Canyon Ferry Reservoir

Welcome to the homepage for Canyon Ferry Reservoir. This site provides links and information related to Canyon Ferry, and is managed by the MB & ART's Region's Montana Area Office. Contact Information:

Canyon Ferry Field Office
7700 Canyon Ferry Road
Helena, MT 59602
(406) 475-3921

Canyon Ferry Reservoir
Canyon Ferry Reservoir

Canyon Ferry Reservoir offers excellent fishing opportunities for rainbow trout, perch, ling, and walleye, with 33,500 surface acres of water and 96 shoreline miles. Concrete boat ramps, campgrounds, day-use areas, shelters, swimming, and three marinas are also available. View available recreation information.

Canyon Ferry Reservoir is located approximately 20 miles east of Helena. Take Highway 12 south for 10 miles, turn east on Highway 287, and then it is approximately 8 miles to the dam.


Interested in becoming a volunteer campground host?

Photo of Sherriff Campground

Helena, Montana - Bureau of Reclamation - Canyon Ferry Reservoir.Seeking volunteer campground hosts, for the 2022 recreation season, to serve as a liaison between campground visitors and the Bureau of Reclamation. Hosts are responsible for meeting and greeting campers, stocking and cleaning restrooms, fire rings, picking up litter and maintaining the reservation system via Recreation.gov. Hosts are provided with a full hookup campsite, per diem, and on-site mileage. For further information contact the Bureau of Reclamation, Canyon Ferry Field Office Dan Gallagher at (406) 475-3925 or via email at dagallagher@usbr.gov.


Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA)

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) allows federal agencies to collect and retain user fees for overnight camping, group use shelters, and special use permits. Under FLREA agencies retain these fees and the fees can then be used in recreation areas for improvements, operations and maintenance, and development of public desired recreational facilities and opportunities. Canyon Ferry will not be increasing fees or adding any additional fees to campgrounds or group use shelters. Currently Canyon Ferry does not retain these fees and they are returned to the U.S. Department of Treasury. Canyon Ferry would like to initiate FLREA in 2022 in order to be able to retain fees and use those fees to put back into the recreation facilities around the reservoir. Comment period for the implementation has begun and continues until June 8, 2022. The Federal Register Notice can be found at Federal Register: Notice To Establish a New Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act Site at Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Helena, Montana.

Last Updated: 9/21/23