The Forest Service announced it will convert a popular free campground and boat launch area on the east side of the Hungry Horse Reservoir to day use only.

Known as the FK&L site, it will close on July 22 (today) and then undergo several site improvements, the Forest Service said in a release. It’s just west of the Emery Bay campground.

The Hungry Horse News spoke to some people camped at the site on Saturday. They weren’t happy about the closure, noting there are fewer and fewer free sites along the 54-mile long reservoir.

On the east side, for example, the next closest free site was Devil’s Corkscrew one family noted, but it’s 30-plus miles up a rough road to get there and rough on campers.

On the west side, Flossy Creek is a free site, Joe and Sheila Elsass said, so they might start going there.  But others said that site suffers from overcrowding and similar problems.

The FK&L site’s proximity to town was proving problematic, noted Forest Service spokeswoman Kira Powell. On May 29 a Flathead County Sheriff Deputy shot and killed Kenneth Ardagna, 57, after deputies responded to a call of an assault with a weapon at the site. That case remains under investigation by the Kalispell Police Department.

Powell also noted that there have been numerous other law enforcement calls to the area and people often stay beyond the 16-day limit at the site.

When the Hungry Horse News was there on Saturday there was a pickup at the site that looked like it had rolled, or at the very least, been in a severe accident.

Still, people said it was an enjoyable place and they were tired of the fees at other places. One family claimed it cost them $6 just to drive around the Doris Boat launch to see if friends were there.

 The Forest Service said site improvements at FK&L will include parking area construction, access road improvement, surface aggregate improvement, installation of a cast-in-place concrete boat launch, picnic area tables with connected raised walking paths, and construction of an overflow and boat trailer parking area at Emery Bay campground to increase the usable turnaround area at the top of the existing boat ramp.

Powell said she didn’t know if the site would become a fee area in the future.

The project is expected to be completed by July 2027.