fbpx

Riverside Boat Launch and Murray Bay Campground Reopens

By Beacon Staff

A capital improvement project to increase safety and upgrade facilities at the Riverside Boat Launch and the Murray Bay Campground on the east side of the Hungry Horse Reservoir is complete and the sites reopened last week, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Campsites and facilities have been retrofitted to accommodate more family and group camping including double sites and pull-through parking.

The project at the Riverside Boat Launch included rebuilding part of the boat ramp, expanding boat-trailer parking, adding a new toilet and establishing three pull-in camp sites suitable for truck campers, motor homes and small camp trailers. Developing hosted campsites with bear boxes and eliminating dispersed camping at the boat launch is expected to help prevent bear-human conflicts.

At the Murray Bay Campground, three camp sites were established in place of the picnic area with two of those being double sites. Individual camp sites were enlarged, three toilets in disrepair were torn down in the closed B-Loop and picnic area and one new toilet was built. The B Loop remains closed but may be developed in the future to accommodate use. Because these sites are in grizzly bear habitat, bear-resistant food lockers were installed to prevent habituation.

Forest campers and visitors are reminded that by law all food and food-related items must be stored in a bear-resistant manner. This is to keep both you and the bears safe. The Flathead National Forest is home to grizzly and black bears, and responsible human actions will help with unwanted bear encounters.

Bothe sites are being managed by the new concessionaire Barta Enterprises, Inc. which is locally doing business as Flathead Valley Campgrounds. Both are fee sites. Single sites are $11 per day, or $22 for double sites. There is also a five dollar day-use fee.

Water will not be available at these sites until next season.

Please contact the Hungry Horse Ranger Station at 406-387-3800 for additional information on the project.