are rapids about a half mile downstream, as you get nearer Lake Koocanusa. There are occasional swimming holes on the river, but for the most part it is knee height. By mid-August, there are usually a couple of spots too shallow to tube and we get up and walk a bit. Whenever you're on a river, you want to steer clear of downed trees or big rocks that create jetties. We've said it other places, but just to repeat: There are NO lifeguards on duty! ALL swimming and other activities are at your own risk!

Wondering what to bring for your trip to Montana? Here's our basic list:

  1. Water shoes. Most of the lakes and rivers are rock bed. (Part of why our waters are so crystal clear!)
  2. A Headlamp. Most of property is off grid, it makes for great star gazing and serenity!
  3. Layers. It's almost always cool at night. Not a lot of rain in the summer (darn!) but it's good to be prepared.
  4. Bear Spray. Swap out the bug spray for bear spray. You have a 99.9% chance of not needing it, but you won't regret having it. Not so much for on our property, but for any area hikes.
  5. Allergy medicine (per the above) — we don't have many bugs, except for the drought sometimes means more wasps. So bring allergy medicine if you're allergic! And it's true, otherwise we don't have many bugs…just some cluster flies occasionally, which don't bother anyone, other than being loud and annoying!
  6. Swimsuits & Beach towels. (We provide shower towels, not beach towels.)
  7. Sturdy Shoes for hiking or getting around the property.
  8. Groceries. Stop at Montana Market on your way into town to stock up on essentials or ice, etc. Eureka has a small liquor store, with limited hours (10–5 Monday–Saturday.)
  9. What NOT to bring: Your screens and watches. Leave them at home and unplug! Reconnecting with nature and wildlife is so good for the soul.

Property Rules 

  • Check-in required before 7:00 pm on your first night.
  • Pets must be pre-approved, well behaved, and on leash if they chase wildlife. Barkers, biters, and chasers are not welcome.
  • No extra guests on the property without prior permission.
  • Fires allowed in designated areas only, and only when fire conditions permit.
  • All hiking, swimming, and outdoor activities are at your own risk.
  • Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm to 9:00 am.
  • No guns or weapons allowed.
  • No food storage or food preparation inside units. This attracts bears and rodents. Meals may be enjoyed on your deck.
  • Solar lights are provided. Please recharge them for the next guest.
  • Fires must stay within designated fire pits and remain subject to USFS fire danger reports.
  • Cots and tents are available to rent for additional guests.
  • Dogs are welcome. Extra dog beds may be available upon request. Please keep dogs off the beds or an additional cleaning fee will apply.
  • Each cabin and camper includes linens, towels, and cleaning supplies for extra messes from kids or dogs.
  • Coolers are available if you would like to store drinks in your unit.
  • Phones and other devices may be charged in the community kitchen.