Lewis & Clark Caverns is Montana’s very first state park. Before earning this footnote, the caverns were under the care of rangers from Yellowstone National Park. After a quarter century of shenanigans with local entrepreneurs, the national parks service waved the white flag and offered it to the state of Montana.
Montana jumped at the opportunity, so long as development dollars came along with it. The Civilian Conservation Corps, part of Roosevelt’s New Deal, was soon tasked with making the caverns suitable for public use and, voila, Lewis & Clark Caverns became the state park I now know and love.
Now, if I’d had a say back then, I’d have pushed for a different name. Neither Lewis, nor Clark, discovered these caverns. They did pass through what is now part of the park, but the finding, seeing, and first entry of the caverns does not belong on their resume.
Alas, the mythology surrounding these two explorers is so strong in this part of the United States that their name is found on an almost incomprehensible number of geographic locals. I’m surprised every male in the entire pacific northwest isn’t named Lewis or Clark.
As an outsider, I feel like Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is overshadowed by the legendary national park to its south. Most national parks tend to overshadow most state parks, but being close to Yellowstone is impossibly unfair. Locals may feel differently.
I only found it thanks to a broad, areal search for interesting (i.e. geological) activities that my family might enjoy as we made our way home on our Yellowstone camping adventure. With Crystal Park to the west and Montana Blue Jewel to the east already on the docket, we needed a place to stay in between.
Discovering these caverns, alone, was exciting. Learning that they were in a state park with a campground and ideally situated between the two destinations was gravy on my trip planning mashed potatoes.
Location of Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park
Although not situated directly on any of Montana’s main traffic thoroughfares, Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park isn’t isolated or difficult to get to. Only 10 km southeast from the I-90 in the central-west part of the state near Whitehall, the road from the interstate to the park entrance is a lovely drive with beautiful foothills scenery. Were we not in such a hurry to get to our destination, I’d have stopped to take in the views at several points along the way.
The Jefferson River flows alongside the highway much of the way, with the two eventually forming the southern boundary of the park. You’ll find fisherfolk casting their flyrods into the pretty waters, though the tall grass on the riverbanks gave me shivers as to what the mosquito population might be.
Out here in The West, where there are roads there are trains, and here was no exception. A train track also follows the road and river to the park’s south. We only experienced one train passing during our two-night stay and it was during the day so, thankfully, no interrupted sleep.
In many ways, Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park reminded me of both Buffalo Bill State Park (Wyoming) and Bear Lake State Park (Utah). All three share a rain-shadow setting east of the western Cordillera. They’re hot, dry, and often breezy places surrounded by low mountains and semi-arid ranch land.
Bear Lake was harsher, whereas Buffalo Bill irrigated the crap out of everything and was therefore greener. Lewis & Clark hit a sweet spot in the middle, and I was immediately besotted.
During our two-night stay, the wind would pick up with the increasing heat in the afternoon but then taper off in the evening as the sun set. Once that sun was down, it was absolutely lovely with modest temperatures and only a slight, periodic breeze. A delight for campfires and comfortable sleeps.
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park Visitor Center
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is home to two visitor centers. There’s a smaller one focused solely on the caverns located up the mountain where all things caverns happen. You can read my full report on that fantastic natural attraction here.
The second, and presumably primary visitor center, is found just inside the park’s entrance to your right. Doubling as a registration office for the campground, it boasts paved parking for both vehicles and RVs. The RV parking lot is on the far side of the building, and I only discovered it after we’d registered, having determined it easier to park at our reserved campsite and then walk to the office.
Inside, friendly park rangers will help answer any questions you might have and get you checked into your site. You can also pay for FCFS camping here or buy a keepsake from the small gift shop (note: the gift shop at the caverns complex is much larger with a greater selection). Small bundles of firewood are also available here for a pleasantly reasonable fee ($7 in 2022).
In a separate room, you’ll find an assortment of educational displays on the animals, plants, and geology of the park. This includes animal skins, skulls, and actual rock samples of the various geological formations in the park. Not too shabby for an otherwise simplistic display.
If you prefer a more informative experience, there are live ranger programs at both the visitor center and the amphitheater located near the campground. Programs appear to run on weekends only, so our mid-week stay didn’t allow us to enjoy any of the offerings.
Sad, that, considering one of them was about stargazing which I’m sure I’d have enjoyed. Skywatching at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park would be first rate. The other program on offer regarded flowers.
Campground Layout at Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground
West of the visitor center, separated by untouched grassland, is the campground. I think my affection for this park stems in no small part from the quality of this campground. My expectations were quite low initially but roused some as I set about reserving a spot. The reality of Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground still managed to amiably surprise me.
