Campgrounds and RV parks near Turtle Lake, ND

Turtle Lake sits in central North Dakota's McLean County, roughly halfway between Bismarck and Minot and within an hour of Lake Sakakawea, the state's largest reservoir. The area is prairie and pothole country, with the Missouri River corridor to the south and southwest. RV renters use Turtle Lake as a base for state park camping, walleye fishing, and Lewis and Clark history stops. Most developed campgrounds nearby are run by the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. On the south shore of the third-largest man-made reservoir in the nation, Lake Sakakawea State Park sits adjacent to Garrison Dam, just north of Pick City. Fort Stevenson State Park occupies a peninsula on the northeastern shore of Lake Sakakawea, about three miles south of Garrison. Closer to the Missouri River south of Turtle Lake, Sanger Campground at Cross Ranch State Park offers riverside sites in a wooded bottomland setting. Sakakawea RV Park provides a private-park option in the area, and Bismarck KOA Journey serves travelers routing through the capital on I-94.

North Dakota state park campsites are reserved through the state's reservation system at reservendparks.com or by calling the ND Parks call center. Sanger Campground at Cross Ranch State Park, Fort Stevenson State Park, and Lake Sakakawea State Park all book through this system. Campsites can be booked up to 95 days in advance from the date of stay, with the booking window opening at 7:00 a.m. Central Time. Cabins and yurts open up to 365 days ahead. A daily or annual park entrance permit is required in addition to the site fee. Check-in is at 4:00 p.m. and checkout is at 3:00 p.m. Pets are welcome but must stay on a leash. Summer weekends, holidays, and fishing tournaments fill fast, so log in the morning the 95-day window opens. Sakakawea RV Park and Bismarck KOA Journey are private and take reservations directly through their own websites or phone lines.