16
Pull-thru
Bureau of ReclamationCanyon Ferry Lake · Montana
Riverside Campground
Overview Riverside Campground is located 30 miles east of Helena, Montana, below the dam at the northern end of Canyon Ferry Reservoir.
Sites28all reservable
Elev.3,675ft
Comf.May-Oct6 months
Max rig40 ft16 pull-thru
Electricnonesites
From Helena0h35real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 3,675 ft, Riverside Campground has a 6-month comfortable window (May-Oct). Winter nights average around 20°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 28 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Of the sites, 16 pull-through, and the longest takes a 40-ft rig. Within about 4 miles: 3 peaks, lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and quiet. Softest on roomy sites.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
May-Oct
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
85%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
May 5
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 15.
59°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Helena
20 mi
0h35
02
Bozeman
97 mi
1h55
03
Missoula
134 mi
2h34
04
Billings
238 mi
4h16
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 6.9 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 28 SITES
Color byShow only
28 mapped sites · dot color = seclusion · click a dot for details. Basemap © OpenStreetMap.
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
5
Accessible
0
Prime
28
Sites
★ The standout
Site 001
pull-through.
To neighbor
129 ft
Max rig
40 ft
Type
Pull-thru
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Trail segments
68
Peaks
3
Viewpoints
1
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
6.9 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.