Camping near Cannon Ball, North Dakota centers around Lake Oahe, a major reservoir created by Oahe Dam on the Missouri River. The region sits at approximately 1,600 feet elevation with a semi-arid climate that features hot summers and cold winters. Camping options in this area include Corps of Engineers recreation areas with basic facilities and tribal lands managed by the Standing Rock Sioux.
What to do
Fishing access: Beaver Creek Recreation Area provides direct water access for anglers. "Lots of locals visit to fish, and seemed to be quite lucky as well with Catfish and Walleye. Lovely place to visit for a few days," notes Gregory from a May 2023 stay.
Historical exploration: Visit the reconstructed Mandan village at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park Campground, 45 miles north of Cannon Ball. "We walked the on a slant village, the forts overlooking the Missouri river and of course General Custer's house and the barracks. Such a neat parks with lots to do!" writes Kristi D.
Disc golf: The disc golf course at General Sibley Park south of Bismarck provides recreational opportunities. A reviewer notes, "Day use areas available with shelters and playgrounds. Disc golf course. Vault toilets. Close to Bismarck and all it has to offer."
What campers like
Waterfront views: Campsites at Hazelton Area - Lake Oahe offer scenic Missouri River views. "We stayed here for 2 weeks in August 2021. We were in site 10. We had scenic view of the Missouri River. During the week we had the campground to ourselves," writes Jerry S.
Quiet weekday camping: Many Lake Oahe campgrounds empty out during weekdays. "This campground was practically empty on the last day of August in 2021. There were only 3 other campers and they were all next to one another," reports Tucker B. about Hazelton Area.
Spacious tent camping: The tent area at General Sibley Park offers flexibility and comfort. "The tent camping loop is a road through a large field with some picnic tables and trees. You can pull off and pitch your tent anywhere you like. The grass was very plush and I slept very well," shares Sydney.
What you should know
Seasonal operations: Most campgrounds in the region operate from mid-May to mid-September due to harsh winter conditions. For Beaver Creek on Lake Oahe, a camper advises: "Drinking water and showers are seasonal, so check the website if you need these to be operational."
Limited facilities: Morton County Fort Rice Campground offers basic amenities. "Campground is 25 miles from Mandan. The campground has 2 vault toilets, 10 electric sites, potable water, dumping, and picnic sites. Very little shade but close to water," reports a camper.
Affordable rates: Camping costs at state and county parks are reasonable. At General Sibley Park, "For a tent site, it was $12 cash in the drop box because I got there after hours," notes Sydney, while another reviewer mentioned potential discounts at Beaver Creek: "If you have an annual parks pass, you may get up to a 50% discount when booking."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Graner Park has a centrally located playground. "They have a water fill station and the playground is located in the middle of the loop so it's easily accessible to every site on the north loop," notes Josh D.
Educational opportunities: Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park offers learning experiences for children. "What a great park for families! That was my first thought. It just looks like a great place for kids to play. There's a playground, wide open spaces, easy trails, a river, and remnants of the fort and an Indian village," writes Mary S.
Campground activities: Several campgrounds have built-in recreation options. "We stayed at General Sibley campground on our family vacation in 2018. Large campground & we were pretty much in our own area. Frisbee golf course & playground. Nice first stop on our journey!" shares Ason S.
Tips from RVers
Electric hookups: Beaver Creek Recreation Area offers convenient power connections. "Nice little campground. Gets kinda loud on the weekend but still lots of open spots. Affordable with hookups, decent showers. Grass is well taken care of and the lake is pretty," says Lucy P.
Dump station access: The Hazelton Area - Lake Oahe campground has limited services. "Nice park, stayed in electric site for 2 nights, clean, water available, no dump station, vault toilets," reports Greg B.
Site spacing: Some campgrounds offer more privacy than others. "This campground is nice if you can get one of the few electric sites on the water," notes Josh D. about Graner Park, while another camper cautions that "the sites are way too close together and at night other campers will wake you up."
