Hellgate Campground

Quiet and almost empty Wednesday/Thursday but not only full weekend 100am wakeup call from a ski boat with a deafening sound system.[The other side of the lake]  

The access to the lake was between other campsites but it was too steep for my wife.  Site 61 was a tight squeeze at 33' because of an incline at the rear of 2'.  Excellent sunsets and moonrises with plenty of room between the sites.  No shade at sites but some trees/shrubs on the shoreline.

The camp was perfect for our family reunion camp.  Chuck the amp host was very attentive and friendly! He was probably the best host we have ever had over the years!  He checked on us several times a day to see if we needed anything!! Kudos to him for his service!! A couple of suggestions are some weeding around camp sites and mosquito control.  Great week had by all!! Thanks Chuck!

The site we had was level and close to the water which was really nice. There were only 2 things that I wasn't a fan of - the fire ring was set in the corner of the site with 2 sides close against parking blocks so you couldn't put more than 3 chairs around the fire and there was a small but steep hill on all side of the site aside from the road. There were lots of other nicer sites though.

We stayed here for 4 nights over 4th of July weekend. The camp hosts make rounds quite often, so rules are followed pretty closely. We took ATVs and rode them to a trailhead that starts just across the highway from the campsite. Beautiful trails and a lot of them! We had campsites #1-6 and even through the reservation website says "severe grade", they were great sites with plenty of level areas for a large camper and most of them were shaded and had trees in between the sites. Sites #1-6 are not on the water; so you do have to drive or walk to the water or get a campsite that is right on the water (there are many of those). There are 2 boat ramps with courtesy docks for boats and parking for trailers. A short drive down the road (or drive the boat down) is Kim's Marina which has a convenience store for food, essentials, beer, ice, etc.

All sites have close access to water. Nice RV sites and some good shade sites for tents.

This campground is huge it sits on a peninsula jutting out in the the Missouri River. Some spots have trees which provide much needed shade in this dry area. Deer came through the campground while we were there. We had a trailer but the sites seem primitive, no power or water hookups. There was a vault toilet and a place to pump water from but I think we were there right at the end of the season so the pumps might have been off. Trailer was easy to back into our slot, but several places had pull throughs. We would definitely stay here again.

Very exposed to wind gusts due to lack of trees. First evening was uncomfortable due to constant wind. Boat launch did not have docks set up on memorial day weekend. Made boat use very difficult. Otherwise it was a nice stay.

Disclaimer, I went Memorial Day weekend. But it was RV hell. And I don't know about that "one unit per site" nonsense - almost every site near me had one or two RVs/campers plus a tent, or some combo like that. So many people, so loud, yelling and laughing and running generators. I'm glad they had a good time - I'm not a "get off my lawn" camper, but it was a little extra. The bathrooms are very clean and convenient! And if you camp in loops A, B, or C, you get your own slice of waterfront property on the other side of some nice shade trees. Side note, someone had poached my reservation so when I arrived, first stop was camp host to regulate. Which she promptly did so no biggie.

I know everyone has their own likes and dislikes when it comes to a site. I treasure seclusion, trees, and a lack of crowds/people. This site is by some beautiful water, but that’s about all it has. No trails, everything is wide open and people can really get packed in there. That being said, it’s ok for a quick weekend trip if you live in Helena. Not my first, second, or third choice tho. Lots of RV’s. Keep in mind that this is the same for all of the sites in the canyon ferry/Missouri River area. Just not for me.

Large campground on the east side of Canyon Ferry. Two very large group use areas. If you like camping in the trees you will need to get one of the first several sites along the creek, most of the other campsites are in the open unless a large cottonwood is growing on the edge of the lake. Large day use shelter. Boat ramp with lots of parking for boat trailers. Lots of pull through sites for RVs.

This is a beautiful campground right on canyon ferry lake! The camp host where super nice and drove around often to check on the campground! The site was very clean when we showed up! I would defiantly recommend people to this campground!

Canyon Ferry Lake is an expansive lake reaching 33 miles from Townsend to Helena, MT. Gorgeous scenery that is reminiscent of the ocean: long, white-sand beaches, warm waters (in the summer), and the lake disappearing into the horizon. Hellgate Campground is the largest developed campground with 69 campsites along the banks of the lake. Some campsites are for single cars only and some have space for multiple vehicles. Each campsite has a designated fire ring and picnic tables. Verizon cell coverage is available. Rated a four-star because this campground is popular and fills up quickly, a little too populated for my personal preference.

This site has extensive day-use picnic areas and a regular campground. This is a totally open site with no shade or privacy. If you don’t have a boat and don’t want to BBQ, there’s not much to do, but the views are pretty all around. Went here with a local. If you’re visiting Montana from out of state there are, IMHO, much more beautiful and Montana-y options.