Holter Dam Campground
1Heads up1 fire 44 mi away
- Right now
- Nobody has saidNo season, no closure, no bookings to read
- A night
- $20From, per site
- Sites
- 17All of them booked ahead
The place
the agency’s own description · what’s there · 14 notices
In the agency’s own words
Holter Dam Recreation Area Located immediately below Holter Lake Dam, this stretch of the Missouri River is recognized as a premier Blue-Ribbon fishery, drawing anglers nationwide for its exceptional rainbow and brown trout fishing. The area is also popular for camping, river floating, fly fishing, picnicking, walking, scenic viewing, and wildlife observation. Holter Dam provides: Camping & Day-Use: 17 campsites, picnic shelters, shade structures, and accessible shoreline fishing areas. Boating Access: A 2-lane concrete boat ramp with adjacent parking. Visitor Services: Information kiosk, fee station, potable water system, garbage collection, and lawn with night lighting. Facilities: Concrete vaulted latrines, picnic tables, and grills. Trails & Scenic Access: Walking paths and viewing areas along the river. Keep reading
Recreation
This stretch of the Missouri River is recognized as a premier Blue-Ribbon fishery , drawing anglers nationwide in search of rainbow and brown trout. In addition to world-class fishing, visitors enjoy camping, river floating, picnicking, wildlife observation, and scenic viewing along the shoreline. While there are only a few short walking paths at the site itself, multiple fishing access sites and hunting areas nearby provide additional opportunities to experience Montana’s outdoors. Recreation in the Holter Dam area is varied and abundant.
Facilities
The 17 campsites accommodate RVs, camper trailers, and tents, with amenities designed for comfort and convenience. Facilities include a parking lot, a two-lane concrete boat ramp, concrete vaulted latrines, picnic tables, grills, shade structures, and picnic shelters. Visitors will also find an information kiosk, fee station, accessible shoreline fishing areas, potable water, garbage collection, a maintained lawn, and night lighting. Reservations are required and must be made in advance, as Holter Dam is a popular destination and sites fill quickly during peak season. Reservations can be made online at Recreation.gov .
Natural Features
Every campsite offers views of the Missouri River and the surrounding mountains. Poplar and green ash trees are scattered throughout the campground and day-use area, providing welcome shade during the height of summer. The setting lies within a shrub-steppe landscape dominated by sagebrush and bunchgrasses, offering a true sense of Montana’s open spaces. Wildlife is abundant in the area. Bald eagles, ospreys, and great blue herons are often seen along the shoreline, while mule deer, bighorn sheep, and other native species roam the nearby hillsides. The reservoir’s clear waters provide excellent opportunities to observe waterfowl and enjoy the region’s natural beauty year-round. Contact Info This location has limited staffing. Please call (406) 233-1093 for general information.
Nearby Attractions
Holter Dam Campground is conveniently located between Helena and Great Falls , making it an excellent basecamp for both outdoor recreation and cultural exploration. On Holter Lake: Log Gulch Campground & Day-Use Area – A large BLM-managed site on the west shore, with developed campsites, group picnic shelters, boat ramps, and a swim beach. Departure Point – A smaller 4 site campground with direct access to the lake and beach. Holter Lake Campground – Located upstream of Holter Dam, offering lakefront campsites, a swimming beach, and a boat ramp. Fishing & Boating – Holter Lake is popular for kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, walleye, and perch, with multiple boat ramps providing access. Wildlife & Birdwatching – The lake attracts pelicans, bald eagles, ospreys, and waterfowl, while bighorn sheep and mule deer are often seen on surrounding cliffs. South to Helena (about 45 minutes): Montana State Capitol – Tour the historic seat of Montana’s government. Last Chance Gulch & Reeder’s Alley – Explore Helena’s vibrant downtown with shops, restaurants, and gold rush history. Cathedral of St. Helena – A striking neo-Gothic cathedral dominating the skyline. Mount Helena City Park – Trails lead to panoramic views of the Helena Valley. Tizer Botanic Gardens & Arboretum – A colorful retreat in Jefferson City. Great Northern Carousel & ExplorationWorks – Family-friendly attractions in the heart of the city. Montana Historical Society Museum – Exhibits showcasing Montana’s history and culture. North to Great Falls (about 1 hour): Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center – Immersive exhibits tracing the Corps of Discovery’s journey. C.M. Russell Museum – Celebrating the art and legacy of famed Western painter Charles M. Russell. Giant Springs State Park & Fish Hatchery – Home to one of the largest freshwater springs in the world. River’s Edge Trail – Miles of paved pathways along the Missouri River, with access to waterfalls and scenic overlooks. First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park – One of North America’s largest buffalo jump sites, with an interpretive center. Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art – Regional art museum in a historic building. The Five Falls of the Missouri River – Black Eagle, Rainbow, Crooked, Big Falls, and Colter Falls, accessible from overlooks and trails.
