ABOUT JAMES KIPP RECREATION AREA CAMPGROUND: The Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge is located in the hills and valley by the Missouri River where it crosses Route 191. The Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area is within the Refuge. There is a campground at the James Kipp Recreation Area just south of the Missouri River and the Auto Tour Road of the Refuge.
During the Elk rut (or mating) season, people come to view the six-week-long process as the males gather females into groups and then try to maintain control of their individual harems until the females become ready to mate. The on-going battles between the males to enlarge their harems and maintain superiority is a spectacle people line up to see. During the early morning and especially the early evening, the males can be heard with their low hoarse bellows and the clear high tones of their bugling. The dominant males will fight and challenge each other to keep their harems intact.
The gravel road that leads into the Refuge was much too wash-boardy to bring the RV into camp at the Elk Viewing Site. We were lucky to get a campsite at James Kipp, first-come first-served, no reservations. The campground was continually turning over with campers arriving and campers leaving during our 6-night stay. When first looking for a site, after deciding the road was too rough for the RV in the Refuge, we drove through the campground; there were others in front of us driving through and people behind us, too. And not many campsites available. We saw one we liked, grabbed it, and quickly paid the fee to secure it. Within a short period of time, the campground was full.
We chose site #A5. It was an excellent site with partial shade (which was necessary since daytime temperatures were as high as 85 degrees. In the A loop, three of the sites beyond us were also excellent. If camping here again, we would choose A5 or a couple of those just beyond A5.
There were restrooms, a boat launch, and no hook-ups. There was a dump station but no water. The dump station remained full & closed for about ½ of our stay. Non-potable water is available until September 5. There were 25-30 campsites in 3 loops with loops B & C being closer to the highway than loop A. Most sites have trees, the campground was full most of the time. Most of the sites were plenty big for us and the screened tent. The campground is open April – December 1. The cost is $12 per night and $12 to dump MINUS 50% for the Federal Senior Pass. We really liked it and would stay again.
James Kipp Recreation Area Campground: located near the Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area in the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, this campground was just south of the south entrance to the Wildlife Refuge after the Missouri River crosses Highway 191, between Malta and Lewistown, MT; first-come, first-served, no reservations; there is a phone number for questions (406) 538-1900.
- 2022 – 09/22-09/28
HERE ARE MORE REVIEWS OF CAMPGROUNDS WE VISITED IN THIS AREA:
Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area Campground, within the Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Montana:Six miles beyond the southern entrance to the Wildlife Refuge on a rough, wash-boardy gravel road there are places to camp on both sides of the road. On the River side there were 10-20 campsites, none of them numbered, off a road that was almost too full of ditches for the Honda to travel, let alone the RV, and part of those 10-20 sites were in a field that would’ve been negotiable in the RV IF we could’ve gotten there in the first place. Further down the rough gravel road and directly across from the area where vehicles line up to view the Elk, is a campsite up on a hill that will hold 20 to 30 campers. None of the sites were numbered, and all were first-come, first-served. People sat in chairs beneath awnings and viewed the elk with binoculars (or walked down to the viewing area below the RVs). There were no amenities, camping was free and quite crowded, and there was a constant stream of people below looking at the Elk. IF the road in was driveable by the RV, this would still probably be the last place we’d camp out of the options in the area. No hook-ups, BLMing crowded-style.
Antelope Creek Campground, 30 minutes north of Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area, Montana:
This was an excellent campground, therefore it was completely booked during our stay. Sites are reservable and reservations in advance are recommended. The only campground in the area with hook-ups, this was a fairly-new American Prairie project. It was located off Highway 191 on a gravel road (could be accessed by the RV) and there were 12 RV sites on a hill with nice views of the hills, nicely spaced from each other, particularly the outer loop. All sites had water and electric hook-ups and there was a dump station. The campground was 30 minutes north of the Elk Viewing Area. Reservations only, but there is Wi-Fi onsite where you could reserve using their Wi-Fi. $33 per night. Reservations www.americanprairie.org/project/antelope-creek-campground-mars-vista.
Camp Creek Recreation Area Campground, Zortman, Montana: This was a lovely campground just beyond the town of Zortman, around 50 miles south of Malta, MT. There were 15 campsites, plus the campground hosts. During mid-week towards the end of September, there was no one camping there. About 10 of the campsites were big enough for us and the tent – large sites, private, and nicely tree’d. There were restrooms, they claim there’s water but we only saw a water fountain which you could not use to fill an RV, and no dump station. This would be a nice place to camp, but is probably too far from the Elk Viewing Area to use it for traveling back and forth on an extended stay. Highway 191 south about 50 miles, turn on Bear Gulch Road (only paved road to Zortman), and follow signs. Probably $12 minus 50% with Senior Pass per night.
BLM Camping at north end of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge: In this more remote area of the Refuge, several trailers were pulled off the Auto Tour road to camp. There is a section of land between the end of the Refuge and Highway 191 that is BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land. Remote camping is allowed here. We took a couple of short dirt roads to look at possible camping sites. NOTE: If we come back here again, and if there is no camping available elsewhere, this is something to keep in mind. There are several possible campsites 2 to 5 miles in from the north entrance of the Auto Tour road. No restrooms, free, no hook-ups or amenities of any kind. People can see you from the auto tour road. There were several trailers parked on dirt roads leading off the Auto Tour road and a few dirt roads led further off the road where there would be some privacy. Views would be amazing from on top of the hills.