0
Pull-thru
USFSLolo National Forest · Montana
Thompson Peak Lookout Tower
Overview Thompson Peak Lookout provides great views of the Clark Fork Valley, the town of Superior, the Idaho state line and, of course, the big sky of Montana.
Sites1all reservable
Elev.4,534ft
Comf.May-Sep5 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Missoula1h46real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 4,534 ft, Thompson Peak Lookout Tower has a 5-month comfortable window (May-Sep). Winter nights average around 17°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 1 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Within about 4 miles: 2 peaks.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and cool nights. Softest on shade.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
May-Sep
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
84%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Jun 8
Last spring frost; first fall frost Sep 30.
50°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Missoula
66 mi
1h46
02
Helena
179 mi
3h42
03
Bozeman
268 mi
5h03
04
Billings
409 mi
7h24
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 1.1 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 1 SITES
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
1
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Trail segments
52
Peaks
2
Viewpoints
1
Water & Access
To nearest major road
1.1 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.