Campgrounds and RV parks near Underwood, ND

Underwood sits in McLean County in central North Dakota, roughly midway between Bismarck and Minot along US Highway 83. The town is a practical base for RV trips built around Lake Sakakawea, the Missouri River, and the surrounding prairie. From Bismarck, the area is reached via US 83 and ND 200, about 70 miles north. The closest developed camping is at Fort Stevenson State Park on the north shore of Lake Sakakawea near Garrison. Fort Stevenson is located along the shores of Lake Sakakawea and is home to two marinas, Garrison Bay and de Trobriand Bay. To the south, the 589-acre Cross Ranch State Park and adjacent Cross Ranch Nature Preserve sit along the west bank of the Missouri River and offer one of the few areas in North Dakota with a true primitive outdoor experience. Sanger Campground is Cross Ranch's river-access loop, while Lake Sakakawea State Park at Pick City anchors the south shore near Garrison Dam. Private options include Sakakawea RV Park and Dakota Waters Resort on Beulah Bay, giving RV travelers a mix of state-park loops and full-service private sites within a short drive of Underwood.

State-park campgrounds use a centralized reservation system operated by North Dakota Parks and Recreation. Campsites can be booked 95 days in advance from the date of stay, reservations can be made online at reservendparks.com or by calling 800-807-4723, and check-in is at 4:00 pm on the first day with checkout at 3:00 pm on the last day. Popular lakeside sites often sell out the day the window opens. Federal recreation areas near Garrison Dam, such as Downstream Campground, use Recreation.gov and can be booked by calling 1-877-444-6777. Private resorts book directly. Dakota Waters Resort takes RV reservations by phone and email. Sakakawea RV Park also operates on a direct-booking model. RV length matters at some parks, so confirm site limits before booking.