The campground is a loop of loops with five circular loops (A through E) inside a much larger, perimeter loop. There are 39 RV campsites in total, of which 18 have power while the remaining 21 have no services. None of the sites have water or power.
Four of the circular loops hold 7 campsites each around their exterior rim. A fifth loop has 4 campsites plus 3 cabins. All of the loop campsites have an angled, back-in configuration.
A further 7 campsites exist on the interior of the outer loop, and all of these are arcuate pull-through sites. An eighth pull-through location is called a “wall tent” on the reservation website and shows a picture of a rectangular canvas tent. Google imagery, by contrast, shows a teepee at this location.
Along the southeast of the outer rim of the perimeter road is a newly constructed biker/hiker campsite. It’s an interesting campsite, the likes of which I’ve never come across.
And, finally, immediately west of the campground proper is a large group camping area. This too is a loop, albeit narrow, with 5 straight pull-through spots for RVs and space for tents and such around the edges.
Campsites and Accessibility
Campsites at Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground consist of long, level, gravel pads surrounded by grass. These rectangular pads are very spacious and will accommodate any sized camping rig you can think of. The same can be said of the pull-through sites which are also lengthy and face into the interior.
All of the campsites come with a picnic table and a large, low-profile firepit with a flippable grill, typically located in the grass to the side of the pad. That the firepits were located in the grass was a bit surprising. With the dry heat and wind, that seems a bit dangerous to me, but I suppose they are quick to impose fire bans when necessary.
Loop E is home to an accessible campsite that is paved rather than gravel. Additionally, this site sports a concrete patio in the grass with a short, concrete pathway to the RV pad. The RV pad is also connected to the bathroom/shower house by another concrete sidewalk. This is the most accommodating handicap campsite I’ve ever seen.
Our campsite (E001) was also in Loop E, right next to the accessible site. Our little Geo Pro and Pathfinder easily fit on the gravel pad. It’s an electrical site and thankfully the power box is situated well towards the back of the site, so we were not required to set up our trailer towards the front of the site as is sometimes the case with long campsites built for behemoths.
Hiker/Biker Camping
My only data point for designated hiker/biker campsites comes from Colter Bay Campground in Grand Teton National Park. I’d never seen such a thing prior to that, and those campsites really weren’t any different than tent-only sites.
Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground raises the bar, especially for cyclist camping, by attaching a bike repair clamp to the covered picnic table on the site. It took me awhile to figure out what the device was, but once it clicked, I thought it was a terrific idea.
The single campsite has four gravel pads for tents which means you can use this as a group site of sorts for you and your cycling pals. There is a power receptacle, a own water source, a bear proof food storage bin, and two metal bike stands to lock up your transportation all on site.
Day Use / Group Camping at Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground
Speaking of groups, if you’ve got a group looking for a place to camp together or even just spend the day picnicking, you can’t go wrong with the day use slash group camping area at Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground.
Located beyond the west end of the campground, the group area is quite impressive. The centerpiece of the area is the massive picnic shelter. A beautiful stone and wood structure, it is open on three sides with the closed fourth side conveniently being the west side, and thus, a wind block.
Inside the shelter are myriad picnic tables, as expected, but also a stone, in-wall fireplace, a large barbecue, and an actual kitchen sink and countertop. It’s even got power, so in addition to lighting and music you can bring along crock pots or toaster ovens to round out your meal prep options.
Outside there’s a large communal firepit, a water source, and your own personal pit toilet that is handicap accessible. If that’s too gross for you, the stroll to the flush toilets isn’t too far.
There is plenty of space on the surrounding grass to set up tents. If you’ve got RVers in your crew, there’s space for them too, thanks to five pull-through camping strips in the middle of the group area. These straight pull-throughs have long, gravel pads on which to park your rig with nice strips of grass between them. These even come with personal firepits and a picnic table.
Part of me wishes this whole group slash day use area was more isolated from the main campground for privacy, and party, reasons. But as group camping areas go, this one is a grade A product.
Cabins
Three log cabins reside in loop B. They’re quaint, square cabins that are new but meant to look “old.” Each has a covered patio out front with a picnic table provided.
Two of the cabins have concrete driveways with concrete pathways to the cabin itself and the nearby bathroom/shower house, and a concrete patio. I suppose this makes them accessible. The third cabin is serviced by a gravel drive and paths.
I was able to peek inside one cabin that was not being used at the time of our visit, yet remained unlocked. I assume all three are identical. The interiors are entirely log as well, including the furniture which includes a double bed, a set of bunkbeds, a bedside table, and a round table and chairs. There is power present in the cabins, but no appliances such as a fridge or air conditioner. Hey, I don’t know how high maintenance you are.
