Campground

Downstream (MT)

Near Fort Peck, Montana

Downstream Campground is located just below Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River in northeastern Montana. Recreation enthusiasts and sportsmen enjoy the beauty of Fort Peck Lake's 1,500 miles of shoreline. A variety of high quality outdoor activities are available, including camping, boating, fishing, hunting, sightseeing and wildlife viewing.

Fort Peck Dam, which impounds Fort Peck Lake is the first dam built in the upper Missouri River Basin. The area surrounding Fort Peck was first charted by Lewis and Clark in 1804, and the pristine natural condition of the river and surrounding area awed the renowned explorers. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the Fort Peck project in 1933, thousands of people from all over the country migrated to Montana during the midst of the Great Depression in hopes of earning a living. Today, Fort Peck Lake is a sportsman's paradise with excellent fishing, wildlife viewing and other countless outdoor recreation opportunities.

For more information, visit the Fort Peck Project Website or call 406-526-3411.

Facilities

Downstream Campground offers 86 family campsites, 71 of which have electrical hookups; 16 sites are tent-only. One large group campsite is available with electrical hookups.
The campground offers flush and vault toilets, showers, playgrounds, cornhole boards, a basketball court and horseshoe pits. A dump station is available on-site.

Natural Features

A shady grove of cottonwoods covers the grassy campground, making Downstream a pleasant place during the heat of the summer. In autumn, the leaves turn a beautiful golden yellow. Three fishing ponds, including scenic Winter Harbor, dot the landscape below the dam.

Recreation

The vast size of Fort Peck Lake and its remoteness from major population centers provide a variety of high quality outdoor experiences. Popular recreation activities include camping, boating, fishing, hunting, sight-seeing, picnicking, biking, hiking, photography, watching wildlife and just relaxing.

Fort Peck Lake: Fifteen hundred miles of pristine shoreline serve as a haven for those wishing to get away from the stresses of modern life. There are 27 recreation areas located around the reservoir. The areas near and around the dam offer paved roads, electricity, showers and playgrounds while facilities around the rest of the lake are more primitive with gravel roads, picnic tables and vault toilets. Access roads to many of the remote areas may be impassable in inclement weather.

Fishing: Fort Peck Lake enjoys nationwide recognition as a hot spot for walleye fishing. Fort Peck Lake provides excellent boating and fishing opportunities. The lake also offers excellent fishing for sauger, smallmouth bass, lake trout, chinook salmon and northern pike. The introduction of cisco as a forage fish in 1983 proved successful and has increased both the size and number of game fish.

Wildlife Viewing/Hunting: The Fort Peck Lake Area and the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge provide superb hunting of deer, elk, big horn sheep, and prong horn. The Missouri River Breaks are known for producing large elk and other game animals.
Trails: Three miles of paved nature trails wind along the Missouri River and through the surrounding wooded area. This trail area is a popular birding and wildlife viewing area.

Disc Golf Course: A disc golf course "The Fortress" was installed in summer of 2021. Discs are available to check out at the gate house.

Interpretive Center & Museum: The Fort Peck Dam Interpretive Center and Museum offers displays of wildlife dioramas, aquariums, dinosaur fossils and dam construction history. Open Friday through Monday 9am to 4pm.

Activities

Day Use Area
Hiking
Fishing
Camping
Historic & Cultural Site
Biking
Boating
Birding
Amphitheater
Environmental Education
Fish Hatchery
Observation Site
Photography
Recreational Shooting
Star Gazing
Visitor Center
Disc Golf
Water Activities

Amenities

Accessible Campsites
Accessible Drinking Water
Accessible Flush Toilets
Accessible Grills
Accessible Parking
Accessible Picnic Area
Accessible Picnic Shelters
Accessible Pit Toilets
Accessible Showers
Accessible Sites
Accessible Trails
Campfire Rings
Dump Station
Electric Hookups
Electricity
Entrance Station
Fire Extinguisher
Firewood Vender
Fishing Dock
Fishing Pier
Historic Sites
Horseshoe Pit
Ice
Interpretive Trails
Marina
Museum
Parking Area
Paved Parking
Paved Pathways
Paved Roads
Paved Sites
Pets Allowed
Picnic Area
Picnic Shelters
Picnic Tables
Pit Toilets
Playground
Shade
Showers (Seasonal)
Table & Benches
Tables
Water (Seasonal)
Water Spigot
Electricity Hookup
Fire Pit
Grills/Fire Ring
Picnic Table
Tent Pad
Grills
Sewer Hookup
Accessible Occupant Message
Accessibility
Water Hookup
BBQ
Lean To/Shelter

Nearby Attractions

Fort Peck Lake is a Montana treasure for its vast size and outdoor recreation opportunities. Six recreation areas within a few miles of the dam provide access for water sports, fishing and hunting.
The Fort Peck Interpretive Center and Museum, is located just downstream of Fort Peck Dam. For more information, call 406-526-3493.
The Leo B. Coleman Wildlife Pasture, located just outside the Town of Fort Peck and Downstream Campground is home to Fort Peck's Bison Herd and provides an excellent wildlife viewing auto route.
The Historic Fort Peck Theater is located in the town of Ft. Peck is a popular historic destination in summer months.
The 1.1 million acre Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge surrounds Fort Peck Lake and helps preserve the natural habitat for numerous wildlife species.

Getting Here

Latitude

48° 0' 24.1848" N

Longitude

106° 25' 41.1528" W

From Nashua, MT, travel on Highway 117 south for 10.5 miles continue straight onto Yellowstone Rd for 1 mile and the campground will be on the left.
From Glasgow, MT, travel on Highway 24 south for 18 miles to Fort Peck Dam. Turn Left onto Highway 117 travel 2.5 miles. Turn right at intersection onto Yellowstone Rd continue 1 mile and the campground will be on the left.
From Interstate 94, Glendive/Circle exit, take MT highway 200 west to MT highway 24 north 55 miles; turn right onto Yellowstone Rd drive 1.5 miles and campground will be on the right.

Need to Know

Reservations that have not arrived will be no-showed at checkout time of their first night of stay. This will cancel your entire reservation.

All public-use of Ft. Peck Project lands and waters is governed by Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) .

Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.

STOP THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES. Remove plants, seeds, animals, and mud from boots, gear, pets, and vehicles. Clean your gear before entering and leaving the recreation site. Stay on designated roads and trails, and follow local guidelines for firewood. CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY boats and any other recreational equipment that contacts water. Dispose of unwanted bait, worms, fish parts, or other organisms into the trash and not into the environment. For more information visit invasivespeciesinfo.gov/rec