A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Bureau of Reclamation campground

Jo Bonner Campground

Bureau of Reclamation campground in Canyon Ferry Lake, Lewis and Clark County, Montana. 3,826 feet. 12 miles from East Helena.

Managed by
Bureau of Reclamation Canyon Ferry Lake
Elevation
3,826 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
17 17 standard non-electric
Longest rig
67 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Jo Bonner Campground is located at the Northeastern end of Canyon Ferry Reservoir; 30 miles east of Helena, Montana and offers year-round access to a wide range of recreational opportunities. Jo Bonner Campground is named for Josephine Agnes Martin Bonner (1907-1965) by Montana's Governor John Bonner (1902-1970). Today, Jo Bonner Campground is a small quaint campground that offers easy access.

Recreation

Canyon Ferry Reservoir offers a wide range of year-round recreational opportunities. Water related activities include everything from swimming and fishing to sailing and motor-boating. Canoeists and kayakers explore the many quiet backwater bays. Jet skiers, windsurfers and water skiers skim the summer waves, while winter draws ice fishermen, ice boaters and ice skaters.

Facilities

Jo Bonner Campground has 17 designated campsites . Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire rings. During the recreation season facilities at Jo Bonner campground include two vault toilets, potable water, trash dumpster, and a campground host. There is a gravel boat launch with a courtesty dock located just outside of the campground.

Natural Features

Jo Bonner Campground is located at northern end of Canyon Ferry Reservoir between the Big Belt and Elkhorns mountain ranges.

Nearby Attractions

Jo Bonner Campground on Canyon Ferry Reservoir is located halfway between Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park along with the capital city of Helena, Montana. For up to date events visit, www.helenamt.com.

The description, directions and fees are the Bureau of Reclamation’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • water activities

The land around Jo Bonner Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.