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Itch-Kep-Pe Park
Overview
Itch-Kep-Pe Park offers a serene riverside retreat located in the charming town of Columbus, Montana. Nestled along the banks of the Yellowstone River, this city-managed park provides a rustic camping experience that emphasizes natural beauty over modern luxury. It is a popular destination for travelers looking to experience the authentic Montana landscape without the crowded feel of a traditional commercial resort, making it a hidden gem for road trippers.
Location & Surroundings
The park is perfectly positioned where the high plains meet the rugged foothills of the Beartooth Mountains. Its location in Stillwater County puts visitors right on the water's edge, offering easy access to the majestic Yellowstone River. The surrounding area is characterized by mature cottonwood trees and sweeping views of the river valley, providing a peaceful atmosphere that is just a short drive from the local services available in downtown Columbus.
Amenities & Park Features
As a primitive-style campground, Itch-Kep-Pe Park is ideal for self-contained RVers who appreciate a simpler way of living. The park features gravel parking pads, picnic tables, and fire rings at most sites. While there are no electrical or water hookups available, guests have access to vault toilets and a convenient public boat launch for river excursions. The spacious layout allows for a sense of privacy among the trees, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy dry camping.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to keep them busy, starting with world-class trout fishing right from the park's banks. For a dose of local history, the Museum of the Beartooths is nearby, offering insights into the region's heritage. The park also serves as a strategic gateway to the Beartooth Highway, one of the most scenic drives in America. Visitors can also explore the local shops and small-town eateries in Columbus for a taste of authentic Montana hospitality.
Who This Park Is Best For
This park is best suited for self-sufficient travelers who prefer a natural setting and the rhythmic sounds of a flowing river over standard RV resort amenities. It is an ideal spot for anglers, bird watchers, and those seeking a budget-friendly stopover while traveling between Billings and Bozeman. If you value direct water access and a quiet, unpretentious environment that puts nature first, Itch-Kep-Pe Park will perfectly fit your travel style.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
Raymie Eatough
A lovely campground. 7 night stay limit, FREE, but please use the donation box to keep this place nice!
Nancy Needham
Good stay. Over 30 sites in first loop all pretty level and many shaded. Each site has fire pit and picnic table. Second weekend in Aug has a group of Musicians Rendevous and we were lucky to join in! Bathrooms are in good repair but water spigots are OFF, so no potable water. Had a cool night, occasional car at night and faraway train noise. Peaceful. Thank you Columbus. DONATE to this park and leave it nice than you found it!
Erica Block
Free campground! No electricity, access to the Yellowstone River, picnic tables and fire pits in every camp spot. It's quiet and pretty while still close to town!
Cottom’s Adventures Bryan and Tamara’s travels
Really nice park set up for donation. The Yellowstone River is nearby, sites will fit up to 40’ rig. There are sites with shade, sun and all have fire pits and most have tables. There are two loops and roughly 50 sites all dry camping. Water is available at spigots, the bathroom ( near the entrance ) had running water and was clean.
Christina Evans
I gave a donation. But, for a "free" campground, this was great. Bathroom was stocked and campground was pretty clean. Get there early to find a shaded spot if you're tent camping. Otherwise, you'll be bearing the hot summer sun until it goes behind the trees. Mine was pretty sunny but I managed to be able to stay behind a shrubby tree and read. My tent was pretty hot until it cooled off at night. In the morning it was also pretty sunny. That's my only complaint, but it's small one and there's really nothing they can do about that. Not their fault. It's still a nice campground.
John Wagner
This place is awesome. We stopped in for shade and to stretch our legs. There is a bathroom with running water. It also had TP, paper towels and soap! Fire-rings are available and there was scrap wood (free). Town proper (Columbus) is just a few minutes away. This place is run on donations and a great place to spend some time. Recommended!
Rory Bruton
Nice little Campground by the river. Watch for Deadfall!!! Noticed several dead trees around at the Back campsite. I've seen limbs as big as a man's arm stuck in the ground so deep I couldn't pull out by hand at my granddad's farm.
John Johnson
This is my favorite free campground I've ever seen in America. They do have optional donations but they did a really excellent job. They have spots for probably over 50 people they have clean bathrooms and they provided water. Really beautiful spot right beside a river. I was really impressed with this entire small town. It's worth stopping through and spending some money if you're ever passing through because they really did treat me right across the board. Thank you
Melissa Martin
My cat Jake and I stayed here for several days. It is packed by Saturday, which tells us how cool this park is. They took their big city park and turned it into a to a park/campground. I loved my stay here. Porto-potties emptied or cleaned on Mondays, campers during week, but it’s quiet and plenty of spots open to enjoy during the week. This is one of my favs. Please everybody, leave a donation for the maintenance of this place. The old guy does most of it himself and he works hard. Thank u. Even if u can only a couple of dollars, if everybody gave something, maybe he wouldn’t have to work so hard. I’m a sucker, I know. Clean park, great camp sites, great fire pits and picnic tables! I can’t believe it’s donation based! Lots of huge camp sites too and wonderful humongous old trees for shade. So happy I came here. People so friendly here too. Please note, it has a 5-day stay limit.
Andrew Engstrom
So grateful to have found this incredible park at 1am! It was very dark, hard to see if spots were open. We ended up setting up trailer tent in a not-designated spot/area, but the police and denizens drove by without complaint. People were friendly. Beautiful huge trees. Bathrooms are in the center area in a brown building. Toilets flush, sink trickles, and the spigots on either side of the bathroom gush FAST. Donation box by the bathroom. There are two wide roads that go across the width of the campground so you can easily turn around a big rig. They even have spare firewood for free, right by the trash. (none available when we were there.) There's river access - people came just to skip rocks and laugh =), a train in the distant is nostalgic but not too loud. There are TWO camp grounds here - if you can't find a spot but do find an ominous road into the dark at the far side of camp in the night, head that way and look for an opening. Cicadas in the summer - at JUST a certain temperature around 10:30am they all start together almost in unison. I was so blessed by Montana, and how gracious this effort is, and how unified the town of Columbus to make this happen. (cities towns working together is a theme here. The last great place - not just because of the vistas. Mostly it's the people and the heart!)