Federal Campgrounds in North Dakota
Federal coverage only. This directory lists campgrounds on federal land (Forest Service, Park Service, BLM, Corps of Engineers and other agencies) from the Recreation.gov RIDB export. State-park, county and private/KOA campgrounds are out of scope.
North Dakota contains 15 federal campgrounds with a combined total of 631 overnight sites. These facilities are managed by three federal agencies: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates 9 campgrounds, the National Park Service manages 4, and the U.S. Forest Service administers 2. All 15 campgrounds accept reservations through the Recreation.gov platform. This overview covers federal campgrounds only; state parks and private or commercial campgrounds such as KOA are outside the scope of this directory.
For current information on site availability, amenities, and to make reservations at any of North Dakota's federal campgrounds, visit Recreation.gov. The site provides real-time availability calendars and allows visitors to reserve sites in advance during peak seasons. Facility conditions and services vary by location and season, so checking Recreation.gov before planning your trip is recommended.
How to read the North Dakota directory
Use this page as a starting map of federal camping in North Dakota: the agency split tells you whether you're mostly looking at national-forest sites, park-service grounds or Corps-of-Engineers lakeside camps, and the busiest rec areas below point to where the campgrounds cluster. Every name links to its live Recreation.gov page for current site counts, photos and booking.
| Rec area / forest | Campgrounds |
|---|---|
| RIVERDALE | 3 |
| VALLEY CITY | 3 |
| BISMARCK | 2 |
| Medora | 1 |
| Dickinson | 1 |
| Valley City | 1 |
| Watford City | 1 |
| WATFORD CITY | 1 |
Common questions
How many federal campgrounds are in North Dakota?
15 in this directory, with about 631 overnight sites, across national forests, parks, Corps of Engineers and other federal land. State and private campgrounds are not included.
Are these campgrounds reservable?
15 of the 15 take reservations through Recreation.gov; the remainder are generally first-come, first-served. Confirm on the facility's Recreation.gov page before you travel.
Largest federal campgrounds in North Dakota
- Downstream Campground (Nd) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 114 sites · Riverdale
- Cottonwood Campground (Nd) · National Park Service · 72 sites · Medora
- Wolf Creek Campground (Nd) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 67 sites · Riverdale
- Beaver Creek Recreation Area · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 61 sites · Bismarck
- Eggerts Landing · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 41 sites · Valley City
- East Totten Trail Campground (Nd) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 40 sites · Riverdale
- East Ashtabula Crossing · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 37 sites · Valley City
- Buffalo Gap Campground (Nd) · U.S. Forest Service · 36 sites · Dickinson
- West Ashtabula Crossing · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 31 sites · Valley City
- Hazelton Recreation Area · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 30 sites · Bismarck
- Mel Rieman Rec · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 27 sites · Valley City
- Ccc Campground (Nd) · U.S. Forest Service · 25 sites · Watford City
- Juniper Campground Group Site (Nd) · National Park Service · 1 sites · Watford City
- Roundup Group Horse Camp · National Park Service · 1 sites · Medora
Ranked by overnight-site count from RIDB; “n/a” means the site count isn’t published (often a first-come or dispersed area). Each name opens the Recreation.gov facility page.
Compare every managing agency → · Reservable vs first-come in North Dakota → · Choosing a North Dakota campground →
Compiled from the federal RIDB export, verified June 2026. How we compile this. Confirm current details on Recreation.gov.