We previously stayed at this site in September of 2020 (you can read about it here). Here is my review of our stay and additional information for 2025.
Our first overnight stop when we left our home base in North Dakota was Twelve Mile Dam Fishing Access Site, south of Miles City, MT. This was our second time staying here for a night and the only thing that seemed to have changed from our previous stay several years ago was the addition of a required conservation license to recreate here.
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CAMPGROUND INFORMATION
- Location: 12 miles south of Miles City, MT
- Check-in: None
- Check-out: None
- Cost: a $10 conservation license is required for out of state visitors (more info on that below)
- Amenities: Vault toilets, picnic tables, fire ring w/ grill
- Connectivity: 2 bars AT&T, 1 bar Verizon; we did not try Starlink here but it should have a good connection
- Booking: None; There is a 7-day stay limit at this site
- Nearby Places to Visit: Miles City, MT
SITE SPECIFIC INFORMATION
- Site Number: None
- Site type: Back-in
- Site ground and size: Grass, very large, with some shade
- Picnic Table? Yes
- Fire ring? Yes
- Grill? Yes
- Close to Amenities? Right next to the pit toilet
- Noise level: Quiet, however dogs from a nearby private property barked most of the evening
This fishing access site is an easy 15-minute drive south of Miles City, MT. The road into the site has a tight turn (if entering from the north) with low hanging tree branches, so be aware of that if you plan on bringing your larger rig here. We were comfortable bringing our 33′ fifth wheel in and out of this site. Once past the entrance there is plenty of space to spread out, with about 8 or 9 sites to place any size RV or trailer (or tent, of course).
We chose the sight next to the pit toilet which was the easiest site for us to back in to, although it did mean we had to deal with a lot of flies and a bit of the smell. The grass/dirt here was level and the tree afforded us some shade, which was a blessing since the temps that day reached into the 90s.
As evident from the name of the site, there is a dam here that is a short walk from the camping area. Fishing, waterfowl hunting, an upland game bird hunting are popular activities here, and you are also allowed to drop a canoe or kayak if you’d like.
In 2023, the Montana Legislature passed a law to allow people who don’t buy a fishing or hunting license to help pay for the diverse use on state lands across the state. Everyone ages 12 and over are required to posses a conservation license to access most Montana state lands. This license is valid from March 1 to the end of February the following year, no matter when you purchase the license.
For out-of-state visitors, the license is $10 per person age 12 and over. You can read more FAQs about the license here. To purchase a license head on over to https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/conservation-license.
Even though this site is no longer free to campers, we’d still recommend staying here. The $30 for our family to stay for a night was more than we’d typically pay but it also allows us to stay at other Montana fishing access sites, wildlife management areas, or other state managed lands throughout the season for no extra cost. Plus, we love helping to maintain our public lands!
Have you stayed at this campground before? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments! You can also find us on Instagram and Facebook @simplejoyfuljourney, or email me at alicia@simplejoyfuljourney.com. And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page before you go. Have a great week!