Shelter from the Sun
Trimmed grass dominates the grounds of the entire campground. This includes within the individual loops as well as the broad spaces between the loops. By mid-July when we were there, the grass was getting quite dry and was looking a bit like cut hay in spots.
With only grass between sites, there is zero privacy from neighbours and onlookers. Thankfully, the campsites are not jammed together, so you won’t feel like you’re in a fishbowl or a sardine can. In fact, all that open field between the loops becomes a de facto communal area.
Trees are not naturally plentiful. You’ll see some at higher elevations, particularly in sheltered hillside depressions, but few dot the landscape at road level. That said, the campground is not void of these blessed, shade-providing lifeforms.
Modest to large trees dot the entire campground, revealing an honest effort to provide shelter to campers. That said, not all the bigger trees help individual campsites. Many sites are completely open to the sun while others only get shade during certain times of the day. Few, if any, are truly, fully shaded. The same is true of the communal grass areas between loops.
Nonetheless, while your specific campsite may not be ideally shaded, you will always be but a short stroll away from a large shade tree. There’s plenty of room beneath them to plop down a lawn chair or five and hide from the sun, hopefully with a cold beverage in hand, and maybe a neighbour or two to befriend.
Playground
The caverns are without question the star attraction here, but other entertainment avenues exist. Within the campground itself, there’s an decent playground that’ll keep the youngsters busy while you relax or prep a meal.
Located next to the shower house, the playground is a busy metal and plastic climbing apparatus that looks quite new. It’s built within a circular pad full of recycled tire bits. Considering how hot it can get, and with the playground being fully exposed to the sun, I’m not sure black rubber is the best substance for a base. Keep the kidlets’ shoes on.
Furthermore, all that open space throughout the campground is ideal for a variety of object tossing games, be it baseball, football, Frisbee, beanbag, washer, or caber. After several hours stuck in an SUV, my kids were just happy to have open space to run around in.
Amphitheater
For slightly more intellectual pursuits, an amphitheater is located on the slope north of Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground. It’s accessible from both the park’s primary trail network and the campground via the campground host’s lot.
Unlike other amphitheaters I’ve encountered, this one has no stage. It’s simply a collection of wooden benches in the grass on the side of a hill. Some sort of wooden structure at the front must be used by presenters in some manner, but it is not a stage.
Though minimalist in design, the location of the amphitheater is ideal with pretty views of the campground and the low mountains to the south.
As mentioned above, there are ranger-run programs offered at the amphitheater, but all seemed to be scheduled for weekends, so we were unable to see any. Again, the stargazing lecture would be a must see in my book. Big skies, away from major light pollution … sign me up.
Hiking
If you’re keen for a more physical adventure, Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park has several miles worth of hiking trails. Typically bare gravel/rock or outright dirt, the narrow trails are well worn and easy to follow with good signage throughout the park.
Starting at the main visitor center, a portion of the trail has several educational placards explaining the geology of the park and caverns as well as sharing information about the animals and plants living there.
The bulk of the trail system works its way up the hill/mountain sides. If you’re fit, you can even hike right up to the caverns entrance and visitor center. This will tax you as there are some steep sections. You needn’t be an accomplished mountain climber by any means, but good health is required.
We weren’t so bold, choosing to drive to the caverns for our tour. Instead, we hiked to the abandoned gypsum mine part way up the mountain. It’s just a hole in the hillside and is blocked by a significant, bat friendly gate. You cannot explore inside which is wise, but perhaps disappointing to the adventurous.
I enjoyed the hike, though you’ll want to have sunscreen with you because you are rarely hidden from the sun. As you gain elevation, there are plenty of beautiful viewpoints that’ll beg you to just stop and look around.
Picnic Areas and Other Trailheads
By the way, that road up to the caverns passes a couple picnic spots on the way. Three, by my count. The first is a simple roadside pullout you can almost miss if not paying attention.
The second is named Greer Gulch and doubles as a trailhead for a trail loop on the east side of the park. This trail joins with the remaining trail network, so you need not specifically go to the Greer Gulch parking lot to enjoy it.
And finally, just prior to the caverns’ entertainment and parking complex near the summit, is the third picnic area. Known as Vista Point or East Side depending on the map, it has a dedicated parking lot and vault toilets along with its spectacular lookout.
Campground Host
Not to be outdone by the first-rate group area, the campground host’s quarters are the nicest I’ve seen anywhere. Well, at least from a size perspective. It’s huge. A two-site campground all to themselves, north of the main campground.
