Devil's Elbow Recreation Area
BLM
Write a Review 5981 York Rd. Helena, MT 59601 406-227-3570 406-533-7600 Reservations: 877-444-6777 Official WebsiteGPS: 46.7001, -111.8057
Overview of Devil's Elbow Recreation Area
Last Price Paid: $15
Reported by SweetTrippin on 6/17/2023
Longest RV Reported: 36 feet (Fifth Wheel)
Reported by LivingOurDreamNow on 9/23/2021
Number of Sites 48
Pad Type gravel
Reservations yes
Open Seasonally April-Nov.
Elevation 3,674 ft / 1,119 m
Max Stay 14
Tent Camping Yes
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Q&A - Ask the Community about Devil's Elbow Recreation Area
To ask questions of the owner or manager please contact the campground directly. 406-227-3570
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Reviews of Devil's Elbow Recreation Area 13 people have reviewed this location.
Cell Phone Coverage
Confirmed by 4 Users
Last reported 6/17/2023
Confirmed by 7 Users
Last reported 8/20/2023
Confirmed by 2 Users
Last reported 6/10/2023
“No Drinking Water”
Reviewed 8/20/2023
| Days stayed: | 3 |
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| Site Number: | 24 |
Overall Rating
Arrived drove around, found my site found several faucets. All of them say no drinking water went to the camp post she informed us that it’s been off all season and then we have to go back into town to the Lakeside general store and the lady there is kind enough to allow you to fill up your tank at no charge BLM. Please update your web... more
Arrived drove around, found my site found several faucets. All of them say no drinking water went to the camp post she informed us that it’s been off all season and then we have to go back into town to the Lakeside general store and the lady there is kind enough to allow you to fill up your tank at no charge BLM. Please update your website. I’ve been informed that this waters been off all season.
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AT&T 5G
Noni would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Nice CG”
Reviewed 7/13/2023
| Days stayed: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Site Number: | 5 |
| RV Length: | 35' (Fifth Wheel) |
Overall Rating
We stayed here for a few nights on the way towards Glacier. We also did the “gates to the mountains “ don’t miss that while your in the area. This is a basics CG! No electric, no sewer or dump. The water was also down. Didn’t bother us since we have solar and self contained. Vault toilets were very clean, CG clean, camp hosts are aroun... more
We stayed here for a few nights on the way towards Glacier. We also did the “gates to the mountains “ don’t miss that while your in the area. This is a basics CG! No electric, no sewer or dump. The water was also down. Didn’t bother us since we have solar and self contained. Vault toilets were very clean, CG clean, camp hosts are around, they do make sure the correct people are in the sites. The boat ramp looks nice, it is very busy thou. Plenty of room, not on top of each other, we would stay again if in the area.
AT&T
Verizon
DebDan would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Beautiful CG, But Not For Remote Work”
Reviewed 6/17/2023
| Nightly rate: | $15 |
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Overall Rating
We had a reservation at this park because Riverside CG was full, so we took a ride from Riverside to Devils Elbow to check the internet since internet seems to be really spotty on the north end of the lake. We had 1-2 bars but i couldn’t even load google maps to get directions. Most areas in the park signal was lost completely. This... more
We had a reservation at this park because Riverside CG was full, so we took a ride from Riverside to Devils Elbow to check the internet since internet seems to be really spotty on the north end of the lake. We had 1-2 bars but i couldn’t even load google maps to get directions. Most areas in the park signal was lost completely. This was on both Verizon and ATT (FirstNet). Since we have to work remotely, I had to cancel the res, which is sad because it was a very nice park and scenery. If you don’t need internet I would definitely recommend staying here!
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AT&T 4G
Verizon 4G
SweetTrippin would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Nice place for a stay ”
Reviewed 6/10/2023
| Nightly rate: | $20 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 6 |
| Site Number: | 2 |
| RV Length: | 35' (Class C) |
Overall Rating
Large sites with fire rings it's BLM with no hookups and not much shade but definitely worth visiting. Scenic view of the river and paths for walking and quiet during the week a little busy come the weekend but still pleasant. The river is cold for swimming but plenty of people are anyway. Boat launch is nice and easy to access. Cle... more
Large sites with fire rings it's BLM with no hookups and not much shade but definitely worth visiting. Scenic view of the river and paths for walking and quiet during the week a little busy come the weekend but still pleasant. The river is cold for swimming but plenty of people are anyway. Boat launch is nice and easy to access. Clean pit toilet (didn't smell bad) with sanitizer and doggie cleanup stations. Price varies depending on days you're there and plan ahead for booking if you want to be sure to get in.
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T-Mobile 4G
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Surrounded by water!”
Reviewed 5/29/2023
| Nightly rate: | $20 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 2 |
| Site Number: | 48 |
| RV Length: | 29' (Fifth Wheel) |
Overall Rating
Devils Elbow was one of my favorite places! We stayed here with our 4 kids (ages 14, 9, 5 year old twins). There was water and paved paths everywhere! The bathrooms were impressively clean! I did get cell service. They have a boat launch right there at the campground. We even took a path .7 of a mile down to the nearby beach and spent... more
Devils Elbow was one of my favorite places! We stayed here with our 4 kids (ages 14, 9, 5 year old twins). There was water and paved paths everywhere! The bathrooms were impressively clean! I did get cell service. They have a boat launch right there at the campground. We even took a path .7 of a mile down to the nearby beach and spent the day fishing and swimming. We did see a little snake as we were walking, so heads up!
The campsite was very spacious and needed leveling. It came with a picnic table, fire ring and a great view of the water. There isn't many trees for shade. So it was very hot in the evenings for us when the sun went under our awning.
All in all, I would absolutely stay again! The views are beautiful and there's a lot the do.
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AT&T 4G
Tonya B would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Excellent campsite with a great view of the lake”
Reviewed 7/9/2022
| Nightly rate: | $7 |
|---|---|
| Days stayed: | 1 |
| Site Number: | A-03 |
Overall Rating
We camped here in late June for one day with a great view of the lake. The cost was $7.50 per night with our Lifetime Senior Pass. Each camp site had a fire ring and table, vault toilets, water, and trash receptacles were available throughout the campground. We received two-bars of Verizon service without a booster. The camp host w... more
We camped here in late June for one day with a great view of the lake. The cost was $7.50 per night with our Lifetime Senior Pass. Each camp site had a fire ring and table, vault toilets, water, and trash receptacles were available throughout the campground. We received two-bars of Verizon service without a booster. The camp host was friendly and helpful. There was a paved path along the lake shore which made for a very relaxing stroll.
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Verizon 4G
Richard n Mary would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Affordable RV and Tent Camping with a View”
Reviewed 9/23/2021
| RV Length: | 36' (Fifth Wheel) |
|---|
Overall Rating
Devil’s Elbow Campground on Lake Hauser near Helena, Montana is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Devil’s Elbow Campground offers affordable RV and tent camping. Campsites are both reservable and first-come, first served. In this video, I show you the best campsites and provide a tour of the campground, the recrea... more
Devil’s Elbow Campground on Lake Hauser near Helena, Montana is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Devil’s Elbow Campground offers affordable RV and tent camping. Campsites are both reservable and first-come, first served. In this video, I show you the best campsites and provide a tour of the campground, the recreation area, and amenities. AT&T cellular service clocked in at 29.4 Mbps download speed and 0.28 Mbps upload speed. T-Mobile cellular service clocked in at 23.0 Mbps download speed and 0.12 Mbps upload speed. There was no Verizon cellular service at this location.
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AT&T 4G
Verizon
T-Mobile 4G
LivingOurDreamNow would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Great Place To Take In Nature”
Reviewed 8/2/2019
| Nightly rate: | $31 |
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| Days stayed: | 4 |
| RV Length: | 21' (Travel Trailer) |
Overall Rating
We're traveling in a 45' Class A with a toad for a total of 67' with 2 small dogs. We had no trouble with access to this campground. The lake and surrounding area are beautiful and peaceful. There is a boat ramp and small marina here which we didn't have a need for. We visited the dam nearby and did some necessary shopping in Helen... more
We're traveling in a 45' Class A with a toad for a total of 67' with 2 small dogs. We had no trouble with access to this campground. The lake and surrounding area are beautiful and peaceful. There is a boat ramp and small marina here which we didn't have a need for. We visited the dam nearby and did some necessary shopping in Helena. There is a nice walking path at Clark's Bay Recreation Area (right nearby).
