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Montana › Flathead County › Swan Lake › Spotted Bear Lake

Spotted Bear Lake

Swan Lake, Montana — Flathead County.

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12Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 61140057).

Getting there

Flying here

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Spotted Bear Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Driving here

Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Spotted Bear Lake.

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Staying here

Look for hotels in and around Swan Lake, MT.

Search hotels near Swan Lake, MT on Klook

Hotel links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability are set by Klook. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Things to do near Spotted Bear Lake

Look up tours, activities and attraction tickets around Swan Lake, MT on Klook.

Browse things to do near Swan Lake, MT on Klook

Activity links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Boat rentals near Spotted Bear Lake

Browse boat, pontoon and kayak rentals and charters listed on GetMyBoat.

Boat rentals in Swan Lake, MT on GetMyBoat

Listings, prices and availability are set by GetMyBoat and its hosts. Check the lake's own boating rules before you go.

Location & fast facts

Where Spotted Bear Lake is in Montana

The red circle marks Spotted Bear Lake.

Fast facts

About Spotted Bear Lake

  • County: Flathead
  • Nearest city: Swan Lake (about 11.5 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 76 mi from Missoula and 106 mi from Great Falls, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Montana: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Montana

Official FWP pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Fishing. Westslope cutthroat trout
  • Camping. 6 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

    Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

    Official fish data (Montana FWP)

    Stocked by the state: Westslope cutthroat trout (2016, 2022, 2024; 6,516 fish in all, fry included)

    Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Fish Stocking Records from the FWP Fisheries Information System (releases into Spotted Bear Lake since 2015). Look up details in FishMT stocking reports. These are stocking records, not a full fish survey; other species also live here.

    Fishing gear for Spotted Bear Lake

    Gear picks based on the fish listed for Spotted Bear Lake above. These open Amazon search results; check your state's fishing rules for the water before you buy bait or tackle.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

    Lake map

    Spotted Bear Lake shoreline

    0.05 mileN

    No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

    Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 61140057), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

    Campgrounds near Spotted Bear Lake

    We found 6 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Spotted Bear Lake, 1 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

    All campgrounds & RV parks in Montana

    Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

    Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

    Conditions right now

    Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
    Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

    Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (47.9236, -113.4943). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Spotted Bear Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

    Sun, moon & best fishing times

    Sun & moon at Spotted Bear Lake

    Best fishing times

    Major periodMinor periodDaylight

      Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in MT (America/Denver), and accurate to within a few minutes.

      Contact & official info

      Questions about Spotted Bear Lake

      How big is Spotted Bear Lake?

      Spotted Bear Lake covers about 12 acres in Swan Lake, Montana (Flathead County).

      What fish are in Spotted Bear Lake?

      Montana FWP fish survey and stocking records lists Westslope cutthroat trout.

      Are there campgrounds near Spotted Bear Lake?

      Yes. We list 6 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.

      What towns are on Spotted Bear Lake?

      Spotted Bear Lake touches Swan Lake in Flathead County, Montana.

      Share a tip or fishing report

      Know Spotted Bear Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

      Lakes & ponds nearby

      Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Montana lakes & ponds · All waters in Swan Lake