Free camping right on the water draws a steady stream of anglers and road-trippers to Camel's Hump Lake, a small State Fish and Wildlife area near campsites near Sentinel Butte in western North Dakota. The campground has roughly four drive-in sites positioned at the edge of the lake, with picnic tables and fire pits at each. No water or dump station on site. Camping is not permitted on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, which is worth confirming before you route through.
The sites sit close enough to the lake that fishermen pass through regularly during the day, and the open terrain gives unobstructed sightlines across the water. Highway I-94 runs nearby, and traffic noise carries, particularly at night. Trains pass occasionally as well. Bugs can be a factor depending on the season. The four spots are small in number and have filled before dark on busy evenings, so arriving early in the afternoon is a reasonable approach.
Eric G. sums up the essentials plainly: "Campsites are right on edge of lake." Access to the area can be rough, so drivers with low-clearance vehicles should factor that in. Big rigs are listed as compatible, and cell service is available. The campground is free, pets are welcome, and alcohol is permitted. Anglers looking to extend a trip along this stretch of I-94 will find Custer Snow Camp and Buffalo Gap Campground (ND) among the nearby alternatives worth checking.
Description
Just northeast of Sentinel Butte I-94 Exit 10. Overnight camping prohibited Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except holidays.
Camping for longer than 10 consecutive days on any wildlife management area is prohibited. Trailers, campers, motor homes, or tents may not be left on any wildlife management area unless used for daily lodging. Camping is prohibited on those wildlife management areas where posted at public road entry points. Overnight camping is now prohibited on the following WMAs: Antelope Creek, Big Oxbow, Lewis and Clark, Neu’s Point, Och’s Point, Overlook, Sullivan and Tobacco Garden, McKenzie County; Van Hook, Mountrail County; and Hofflund and Trenton, Williams County. The following WMAs are closed to camping on Tuesdays and Wednesdays except holidays, but open to camping Thursday-Monday: Bull Creek, Billings County; Alkali Creek and Spring Creek, Bowman County; Smishek Lake and Short Creek Dam, Burke County; Apple Creek, Burleigh County; Harris M. Baukol, Divide County; Killdeer Mountains, Dunn County; Camels Hump Lake, Golden Valley County; Audubon, Custer Mine, Deepwater Creek, deTrobriand, Douglas Creek and Wolf Creek, McLean County; Beaver Creek and Hille, Mercer County; Crown Butte Lake, Morton County; Cedar Lake and Speck Davis Pond, Slope County; and McGregor Dam, Williams County. On those WMAs where camping is allowed Thursday through Monday, all equipment must be removed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when camping is not allowed.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsCamel's Hump Lake is located in North Dakota near Sentinel Butte
Coordinates
46.94684445521857 N
103.81679389708508 W
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 10 usersLast on 8/4/26
- Verizon5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 17 usersLast on 8/4/26
- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 8/4/26
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 10 usersLast on 8/4/26
- Verizon5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 17 usersLast on 8/4/26
- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 8/4/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
Features
For Campers
- Picnic Table
- Phone Service
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Big Rig Friendly
FREE established camping
Enjoy camping on government land. Limited or no services at this camping area.
PERMIT might be REQUIRED
We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Camel's Hump Lake needs a permit.
Drive Time
- 1 hr 59 min from Bismarck, ND
- 3 hrs 18 min from Minot, ND
- 3 hrs 39 min from Billings, MT
- 3 hrs 54 min from Rapid City, SD

