Lisa would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Huge sites, many with great water views”
Reviewed 8/23/2018
| Nightly rate: | $15 |
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| Days stayed: | 4 |
| Site Number: | 7 |
| RV Length: | 25' (Travel Trailer) |
Overall Rating
This BLM campground is perched on a bluff above the Missouri River / Hauser Lake, so the campground and many of the sites have excellent views across the water to the mountains beyond. The campground is a boater's paradise, with a boat ramp and fish cleaning station on site, and all of the sites are long and wide enough to fit boats / ... more
This BLM campground is perched on a bluff above the Missouri River / Hauser Lake, so the campground and many of the sites have excellent views across the water to the mountains beyond. The campground is a boater's paradise, with a boat ramp and fish cleaning station on site, and all of the sites are long and wide enough to fit boats / jet skis / other toys in addition to large camping rigs.
It appears that the campground recently experienced a major tree die-off, since there are a lot of stumps between the sites, and the newly planted replacement trees are pretty small, so there is not much vegetation between sites. However, the sites are large enough, with so much space in between, that we felt the privacy level was just fine. The area is very quiet at night, with the only noise issue being our neighbor who ran his generator all night long. During the day, and especially on summer weekends, there's a good amount of day use traffic and boats zooming around on the water. The biggest ding on the campground is that there is no meaningful hiking access from the campground or the immediate vicinity, just a few short walking paths down to the lake.
Loops A and C are reservable online at recreation.gov, but the entirety of Loop C can only be reserved as a group campsite. The best water views are in sites 5 through 8 in Loop A and a few of the waterfront sites in Loop B and C, and views are out the back of the sites. We saw several Class As pulled in forward to enjoy the views, which didn't seem to be an issue. There is a slight challenge with access to the campground -- the entrance is along York Road, at the bottom of a short but steep hill with little warning, so be prepared to take it slow in the area around the Two Camp Lookout in order to avoid overshooting the narrow campground entrance road.
Internet service at the campground is weirdly checkered. We had no service at the back of our site and 3 bars LTE towards the front. Still, we were able to make it work by adjusting the location of our MyFi. Speeds on AT&T: Download: 9.16 Mbps Upload: 1.22
It is about a 12 mile drive down York Road to get into the outskirts of Helena and reach Costco, Home Depot, Super 1 Foods, and plenty of gas and other supplies. Our favorite activities in the area were the Gates of the Mountain boat tour and a visit to Lewis & Clark Brewing.
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AT&T 4G
Zamia Ventures would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Wonderfully peaceful - on a Monday”
Reviewed 8/8/2018
| Nightly rate: | $7 |
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| Days stayed: | 1 |
| RV Length: | 25' (Travel Trailer) |
Overall Rating
This campground was very quiet on the Monday we were there, silent at night. Lovely overlook of the river from several sites. Sites are very widely spaced, gravel, with picnic tables and fire pits. Unfortunately they have lost a lot of trees in the past couple years, so there is not much shade. The pit toilets were pristine, but th... more
This campground was very quiet on the Monday we were there, silent at night. Lovely overlook of the river from several sites. Sites are very widely spaced, gravel, with picnic tables and fire pits. Unfortunately they have lost a lot of trees in the past couple years, so there is not much shade. The pit toilets were pristine, but there were no campers in that part of the park. There is potable water and a hose to fill water tanks! A walking path goes over to the day use area. I understand that on Wednesday - Saturday, this is not such a peaceful place as it fills up with families, boaters, fisher people, jet skiers, etc... Some of the sites are reservable.
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AT&T 4G
AlVie AlBums would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
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RV park review: Devil's Elbow Recreation Site
We chose to stay at Devil's Elbow Recreation Site in Helena for several reasons. It was about a 20 minute drive to town, the location was known to get windy, which we thought would help in the current...
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Amenities
Hookups
- dry camping
Recreation
- boat ramp
- fishing
- picnic area
- recreation trail
- swimming beach
- water access
Site Amenities
- big rig
- fire ring
- picnic table
Facilities
- group sites
- restrooms: vault
- trash
- water available
Pets
- pets
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