Recreation area

Matthews Recreation Area (SRMA)

Bureau of Land Management · Miles City · Montana — managed by Bureau of Land Management

Open recreation area — no reservation needed

About this campground

Matthews Recreation Area is accessed by gravel road and features a number of picnic tables, grills and a covered dining area. The Yellowstone River can be accessed by canoe or kayak; however no improved boat launch facilities are present. Fishing, bird watching and wildlife viewing are frequent activities at this site. Overnight camping is permitted. This is a 'Pack In, Pack Out' area and all garbage must be removed. No fireworks are allowed. Be mindful of seasonal and area fire restrictions.   Individuals or organizations wishing to use the site for group activities maybe required to get a Special Recreation Permit. This depends on the type ofactivity planned, the number of participants and the duration of use.Do yourself and your guests a favor and contact the field office beforehand to check for other scheduled events orcalendaring conflicts. BLM staff need some lead time to prepare the paperwork if a permit is needed. For event scheduling details, contact us at (406) 233-2800. Facilities: restrooms, picnic tables, fire pits, standing grills, covered picnic area, interpretive kiosk, handicap accessible fishing platform and cement walking path. While there are no dumpsters, there are a few city-maintained garbage bins on site. Please remove your own garbage and do not leave any trash outside of the designated bins.   Please call the local BLM Office for current recreation site conditions and restrictions

Getting there

Travel 9 miles northeast of Miles City on Valley Drive East. At the sign for Matthews Recreation Area, turn left (Tusler Road), go across the railroad tracks. Follow the road and take a left at the BLM Matthews Recreation Area sign.

Contact
406-896-5298

Activities

  • WILDLIFE VIEWING
  • FISHING
  • HIKING
  • PICNICKING
  • DAY USE AREA

Nearby federal campgrounds

Explore more Montana camping

Matthews Recreation Area (SRMA) doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Montana campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.

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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.