Montana / Lewis and Clark County

Riverside Campground

Closed — Closed for the season. The campground operates during peak summer months with full services including potable water, vault toilets, dumpsters, and campground hosts. Reservations available through Recreation.gov.

About

Riverside Campground is a Bureau of Reclamation facility located 30 miles east of Helena, Montana, below Canyon Ferry Dam at the northern end of Canyon Ferry Reservoir. The campground sits along the banks of Hauser Reservoir where the current is swift and swimming is not advised. The facility offers 27 paved campsites, each equipped with a fire ring and picnic table, accommodating RVs and trailers. A separate group use area includes a picnic pavilion measuring 30' x 45' with 8 picnic tables, a large fire ring, and seven designated campsites providing privacy for larger gatherings. The campground provides an accessible fishing dock, concrete boat ramp with trailer parking, and day use picnic areas. During peak summer months, services include vault toilets, potable water, dumpsters, and on-site campground hosts. The abundant fish populations make this a prime location for bird watching, with frequent sightings of loons, cormorants, pelicans, bald eagles, and osprey hunting along the water. Canyon Ferry Reservoir offers year-round recreational opportunities including fishing for rainbow trout, perch, ling, and walleye, as well as boating, kayaking, jet skiing, windsurfing, and water skiing in summer. Winter brings ice fishing and ice skating. The campground is positioned halfway between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, with Helena, the state capital, just 25 miles away.

Directions

From Helena: Head east along County Road 430/Canyon Ferry Road for 18 miles to Jim Town Road and turn left. Continue straight to the campground. From Townsend: Head north on Highway 284 for 34 miles and turn right at Jim Town Road. Continue straight to the campground.

Nearby Campgrounds