The campground host comes around in golf cart a few times a day to sell firewood, take reservation tickets off posts, and tidy up. Many spots appear to be one and done travelers, at least during the week, so expect turnover each day.
I figure this is the easiest way to buy firewood, but here’s my gripe. The first visit is somewhat early in the day and whenever the golf cart requires a reversal, an ear-piercing alarm goes off which will undoubtedly wake any late risers, not to mention, ruin your otherwise peaceful morning.
Shower House and Bathrooms
This is exactly the type of state park where I’d expect to find only pit toilets. Thankfully, Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground has a large bathroom and shower house in the very center of the property. The structure has men and women sides with a stainless-steel cleanup sink on the exterior rear.
Though grateful for its presence, the structure is hardly attractive. A concrete bunker for the most part, the mens’ side had two rooms, the bathroom and the shower room, one on either side of the entrance.
In the bathroom side, there are two stalls, two urinals, and two porcelain sinks below two mirrors. Purely function over fashion.
The shower room is no different and in addition to the two shower stalls, it also has a single sink and a single toilet stall. Not sure why with the true bathroom just across the way, but whatever.
Just outside the entrance is a change machine which you’ll need to use to get coins for the showers. They cost $3 for 6 minutes of water.
The shower head in the stall I used was old and the holes sent water every which way. Some emitted mere mist while others shot lasers. Some aimed straight down like they should. Others needlessly sandblast the walls.
The water is heated, but you have no control over the temperature. That’s a problem here because the water temperature will either be comfortably warm or hot as firetruck with a few letters removed!
The four of us needed showers after a long day of cave exploration and hiking. The first two to go had delightfully temperate showers. The final two got hammered with pure, hot water. Oi!
I’ll admit it’s rare for a park campground to have properly heated water anymore, so I shouldn’t complain too hard, but, holy smoke, that was a difficult shower to endure. I was certainly disinfected though.
Dump Station
I don’t know how quickly things age in Montana, but the dump station at Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground looks damn near brand new. It’s a dual outlet station with two access directions in a sweeping pullout north of the campground (just behind the host’s acreage).
Potable Water
Drinking water is available at the dump station to fill up your RV. Two outlets as well, one for each side.
Inside the campground, the potable water spigots tend to be found randomly in the green space between loops. They have the small pump handle style faucet and are just pipes sticking out of the ground with some gravel encircling the catch pit.
The biker/hiker site has its own supply, as does the group area.
Guest Parking
Dead centre in the north part of the campground is a guest parking lot. It’s a large, gravel lot with quick access to the bathrooms. Despite this, at the west end there is a small pit toilet. I don’t know why.
An information board and self-registration envelop drop are present, presumably for off-season visitors.
The Wonder of Nature
Though many animals make Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park their home, birds top the list of ones you’ll actually see. And you will see plenty.
There were robins hopping around the green spaces along with some kind of blackbird. I saw a mountain bluebird on a post and a cedar waxwing in a tree. Some kind of orange/yellow warbler masterfully avoided my desperate attempts to capture a picture of it. Swallows came out in force at dusk to eat flying insects and birds of prey circled in the skies looking for their lunch riding thermals during the day.
Speaking of flying insects, on our second night as the sun set, mosquitoes came out. The wind disappeared and we attempted our first campfire in more than a week. The mosquitoes were annoying and with us having just had showers, we were in no mood for bug spray.
As I’ve stated a few times, this is a great place for stargazing. There are no lamp posts in the campground, which is fantastic. Even the bathroom lighting is well hidden, at least from our campsite. The only light pollution during our visit was a nearly full moon.
That’s rather significant light pollution, unfortunately, and it limited our ability to see stars. Still a gorgeous sky. That moon was something else. Wow!
How Do I Rate Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground?
I won’t mess around; I thought Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground was great. Maybe my muted expectations left me vulnerable to a case of rose-colored glasses, but we had a great two nights at Montana’s first state park. I’ll give it an overly generous 4.75 Baby Dill Pickles out of 5.
I had such a fantastic time at this park. It was, without a doubt, the surprise highlight of our trip. Sure, the bathrooms are not the prettiest, but they’re still flush toilets. Everything else at the campground is just peachy in my book.
A robust visitor center, pretty scenery, amazing skies, good hiking trails, a playground, great group and day use facilities, and reasonably priced firewood. What’s not to like? Ice cream would be great, I suppose, but the caverns more than make up for that oversight.
I highly recommend adding Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park to your vacation to do list. Yes, Yellowstone and Glacier and Grand Teton are spectacular. Seriously, go see them with haste. But keep a couple days free to visit this wonderful state park in Montana. You won’t be disappointed.
Leave a Reply