Montana / Valley County / Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge

Downstream

Closed — Closed for the winter season. Reservations for the 2026 camping season open February 2, 2026. Typically operates May through September with reservations; April and October may offer first-come, first-served camping.

About

Downstream Campground is located just below Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River in northeastern Montana, within the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. This Army Corps of Engineers facility is the most developed campground in the Fort Peck area, offering 86 campsites shaded by mature cottonwood trees. Seventy-one sites include electrical hookups, and the campground features both reservable sites and first-come, first-served areas, including pull-through sites suitable for larger RVs. The campground offers flush toilets and showers in two loops, vault toilets in other areas, and modern amenities including a dump station. Three miles of paved nature trails wind along the Missouri River, providing excellent opportunities for birding and wildlife viewing. Three fishing ponds, including scenic Winter Harbor, are located within the campground. A disc golf course called "The Fortress" was added in 2021, with discs available at the gatehouse. Fort Peck Lake is renowned for walleye fishing and also offers excellent opportunities for sauger, smallmouth bass, lake trout, chinook salmon, and northern pike. The surrounding refuge and lake area provide superb hunting for deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn. The nearby Fort Peck Dam Interpretive Center and Museum displays wildlife dioramas, aquariums, and dinosaur fossils. The campground's location provides easy access to Fort Peck Lake's 1,500 miles of pristine shoreline and 27 recreation areas.

Directions

From Nashua, MT, travel on Highway 117 south for 10.5 miles, continue straight onto Yellowstone Road for 1 mile; campground is on the left. From Glasgow, MT, travel Highway 24 south for 18 miles to Fort Peck Dam, turn left onto Highway 117 for 2.5 miles, turn right onto Yellowstone Road and continue 1 mile; campground is on the left.

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