Libby Dam and Lake Koocanusa
RV Guide
Introduction
Plan an RV vacation at Libby Dam and its reservoir, Lake Koocanusa, and you'll be motoring so far north through the state of Montana you'll almost be in Canada. It's a drive that will leave you completely awe-struck; Lake Koocanusa has to be one of the most scenic wildernesses for RV camping anywhere in the United States. As you make your way northwards, you'll have the Kootenai National Forest on one side and the Glacier National Park on the other. So there'll be breathtaking views of the pine-covered Rocky Mountains all the way.
Lake Koocanusa was created in the early 1970s when the US COE built Libby Dam together with a team of Canadian engineers. The completed structure impounded the Kootenai River, causing the flooding of Jennings Canyon. The result - a serpentine lake ninety-plus miles long stretching from Montana into the Canadian province of British Columbia. While the dam's primary functions are flood prevention and generation of hydroelectricity, its construction created one of the most spectacular locations for wilderness recreation imaginable.
While you won't find a COE campground at either Libby Dam or Lake Koocanusa, there are several others where you can pitch up to enjoy some serious back to nature activities. Hike, fish, go boating, drive scenic byways, or even go rock climbing. While it may be remote, you'll find plenty of things to do at Lake Koocanusa to fill your RV camping vacation days.
RV Rentals in Libby Dam and Lake Koocanusa
Transportation
Driving
If you're driving up to Libby Dam and Lake Koocanusa, you'll probably be coming through Spokane or Missoula. From Spokane, you'll be heading in the direction of Coeur d'Alene. Travel around the edge of Coeur d'Alene National Forest and Kaniksu National Forest on the MT 95 until you reach Boners Ferry and can join the MT 2 to get to Libby. It's a three and a half hour trip on some winding roads, but the lake and forest scenery is amazing, so it's worth taking your time to enjoy it.
From Missoula, it's a testing drive along the twisting MT 93 and MT 28. You'll journey through the Flathead Reservation backed by the Flathead National Forest until you can take the MT 2 to Jennings from just outside of Marion. Road conditions are usually good, but mountainous, so be prepared to deal with the bends and stick to meandering than speeding along in your rig.
Once you reach Libby Dam, the road you take depends on which campground you've reserved. If you're pitching your RV at a campsite on the west side of Lake Koocanusa, you'll need to take the NF 228 which, although it's a forest road, is well-maintained and not as twisty as some you've already driven down to get there. If you're going to a campsite on the east shore of Lake Koocanusa, you'll be on the MT 37. It's a well-traveled road and a national scenic byway so you might see a bit more traffic than you'd expect in such an out of the way place.
Parking
Public Transportation
Campgrounds and parking in Libby Dam and Lake Koocanusa
Campsites in Libby Dam and Lake Koocanusa
Alternate camping
McGillavary Campground
The McGillavary Campground is on the western shore of Lake Kookanusa half an hour's drive further along the NF 228 after Libby Dam. The campground can accommodate RVs up to thirty-two feet in length and is open from mid-May through to October. Although the campground doesn't have a lot of amenities, it is popular in summer because it has a swim beach. It also has two boat ramps and parking for boat trailers as well as restrooms.
Private RV campground
There is a private RV resort located on the eastern side of Lake Koocanusa twenty-three miles north of Libby off highway 37. Campsites are available at the resort from mid-April until October and are pet-friendly so long as the pet is kept leashed. The campground offers water, electric and sewage hookups in a shady location a few minutes stroll from the communal restrooms and showers.
Seasonal activities in Libby Dam and Lake Koocanusa
In-Season
Hiking
At Lake Koocanusa you'll be able to access a section of the one-thousand, two-hundred mile long Pacific Northwest Trail. The trail runs along the route of the MT 37 for around forty miles before veering off over the Lake Koocanusa Bridge and into the mountains. Moderate to difficult in places, tread the narrow track and you'll be rewarded with impressive lake and mountain views.
Hunting
Animals love the remote wildernesses around Libby Dam and Lake Koocanusa and that's something that attracts big game hunters to the area. Stalking through the woods with your eye on the cross lines, you can hope to see whitetail deer, elk, moose or black bear in your sights. Whether you bag your target or not, depends on how good a shot you are.
Fishing
Lake Koocanusa is a great lake for sport fishing. Regularly re-stocked by the Montana Fisheries Department, anglers have a good chance of hooking up some sizeable kokanee salmon, whitefish and several species of trout. If you reel in a bull trout or a rainbow with a clipped fin, you'll need to put it back in the water because in accordance with the Montana fishing rules.
Scenic Driving
Follow the route of the Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway ( MT 37), and you'll be driving along the shore of the reservoir and alongside the path of the Kootenai River. If you're doing it in summer, you can make the usual sixty-seven miles longer by driving the forest road loop on the NF 228 which will take you around the west shore of the lake. There are lots of pull-in places if you've packed a picnic and want to snack while devouring the scenery. Keep an eye for bighorn sheep; they're often spotted on the lower ridges of rocky outcrops
Rock Climbing
For rock climbing fans who are RV camping at Lake Koocanusa, Stone Hill is the place to head for. There you'll find quartzite rock faces groomed with over five hundred different climbs. Whether you top rope, trad climb or sport climb and then abseil down again, it's guaranteed that from the top, you'll have unbeatable views of the lake and the Rockies.
Libby Dam Visitor Center
Explore the Libby Dam Visitor Center, and you'll discover exhibits on wildlife and fish life as well as information on how the dam functions. If you have a head for heights, during the summer months, you can take a free, ranger-led tour across the dam wall. If not, you can spend the afternoon in the day-use area and get in a game of disc golf.
