Campgrounds and RV parks near South Hills, MT

South Hills sits on the southern edge of Helena, Montana's capital, at roughly 4,000 feet in the foothills of the Continental Divide. The neighborhood is best known as the trailhead side of the city, with the South Hills trail system reachable directly from downtown Helena. RV travelers use the area as a base for lake recreation, mountain biking, and day trips between Glacier and Yellowstone. Most RV camping is clustered north and east of town along the Missouri River chain of reservoirs. Alhambra RV Park sits just south along US 12 near Clancy, while Helena North KOA Journey serves travelers arriving on Interstate 15. To the northeast, Grey Sandy Campground and Black Sandy State Park line the shore of Hauser Lake, and Townsend / Canyon Ferry Lake KOA Journey anchors the south end of Canyon Ferry Reservoir. Dispersed camping directly in the South Hills trail zone is restricted. The Helena Ranger District has closed National Forest lands adjacent to the City of Helena's natural parks around the South Hills trail system, including Grizzly Gulch, Orofino Gulch, Davis Gulch, Park City, Tucker Gulch, Wakina Sky, Rodney Ridge, and Unionville, to camping. Plan on a developed campground and drive in to the trails.

Reservation systems differ by operator. Montana State Parks handles Black Sandy through its own portal on ReserveAmerica. Black Sandy State Park has 29 campsites with electricity and one tent site that can be reserved, plus additional tent sites without electricity that are first come, first served, with a maximum trailer length of 35 feet. Reservations can be placed up to one day in advance of the arrival date. Helena North KOA Journey and Townsend / Canyon Ferry Lake KOA Journey both book through the KOA website or app, which allows advance reservations well ahead of peak weekends. Alhambra RV Park and Grey Sandy Campground take reservations directly through their own operator websites. For holiday weekends and the mid-summer walleye tournament, booking two to three months out is prudent. Same-day cancellations do occur, so setting a cancellation alert can free up lakefront sites at Black Sandy on short notice.