USBR · Canyon Ferry Lake · Helena, MT

Riverside Campground

Riverside Campground is located 30 miles east of Helena, Montana, below the dam at the northern end of Canyon Ferry Reservoir. Riverside Campground provides space for campers, day users, and large groups. 27 paved campsites, a group use area with a picnic pavilion, 6 pit toilets, an accessible fishing dock, a boat ramp and day use picnic area. This popular location below the dam attracts many families, boaters and fisherman.

Reservable · Recreation.gov28 sites40 ft maxPets okFires okTents only

More like this: reservable in Montana · big rigs in Montana · tent only in Montana · pets allowed in Montana · group sites in Montana

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
RIVERSIDE CAMPGROUND AND GROUP USE AREARiversideRiverside Campground Campsite 7Riverside Campground
Photos courtesy of BOR · Recreation.gov
4fires
active
Bear Gulch Rx (prescribed burn) · 17 mi away · 300 acres
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

RV, no hookups27
group rv area nonelectric1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

28 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessibleRating
001RVPull-through90Paved8 / 2YesYesStandard
002RVPull-through90Gravel8 / 2YesStandard
003RVBack-in60Gravel8 / 2YesStandard
004RVPull-through80Gravel8 / 2YesStandard
005RVBack-in50GravelPartial8 / 2YesStandard
006RVPull-through70PavedPartial8 / 2YesYesStandard
007RVPull-through90GravelPartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
008RVPull-through80GravelPartial8 / 2YesStandard
009RVBack-in50GravelPartialRiverfront8 / 2YesStandard
010RVBack-in60PavedRiverfront8 / 2YesYesStandard

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 5:00 PM, checkout 4:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

Max vehicle length40 ft
EquipmentTents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesWe only charge fees during "Peak Seasons" the 1st weekend of May through the second weekend of September.
AccessibilitySites 001, 006, 010, 025 and 1 more are listed accessible

Riverside Campground has 27 campsites, a group use camping area, a boat ramp, parking area for boat trailers and several day use picnic sites. Each campsite has a paved camping pad, a fire ring and picnic table. During the peak summer months services include vault toilets, potable water, dumpsters and campground hosts. Riverside Group Campsites include exclusive access to a picnic shelter, accessible vault toilets and 7 campsites. The picnic shelter is 30' X 45' with 8 picnic tables and a large fire ring. Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire ring. The group campsites and pavilion are set apart from the rest of the campground, providing adequate space and privacy for groups to enjoy.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Riverside Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.39 inches of precipitation, 6.6 inches of snowFebruary: 0.42 inches of precipitation, 6.6 inches of snowMarch: 0.52 inches of precipitation, 4.6 inches of snowApril: 1.02 inches of precipitation, 2.9 inches of snowMay: 1.95 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowJune: 2.21 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.06 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.04 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowSeptember: 0.96 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowOctober: 0.78 inches of precipitation, 2.8 inches of snowNovember: 0.59 inches of precipitation, 5.4 inches of snowDecember: 0.46 inches of precipitation, 7.7 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 23.0°F averageFebruary: 27.2°F averageMarch: 36.1°F averageApril: 44.5°F averageMay: 53.9°F averageJune: 61.7°F averageJuly: 70.6°F averageAugust: 68.8°F averageSeptember: 58.9°F averageOctober: 45.5°F averageNovember: 32.8°F averageDecember: 23.4°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Helena Rgnl AP, 11 miles from the campground at 3,828 feet, station USW00024144 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 11 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 37 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Helena, MT: Head east along Co Rd 430/Canyon Ferry Rd from Helena, MT, continue for 18 miles to Jim Town Road and turn left. Continue straight until you reach the campground. From Townsend, MT: Head north on Hwy 284 for 34 miles and turn right at Jim Town Road. Continue straight until you reach the campground.

Nearest townHelena, Montana
Coordinates46.6564° N, 111.7348° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Bear Gulch Rx

    17 mi from the campground · 300 acres

  • Prescribed
    Wakina Sky Rx

    18 mi from the campground · 300 acres

  • Prescribed
    Sure Thing Swamp Rx

    31 mi from the campground · 180 acres

  • Prescribed
    Hogum Creek Road Piles Rx

    43 mi from the campground · 5 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗9.5 mi
Outdoor gearSierra ↗13.2 mi
RV sales & serviceD & D RV Center ↗13.2 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Riverside Campground - Targhee National Forest, ID

Worth a stop

Riverside Campground is located halfway between Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. The city of Helena, Montana, the state capital, is 25 miles away.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 2.1 mi
    Cave Ridge ↗
    9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, e-bike
  • 2.8 mi
    Holiday
    1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, e-bike
  • 3.6 mi
    Frontage Trail
    4.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 4.8 mi
    Little Hellgate ↗
    6.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Gates of the Mountains Wilderness begins about 11.6 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Riverside Campground sits below Canyon Ferry Dam along the banks of Hauser Reservoir. Ample fish in the water makes this a prime location for bird watching. Loons, cormorants and pelicans are often present patrolling the waters; while bald eagles and osprey make appearances to showcase their fish hunting skills.

Recreation

Canyon Ferry Reservoir offers a wide range of year-round recreational opportunities. Water related activities include everything from swimming and fishing to sailing and motor-boating. Canoeists and kayakers explore the many quiet backwater bays. Jet skiers, windsurfers and water skiers skim the summer waves, while winter draws ice fishermen and ice skaters.

Guidebooks for Montana

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Montana
    Vicky Soderberg and Ken Soderberg, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon Montana, Wyoming and Idaho Camping
    Becky Lomax, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Montana
    Kenneth L. Graham, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Riverside Campground?

Sites at Riverside Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Riverside Campground?

We only charge fees during "Peak Seasons" the 1st weekend of May through the second weekend of September.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Riverside Campground?

Check-in 5:00 PM, checkout 4:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Riverside Campground have?

28 sites, including 27 RV sites without hookups and 1 group rv area nonelectric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Riverside Campground?

The longest site here provides 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Riverside Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Riverside Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Riverside Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 4 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

Are there accessible sites at Riverside Campground?

Sites 001, 006, 010, and 025 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 5 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Riverside Campground?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Riverside Campground?

Canyon Ferry Reservoir offers a wide range of year-round recreational opportunities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Riverside Campground?

Helena, Montana. Riverside Campground is located halfway between Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park.

Source: Getting there

What if Riverside Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Court Sheriff Campground (1.3 mi), Chinamen's Campground (1.4 mi), and Jo Bonner Campground (2.6 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby