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Closed until further notice:
Emergency Site Closure This fishing access site is closed due to flood damage leaving the site without a safe access road. These public safety risks caused by extremely high water levels, endangered and failing infrastructure, flooded and impassible access roads, and limited availability of search and rescue resources. Closures will be strictly enforced. Signs are posted at the highway and road entrance.
06/16/2022 -
Until further notice
Black Canyon is a boat-in-only campground located five lake miles from the Ok-A-Beh boat ramp. Black Canyon is currently closed (as of 8/30/22) because of aggressive bear activity due to them receiving food rewards from campers. - Open All Year - Docks in seasonally (Memorial Day - Labor Day) - 17 tent sites
Medicine Creek campground is a boat-in or hike-in only campground. It is approximately 3 miles north of Barry's Landing by land or water. - Open All Year - Lake level affects the proximity of the boat mooring to campsites
Guide
We needed an easy stop crossing from WA to the Midwest. When we arrived, a number of sites were being used, but they were just there for the day. We loved our spacious spot with an amazing view of the river. Few bugs in September. We backtracked the next morning to explore Pompey's Pillar National Monument.
Scout
Office staff and owners are great! Areas are clean and neat.
Scout
Great place to pull off to get some rest at drive up campsites. The road right before getting to the park was washboard like (late Sept. 2024). Can drive quite a ways down but make sure your vehicle has Clearance cause the dirt road gets rough.
GuideDidnt camp but stopped to cook lunch, seems fine for tent or car camp, theres a few old picknick tables and an outhouse toilet. A few boaters at the boat ramp and one small area to get down to the river for dip (beware fast rapid spots), or use pier for fishing. No bites after a few casts but wasnt planning to stay as it was 92 degrees with not much shade.
Ranger
Clean quiet at night. Family and pet friendly. Large campsites each with a picnic table and fire pit. Public toilets non-threaded water spigot near the entrance. Water quality is great. 64 outlets on four different light posts near communal bathroom and shelter area. With a long enough extension cord you might be able to get to your campsite but I doubt it. Close to the river. I feel safe here. I got here on August 30th and stay till September 3rd that's why I chose month of September.
RangerRight on the river and lots of shade and roomy camp spots. AT&T cell service is good!
Legend
Got on around 7pm and the office was closed. Easy night procedures. Still able to access the mini golf and pool. Kids had a blast with both and the playground. Nice full hook up back in spot. A little pricey for a quick turn but nice neighbors and great amenities. Just wish campground were open later.
Scout
New owners have been here about a year and you can see all of the new improvements! Cute store! Vending machines in the laundromat, one of the offers ice cream, and frozen food. 2 Huge dog parks and pet wash. Bathrooms are clean and staff is very friendly..
TravelerThere are only four spots to camp here but they are large and grassy. Each of them faces the river with a firepit and a table. There is a vault toilet near the boat launch. The spots are relatively secluded. The Yellowstone River is a fast moving and dangerous ricer but there is a great swimming hole on the other side of the boat launch. It’s easy to get to the campsites. There is a train track near by. LOTS of cool bird activity.
Guide
Didn’t end up staying overnight, but enjoyed some day use of the area. Gorgeous views, well-kept pit toilets (with hand sanitizer!) and it wasn’t too busy.
Scout
Tent camping here is not very private. You basically pitch a tent in the middle of a bunch of RVs with very little tree cover. Also, we were in T1 and near the bathrooms which made it so people would cut through our campsite often.
That being said all the facilities are very nice and the staff as well.
Tent campers beware but not that ware.
Scout
This camground was fairly quiet. Close to town. Only issue with this campground is how they have sites marked. Took a little bit to figure out the site markers for tent camping. They have little concrete circles on the ground with numbers. After we figured that out it was easy to get set up and paid.
Scout
Other places along the river had too many people for my liking stayed here no one else right place for my dog to Rome nice breeze did have Bug issues
TravelerGreat spot short drive into Billing’s but in the countryside
GuideAt first we were a little nervous about staying in a public campground, but we quickly felt safe and decided to stay an extra day. There was some trash around but overall it was clean. The city park staff had a strong presence during the day, taking care of the grounds. In the afternoon and evening, law enforcement made a few sweeps through the park. There was wood left by many of the fire pits and even a water fill station for our RV. Sites did not have hookups but we run on solar with generator backup so we survived the 100 degree heat just fine. The river was right there and while beautiful... too swift for us or our dogs to enter. We enjoyed walking there and felt very comfortable. The park manager came by to introduce himself also. This place was a gem. Please leave a donation if you stay and say thank you for such a wonderful resource.