Charges & Cancellations
Reservation Cancellations & Changes • Cancelling a Reservation: Customers may cancel their reservation prior to arrival both on-line and through the call center. A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refund for a cancellation. Depending on when you cancel in relation to your arrival day, it may be considered a late cancellation (see below). Late Cancellations or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window • Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. The recreation.gov cancellation policy can be found here: https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies
What the agency tells you
Check-in is 2:00pm and Check-out is 11:00am. ALL SITES RESERVATION ONLY
Stay limit is 14 consecutive days and 14 days within a 28-day time period.
Campsites are limited to no more than 2 RVs or 2 tents or a combination of 1 RV or 1 tent. Each RV or tent is considered a camping unit, and each camping unit costs $20.
Everything else this campground posts · 11
There is no black or grey water dump on site.
No hook-ups are available. Potable water is available throughout the campground to fill containers.
Quiet hours are from 10:00pm to 7:00am. There is no power available on-site for campers.
Caution: While it is uncommon to sight a bear in the area, it is possible. Bears, racoons, ravens, seagulls, magpies, and other animals will get into your food if not properly stored. Please be prepared to store your food either in your locked vehicle, RV, trailer, or bear-proof container while camping.
Prairie rattlesnakes and bull snakes inhabit this area. Be cautious of where you step or reach.
Please watch for ticks and black widow spiders. Both are very common in the area. Black widow bites, while not usually deadly, can be extremely painful and have caused local necrosis of the associated tissues and severe illness.
If you plan to bring a watercraft with you, please remember to always Clean, Drain, Dry and Inspect your craft for Aquatic Invasive Species.
Weather can change drastically in this area. Be prepared for any type of weather event.
Stock animals are not allowed in this facility.
ATVs, UTVs, and motorcycles must be street-legal. All drivers must be licensed.
Discounts are only available for those carrying a Senior or Access National Park Pass. You must have your pass with you.
Tents and rigs
- Sites
- 17
- Hookups
- None
- Longest rig
- 65 ft
- Accessible sites
- 1
- Pets
- Allowed
- Campfires
- Allowed, barring fire bans
- Shade
- Every site
Facilities
- Toilets
- Vault Toilets · Pit Toilets
- VAULT TOILETS on 3 of 17 campsite records, ACCESSIBLE VAULT TOILETS on 1 of 17 campsite records / ACCESSIBLE PIT TOILETS on 1 of 17 campsite records
- Drinking water
- Yes
- DRINKING WATER (PEAK SEASON) on 3 of 17 campsite records
- Boat ramp
- Yes
- Camp host
- On site
- recreation.gov lists “Host”
- Stay limit
- 14 nights
- recreation.gov facility rule maxStay
Around the campground
- On the water
- Waterfall, Reservoir, Lake, River, Beach
- Birding
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Non-Motorized Boating
- Paddle Boating
- Rafting
- River Trips
- Wildlife viewing
- Night sky · 333rd darkest of 501 in MT
- Bortle 2
Nothing on the booking system for the next 30 nightsread 15:42 UTC
Every site here is reservable, and the record lists none held back for anyone who drives up.
Every one of the next thirty nights is in recreation.gov’s record and not one site is being offered on any of them. That’s a campground closed or not yet released for booking, not a sold-out one.
Watch for a cancellation
Full? Watch it.
One email when a night opens, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We read recreation.gov once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time a site in your window is free for the nights you asked for.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
Tell me when the season opens
Watch for the season to open
One email when the season goes on sale, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We check once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time the agency has that season on sale.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
We make nothing when you book. The link goes straight to the government.
Every line of the receipt · 14
What you actually pay
Derived by CAMPANAC: the agency’s published rate for this season, $20 a night, plus one $8 recreation.gov reservation fee for the booking. A weekend here means Friday and Saturday night, booked once. Optional charges (an extra vehicle, a second tent, a dump-station fee) are listed separately and aren’t in this total.
