Indian Creek Campground, Dear Lodge, Montana

     Originally Indian Creek was just a one night stop over on our way to Yellowstone, but after talking to friends we met at Willow Bay who had just come from there, we decided it would be worth adding a day to check out the town of Deer Lodge.  The campground is very well maintained with lots of pull-through sites.  It’s perfected for over-nighters who don’t want to disconnect their rigs.  There was also a few staying longer as well.   The sites are spaced well and each has a picnic table.  Ours was 50 amps with a full hookup but I assume not all sites had septic as there was a dump station at the exit.  When you arrive at the park they direct you to which site to take and it seemed like they try to space RV’s out so that they have as much room as possible.  The biggest impression that I took away from the park was how well kept it was. 

      Adding a day allowed us time to visit the town.  There are four museums in town and you pay once for all four and your receipt is good for two visits.  The first place we visited was the Old Montana Prison that operated from the late 19^th century until closing its doors in 1979.  Having never been to a prison myself it was interesting learning its history and trying to imagine me there as an inmate or even a guard for that matter.  They provide a self-guided tour with a couple dozen points of interest to learn about.  The photo was taken inside of the prison office, it looks like a huge rolla-dex.  But, I'm just guessing.  From the prison, we walked into the car museum.  It was the best collection of cars that I’ve ever seen in on place.  Taking the time to read the information on each car a person could spend a couple of days admiring them.  There was also a small museum that featured the history of the local area with a section on WWII and Yellowstone.  The history of the Yellowstone Trail, the first transcontinental path for cars which featured a stop in Yellowstone National Park.  It ran from Boston to the Puget Sound and was built mostly by auto enthusiasts of the day since the government was spending its money on rail transportation.  During the depression, the trail all but disappeared.  There are still yellow painted stones across the country marking the path of the trail. The final museum is a collection of someone’s obsession with Raggedy Ann dolls, along with a room of “scary dolls” and some model trains.  There is also a tourist ranch in town.

Type: GNP - Good Neighbor Park

Good Sam Rating: 7/10*/7.5

Address: 
745 Maverick Ln
Deer Lodge, MT 59722

Phone: (406) 846-3848

Fax: (406) 846-3819

Reservations Phone: (800) 294-0726

Reservations Fax: (406) 846-3819

Web Site: indiancreekcampground.net

EMail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Full Sites: 56

Partial Sites: 8

Pull-through Sites: 40

Open: Apr 15 to Oct 14

Maximum Electrical Service: 50 amps

WiFi Available: Yes

Maximum RV Length: 70 feet

Elevation: 4600

Amenities: Cable TV, hot showers (Apr 15 to Oct 15), tenting, communal fire pit, super clean restrooms, pavilion, laundry, public phone, security, golf nearby, restaurants nearby within walking distance, city swimming pool nearby, tourist attractions nearby: Frontier Montana Museum, Grant Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Montana Auto Museum, Old Montana Prison Museum, Old Prison Players Summer Theater, Powell County Museum, Yesterday's Playthings.

RV Notes: Rate includes 2 people, 30 amp, full hook-up, free Wi-Fi. Additional charges: 50 amp $2/night plus tax, cable $3/night. Tax. Extra wide/long pull-throughs.

Accepts Pets: Yes

Visitor Mail Accepted: Yes