Flathead Lake
Big Arm, Flathead Lake State Park
Public state park with day use and reservable camping
Not determined here; check park alerts and Montana HAB guidance
Yes. Big Arm offers public swimming from a pebble beach. The day-use area is open year-round and the park must be vacated by 10 p.m. Water, showers, and flush toilets are listed only from mid-May through mid-September.
Plan the access
- Access status
- Montana FWP lists swimming and a pebble beach
- Who can use it
- Public state park with day use and reservable camping
- Manager
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Published hours
- Park and day-use area open year-round; park must be vacated by 10 p.m.; overnight parking prohibited; opening time not stated
- Published fees
- Montana residents who pay the $9 state parks fee with vehicle registration have no daily entrance fee; nonresidents $8 per vehicle or $4 walk-in/bicycle/bus passenger
- Reservation
- Camping and yurts reservable; no ordinary day-use reservation stated
- Lifeguards
- Not stated on the manager page
- Parking
- Parking listed as an amenity; capacity and parking fee not stated; overnight parking prohibited
- Water conditions
- Not determined here; check park alerts and Montana HAB guidance
Confirm before leaving
Open official manager page ↗Check condition source ↗Official pages and signs override this guide.
Park access and tribal-land rules have a boundary
Montana FWP says Big Arm is within the Flathead Reservation, and that all recreation on tribal land outside the park requires a tribal recreation permit and is subject to tribal rules. A tribal fishing license is required for fishing on the southern half of Flathead Lake. Keep the park's own day-use rules separate from what applies once you leave the unit.
Facilities change seasonally
The manager lists potable water, showers, and flush toilets from mid-May through mid-September only. The dock is listed as normally available mid-March through November, weather permitting; check it separately from shoreline swimming access.
Staying near Flathead Lake?
Compare nearby lodging after you have chosen the access point; the closest room is not always on the same side of the lake.
Compare stays near Flathead Lake →
Affiliate link: if you book through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not affect which access points we include.
Access facts last checked against the linked manager on 2026-10-25. This date is not a water sample or a promise of present conditions.