By:
Submission
Yaak River Day Use Area is a great place for a large group to enjoy beautiful scenery and access to ample recreation opportunities. Some spectacular sites on the Kootenai National Forest can be found nearby. Natural Features: The day use area is located on the east side of Yaak River Campground. Both facilities are in a heavily wooded part of the forest, with the Yaak and Kootenai Rivers running nearby. Tall grasses, shrubs and young pines cover the ground and mature evergreens offer shade overhead. The facility is situated at an elevation of about 1,900 feet, close to the Montana-Idaho border in northwestern Montana. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area. Recreation: The Yaak and Kootenai Rivers provide ample opportunity for visitors to enjoy fishing, rafting and canoeing, among other activities. Boats can be launched at a primitive boat ramp near the campground. Anglers can expect a catch of mostly whitefish and a variety of trout. Hiking and mountain biking opportunities are available on a variety of trails within the Cabinet Mountains. Kootenai Falls, the largest un-dammed waterfall in the state and an attraction of historical significance for the Kootenai Tribe, is located about 7 miles east of Yaak River Day Use Area. It offers spectacular views, as the river drops 300 feet in just a few hundred yards. A swinging bridge is available and provides a different point of view to see the falls. Facilities: The day use area can accommodate up to 125 people. It is equipped with multiple tables, grills and a large campfire circle. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided. An adjacent campground is available for overnight tent and RV camping. It offers dozens of campsites and access to a boat ramp. Nearby Attractions: Yaak River Day Use Area is located along the David Thompson Historic Route, which is listed as one of the Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Ross Creek Giant Cedars, a 100-acre grove of majestic cedar trees, is about 23 miles south of the day use area and campground.
From Troy, travel west on Highway 2 for approximately 7 miles. The fee station and campground hosts are located on the east side of the road, prior to crossing the Yaak River.
Looks beautiful. Waiting for better weather then check it out. Falls are magnificent.
Not really any complaint the view of the falls is wonderful. The spaces are a tad short so if you have a larger camper or motorhome I would not suggest it, though we did get our 30-foot trailer in there with some ingenuity.
Great campground and fun hike to the falls!
Side note: Don't complain about people camping next to you if you camp in a public campground. We weren't loud, actually your generator is louder than our small talk.
Serene and pristine. Free camping. 16 day limit. The sound of Yaak River flowing in the distance is always in the background. The night skies are breathtaking.
Very fun place! The campground has picnic tables, and the end of circle there is a short trail that leads down to the water. There are some falls upstream in the river, so there is a bit of a current, but it is a very beautiful spot to swim around in and enjoy the views. Plus you can do some cliff jumping (tried it out myself, enough hang time to make me regret it on the way down, but I didn’t touch the bottom when I cannonballed in). Not busy during the week, but I was told it gets busy on the weekends.