“A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refund for a cancellation. Late Cancellations or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window • Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed…” · this campground’s own terms
Who keeps the booking fee
The agency’s own policy text says the reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee are “retained by the reservation service contractor”, and that a campground concessionaire will decline to refund them because “they did not receive these fees”. Recreation.gov is run under contract by Booz Allen Hamilton. What share of your booking fee the contractor keeps isn’t published in any federal dataset we can read, so we print no number for it. Our reporting on the contract →
How we know this receipt · 6
recreation.gov availability, read 15:42 UTC · rules read Sep 9, 2026 · rates Oct 1, 2026 · How we know all this
The sites
17 sites · which ones have room · the site map
The sites, ranked
from 17 mapped sitesAll 17 sites
Toilet distances are OpenStreetMap’s, measured for 17 of the 17 sites listed. A site with no reading is unknown, never far.
The price is derived by CAMPANAC, not published per site: the per-night rate this campground publishes for each site’s own site type. 17 of the 17 sites listed carry one, and a site whose type has no published rate sits out of the price rather than being called free.
| 01 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 29 ft | 72 ft | 299 ft | $20 | |
| 02 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 29 ft | 97 ft | 276 ft | $20 | |
| 03 | standard nonelectric | 40 ft | 44 ft | 133 ft | 186 ft | $20 | |
| 04 | standard nonelectric | 46 ft | 44 ft | 144 ft | 143 ft | $20 | |
| 05 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 40 ft | 158 ft | 101 ft | $20 | |
| 06 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 40 ft | 177 ft | 66 ft | $20 | |
| 07 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | yes | 38 ft | 193 ft | 42 ft | $20 |
| 08 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 37 ft | 200 ft | 54 ft | $20 | |
| 09 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 37 ft | 213 ft | 80 ft | $20 | |
| 10 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 41 ft | 224 ft | 117 ft | $20 | |
| 11 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 33 ft | 83 ft | 200 ft | $20 | |
| 12 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 33 ft | 51 ft | 224 ft | $20 | |
| 13 | standard nonelectric | 48 ft | 49 ft | 127 ft | 198 ft | $20 | |
| 14 | standard nonelectric | 46 ft | 126 ft | 241 ft | $20 | ||
| 15 | standard nonelectric | 46 ft | 118 ft | 246 ft | $20 | ||
| 16 | standard nonelectric | 47 ft | 114 ft | 194 ft | $20 | ||
| 17 | standard nonelectric | 47 ft | 110 ft | 153 ft | $20 |
Getting there
the map and the coordinate · the agency’s directions
Where it is
Holter Lake CampgroundButte Field Office · 1.0 mi
Log Gulch CampgroundButte Field Office · 4.0 miDeparture PointButte Field Office · 4.3 miBeartooth LandingButte Field Office · 8.3 mi
White Sandy CampgroundButte Field Office · 19 mi
Indian Flats CabinHelena National Forest · 20 miFrom Great Falls, Montana take Interstate-15 South towards Helena. Take exit 234 to Craig. Turn left heading to Craig and cross the Missouri River. Come to a "T" and then take a right on Recreation Road. Travel approximately 5 miles. After crossing the Missouri River/steel bridge, turn left onto Holter Dam Road. Continue 2 miles to Holter Lake Campground. The Campground will be on your left.
From Helena, Montana take Interstate-15 north towards Great Falls. Take exit 226 to Wolf Creek. Turn right towards Recreation Road and cross the railroad tracks. Turn left onto Recreation Road. Before crossing the Missouri River/steel bridge, turn right onto Holter Dam Road. Continue 2 miles to Holter Lake Campground. The Campground will be on your left.
The weather
the next four days · the thirty-year normal
Next four days, and the thirty-year normal
Forecast
NWS forecast for Wolf Creek, MT
Typical weather
Typical October night 36°F, day 59°F.
Coldest month of the year: typical January night 20°F, below freezing. Bring a bag rated colder than that, and expect ice in the water bottle.
Daily high and lowDays with 0.10 in or more
A normal is the 1991-2020 average for the month, not a forecast: about half of all Julys are colder than the July line. The seven-day forecast above answers the other question.
The land, and who answers for it
who answers for it
Who answers for this land
Holter Dam Campground is in Montana’s 2nd congressional district. Its representative, Troy Downing (R), votes on the laws that decide what happens to this land. Public-lands grade so far: F. See every public-lands vote →