Clark's Bay Day Use Area Shelter

Closed — Closed for the season. Open daily 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from May 1 through early October. This is a day-use only area; overnight camping is not permitted. As of January 2025, there is no running water on-site.

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About

Clark's Bay Day Use Area is situated on the scenic Devil's Elbow and Clark's Bay of Hauser Lake, offering stunning views of the Big Belt and Elkhorn Mountains. Located just 15 minutes from Helena, Montana's state capital, this BLM-managed recreation area provides a feeling of seclusion while remaining easily accessible. The site features approximately a quarter-mile of manicured sandy beach, making it a popular destination for swimming and lakeside relaxation during the summer season. The day-use area includes a large group picnic shelter with eight accessible picnic tables, plus five smaller shade structures scattered throughout the grounds. A volleyball court, boat ramp for small boats, and paved parking lot with approximately 50 spaces serve visitors. The area is connected to Devil's Elbow Campground and Two-Camps Vista via a network of non-motorized dirt, gravel, and paved trails, allowing visitors to explore without vehicle traffic. The surrounding landscape is characterized by shrub-steppe vegetation with sagebrush and bunch grasses, with scattered ponderosa pine and deciduous trees providing limited shade. Clark's Bay serves as an excellent base for exploring the greater Hauser Lake Recreation Area, which offers world-class mountain biking, multiple fishing access sites, hunting access, and extensive trail systems. The location provides boundless outdoor recreation opportunities while maintaining proximity to Helena's amenities, restaurants, museums, and historic attractions including Last Chance Gulch and the Capitol building.

Directions

From Helena, take Exit 193 (Cedar Street) from I-15. Travel on Washington Street past the airport entrance and turn right on Canyon Ferry Road for 0.5 miles, then turn left on York Road for approximately 11 miles through Lakeside to the Clark's Bay entrance. From I-90 driving from Bozeman, exit at Exit 274 US 287 Helena/Ennis, turn right to continue north on 287 for 57 miles, turn right onto Lake Helena Drive, continue for 4 miles through the roundabout, turn right onto York Road and drive 5.7 miles to Clark's Bay.