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**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](https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Dam-and-Lake-Projects/Missouri-River-Dams/Fort-Peck/) or call 406-526-3411.
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](https://www.fws.gov/refuge/charles_m_russell/) 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.
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. Five day-use picnic shelters are available for reservations, all with electrical hookups as well as two overnight group use areas with shelters.
The campground offers flush and vault toilets, showers, playgrounds, a basketball court and horseshoe pits. A dump station and fish cleaning station are located on-site.
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.
* [**Fort Peck Lake**](https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Dam-and-Lake-Projects/Missouri-River-Dams/Fort-Peck/) 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**](https://www.fortpecktheatre.org/) 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**](https://www.fws.gov/refuge/charles_m_russell/) surrounds Fort Peck Lake and helps preserve the natural habitat for numerous wildlife species.
For facility specific information, please call (406) 526-3411.
Reservation changes and cancellations can be made on Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
For more information on rules and policies regarding reservation cancellations and changes, please visit: .
* 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.
Camping and shelter reservations can be made at Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
We stayed in the camp ground. For the country the trees were nice and all the people we quiet and friendly. The host were helpful and explained thing to keep the rules in the campground.
This was a nice COE park with access to fishing, boating, hiking, biking. Large sites with 30/50 AMP service and several water spigots to fill your tank.
This campground is a COE.
Electric only. The sites are HUGE and level with Cottonwood trees for shade. Has all types of activities; playground/ Disc golf/Hiking trails/ Fishing ponds with piers.
Close to the Fort Peck Dam and Missouri River. Wish we could spend more time.
I gave it 3 stars only because it didn't have water or sewer hook-ups.
They do have a dump station on the main street before turning into the campground.
I live around the area where this campground is located. I camped here once to test out my new camping gears and never again. That was 20 yrs. ago. My kids and I fish and bike and drive around Fort Peck lake so I'm familiar with it. Area is used mostly by locals who tow their big RVs and boat. The place gets crowded which is not what I look for in a campground. No decent privacy between campsites. Kid's pond for fishing in the back where I also bring my kids. Showers and bathroom are available. I don't know about the rates right now. So if you prefer crowded campsites with big RV and campers, no privacy between sites and you know the other campers because you work with them in town then this is the place for you. Not me.
I prefer to think of camping as getting away from it all and this is not the place for it.
Off the beaten path (miles off) in a recreational area. Reservations only. Nice friendly staff.
Nice camsites with shade trees, showers, playground, dump station and beach, boat ramp access nearby. Trail off the group site but I didn't walk far on it.
Prices are good. They honor the senior, the access (disabled) and I believe the fourth grade and military passes for a half price discount on camping.