Guide
We called last minute for an overnight and there was one spot left. We were welcomed and taken care of even arriving after hours. Nice pull through sites, clean bathrooms and showers, (laundry too, although we did not use this stop), and a nice area with horse shoes and another toss game. Trains can be heard occasionally while outside but inside with our fan running we never heard them.
Ranger
The Custer fishing access site was closed for no reason so I found this spot about 30 miles from billings. Only about seven or eight pull in sights and not very large. I have a 28 ft total length and there were only one or two spots that would work. Only two spots I could find right on the Big Horn river, but a beautiful and Serene location. One Vault toilet and a couple of garbage cans in one locale. No cellular service whatsoever.
Traveler
5 sites. This is a first come first serve camping area. There is no concrete pads as mentioned in another review. Fire pits and picnic tables at 4 sites. They say it’s a fishing access but unless you have waders there is little access to rock creek on the bank due to thick brush. It is a decent place to stay overnight. No hookups.
Guide
Campsite has plenty of spots and decent amenities. Some of the spots have lake access where we saw other campers with their boats tied up to shore. The spots were way too close together for my liking. There were almost no trees, which meant no privacy from other campers. The campsite was EXTREMELY overpriced. We paid $36 for one night of tent camping ($8 vehicle fee and $26 tenters fee). This might be a reasonable price for RVs hooked up to electricity and water, but this was a ripoff for tenters that used only the pit toilet amenity. The lake was pretty, but I will absolutely continue on and camp in the Beartooth Mtns next time around.
ScoutNice place allowing upto 7 days of free camping. Donations suggested. This is a city park just outside of town, so water and rv dump are nearby. Laundromat also nearby. Toilets and potable water are in the park. You can fill your fresh water tank.
TravelerFree campground run by the city of Columbus. They do accept donations. Only a 5 min drive off the highway so it’s very convenient as a road trip stop.
It has lots of shade and is located right next to the Yellowstone River.
In a Monday night in June, the campground was mostly full.
TravelerMany spots, you need to have a Montana conservation license $10 which you can purchase online, there is great service with Verizon.
GuideFortunately, there is good signage guiding you in here from the frontage road. If there wasn’t, one would almost feel as though they were driving onto someone’s property as opposed to public land.
I loved this place because it was close enough to I94 to feel convenient but far enough away that the noise from the freeway wasn’t bothersome although it’s so peaceful here, you can still hear the road. But you’re hearing it from a distance. It’s far from overpowering.
We were lucky enough to get the site under this truly massive tree that was likely here when captain clark was on his expedition. The pics don’t do justice to its size but use my camper for comparison. Haha
Sites are well spread apart. Fire rings and picnic tables at each. FYI, there is no place nearby to purchase firewood. Stop in Miles City or Billings on your way in depending on the direction you’re coming from if you need it.
You do have to have a MT Conservation License to stay here. They out of state variety that I had to purchase was $10 and is good for an entire year at this and any other location in the state that requires it. The good news is that the sign board at the campground has a QR code on it and I had three bars of Verizon to do it from the campsite.
No one ever came through to check if I had it, but one would have to understand that they do maintain these places to some degree and that maintenance has a cost.
We saw several geese. Heard several wild turkeys but never saw them. And we were greeted with an amazing sunrise right before we set out on our way.
Definitely recommend this place if you’re traveling I94. Would most definitely stay again.
TravelerA Montana State Parks Conservation Permit is now required to camp here. Don't know if they enforce that requirement. Here's the link. Your permit is good all year.
https://ols.fwp.mt.gov/landing_input
This is a great spot. I was here on a week night very quiet. Only one other couple. Lots of birds. You can see where the beavers have been at work felling trees on they way in. Wild turkeys were pretty vocal last evening.
Easy to imagine Capt. William Clark floating past in 1806 in his lashed together canoes on his way to the Missouri to rejoin Capt. Merriweather Lewis.
It is actually a fishing access point with boat ramp. A little slow going in on the dirt road. Could be slick if rainy. There are 4 campsites with fire rings and a pit toilet at the far end.
Length limit on vehicles is 20 feet. They clarify 20 ft tow vehicle and 20 ft trailer. Don't know how strict they are on this. It would be tough to get anything big in here anyway. You can stay here up to 7 days.
ScoutNice and friendly management. Easy access from Hwy. both back in and drive through sites. Full hookups.
ScoutThis worked perfectly for a 2 AM stop, but would've been great for a longer stay. Came in really late and about 75% of the sites were empty. Would be nice even to camp for multi-day and enjoy the Yellowstone River. Left a donation. Looks like there is water and vault toilets as well, I didn't use them
Guide10 spots full hook up
Billings, Montana, offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure and tranquility in nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
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