U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Peck Project, was the first dam built in the Missouri River Basin and is the largest embankment dam in the United States. Sited in a remote area of Montana, the COE dam site on the Missouri River creates the large Fort Peck Lake and provides extensive public recreational land surrounding the project with a wide variety of recreational opportunities for RV visitors to the area. RV camping is available at the Downstream Recreation Area at the site, adjacent to the town of Fort Peck. Activities popular in the area and available at the many recreational areas around Fort Peck Lake include boating, fishing, hunting, hiking and snow sports.
Lewis and Clark first explored the area, and there are many historical sites, museums, and interpretive sites in the area to investigate. These include natural history exhibits that highlight the prehistoric creatures that once roamed what is now modern-day Montana.
Beautiful grasslands and mountains surround the lake and its vast recreation areas. The terrain is mostly open and natural. Fort Peck Lake has over 1500 miles of natural, pristine shoreline and 19 recreation areas on project lands in the area.
RV Travelers to the region can visit other beautiful state parks nearby including Hell Creek State Park and Brush Lake State Park. For visitors requiring an RV, rentals are available in the region at Montana RV Rentals.
The Fort Peck Project lies near the Missouri River at mile 1771.5, adjacent to the town of Fort Peck.
To get to the Fort Peck Project dam site from Glasgow, Montana, take highway 24 south for 17 miles to the town of Fort Peck. Or use highway 117 and travel for 25 miles, then turn right onto Yellowstone Road and continue to the campground on the left.
From Nashua, Montana, take highway 117, 12 miles south to the town of Fort Peck. From Fort Peck continue onto the Yellowstone Road for one mile to reach the Downstream Recreation Area and campground on the left.
The roads to the dam site and recreation areas are paved and have loops to access sites and get turned around. However, other recreation areas around Fort Peck Lake and along the river are more remote and accessible by narrower gravel roads. These more primitive roads may be dusty in dry conditions, muddy in wet conditions, and not offer convenient approaches or turnarounds for RV and tow vehicles.
During the winter many of the access roads to remote recreation areas may be impassable. Highways in the region during winter months are subject to icy winter conditions. Tow vehicles and RVs have particularly poor handling in inclement winter weather conditions. Winter tires, chains, and reduced speed can mitigate poor winter driving conditions.
With 80 campsites available, 70 for RV campers, and three group campsites, the Downstream Campground offers a beautiful, open spot at the dam site, above the lake on the Missouri River. Although open grasslands are the prevalent terrain in the region, 69 of the campsites here have cottonwood trees providing shade. Picnic tables and fire rings with grills are located at each campsite. There are 12 pull-through sites for larger units, and 70 sites have electric hookups. There is one site available that has water and sewer hookups.
Reservations for the Downstream campsites at the Fort Peck Project can be made during the peak season from May to September. Camping is available in April and October as well, but is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The RV dump site and water supplies may not be available if freezing temperatures require them to be shut down. Amenities at the campground include flush toilets, showers, vault toilets, picnic shelters, a playground, basketball court, shooting range, horseshoe pits, and a dump station. Water activities at the campground are available with access to the river, lake, swimming beach, a fishing pier, and fishing ponds.
Check out the Fort Peck Museum where one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons ever found is on display. The visitor center at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center is also home to the two largest aquariums in Montana, displaying aquatic species native to the Fort Peck Lake and the Missouri River system.
An amphitheater hosts theater presentations in the summer months, and there are interpretive programs with nature hikes on the connecting trails that highlight the natural resources, the geology of the area and wildlife native to the region.
Tours of the Fort Peck Project dam and powerplant are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Tours of the site start at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center, and visitors must sign up 15 minutes prior to the tour. Visitors over 18 must show a government-issued ID. The Powerhouse Museum provides information on the power generation function of the project. Observation platforms allow views of the embankment dam, which is the largest in the United States.
Swimming, paddling, and boating are all popular pastimes on Fort Peck Lake just south of the Fort Peck Project dam. This vast lake has many recreation areas, some of which have swim beaches such as the Dredge Cut Swim Beach. Paddleboarding, canoeing, and kayaking offer a peaceful and serene experience at this remote wilderness lake.
Boat launches for fishing and recreational watercraft are available at Crooked Creek, Hell Creek State Park, Nelson Creek, and Rock Creek Recreation Areas.
Get our your cross country skis or snowshoes during Montana’s chilly, snowy winters to enjoy the winter wonderland in the natural areas around the Fort Peck Project. The Downstream Recreation Area, Kiwanis Park, and Beaver Creek Nature Trail have groomed cross country ski trails where tracks are set so you can glide along the trail easily. Natural unmaintained trails, and even the lake surface once it is frozen and snow-covered, provide other opportunities for trekking with snowshoes. Wear layers while participating in these winter sports that will keep you warm, but can be shed as you heat up with exertion.
With miles of natural shoreline and remote wilderness lands bordering the area, the Fort Peck Project is an excellent location for sportsmen looking to get in a little hunting or fishing. Fort Peck Lake is a well-known fishing spot for walleye, and there are also bass, trout, chinook salmon, and northern pike in the lake. Hunting for deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn in the public lands around the Fort Peck Project is also popular. Be sure to have appropriate state fishing and hunting licenses and permits. Be aware of and follow the regulations closely.
Hiking the many trails up and down the Missouri River, and around the shores of Fort Peck Lake is a breathtaking experience. With miles of natural wilderness area, open grasslands, and the mountains creating a fantastic backdrop, hiking the region is a chance to really get away from the hustle and bustle of civilization.
Birdwatchers will have the opportunity to spot a wide variety of bird species, especially during the spring and fall when migrating populations pass through the area and stop along the river and lake. Large mammals such as deer, elk, and pronghorn browse the grasslands of the region. Have a camera handy to capture your discoveries.
