The Long Way
Lewis and Clark County
A view of a road and a parking area near a lake under a bright blue sky.
Plate I. Boat launch parking, White Sandy beach. From blm.gov
A picnic shelter sits on a sandy beach by a body of water.
Plate II. Shade shelters and beach at White Sandy. From blm.gov
A scenic landscape view of a calm body of water with rolling hills, trees, and a wooden fence under a cloudy blue sky.
Plate III. View of Hauser Lake, White Sandy campground. From blm.gov
A scenic view of a large lake surrounded by rolling hills and mountains under a blue sky with clouds.
Plate IV. Overlook of White Sandy campground. From blm.gov
A scenic view of a body of water with hills, mountains, and a cloudy sky.
Plate V. Hauser Lake view, White Sandy beach. From blm.gov
A scenic landscape view of a large body of water surrounded by grassy hills and mountains under a partly cloudy blue sky.
Plate VI. Boat launch area, White Sandy beach. From blm.gov
A scenic view of a lake surrounded by forested hills and a cloudy sky.
Plate VII. Hauser Lake view from White Sandy campground. From blm.gov
An elevated view of a parking lot and boat ramp next to a body of water.
Plate VIII. Boat ramp and parking area, White Sandy Campground. From blm.gov

White Sandy beach

Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana. Campground.

Details

Map. Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana. Larger map
Where
6563 Hauser Dam Rd, Helena, MT 59602. Directions
Getting there
From Helena drive north, from Great Falls drive south on I-15 to the Lincoln Road exit, turn east on Lincoln Rd and continue to the T-intersection with Hauser Dam Rd, turn left (North) and continue about 4 miles until you reach White Sandy Recreation Area directly in front of you on the right hand side of the road. If you get to Black Sandy state park, you have gone too far.
Fees
$25 per night per camping unit per site, maximum of 2 units per site; Group Loop-C Loop with Ramada/Pavilion $140 per night.
Access
White Sandy Day use will be closed on Monday 10/5/2026 for dock removal.
Walk-in or reserve
First-come, first-served sites are available in this campground.
Phone
406-458-4744
Website
blm.gov
Managed by
Bureau of Land Management.
Coordinates
46.74094, -111.88876.

White Sandy is located on the west side of Hauser Lake at the confluence of Prickly Pear creek. It is in an ideal location for outdoor recreation, wildlife watching, water sports, camping and swimming.

Notable Events

  1. 1905The Missouri River Power Company began construction in 1905; the $1.5 million steel dam was declared operational on February 12, 1907. ktvh.com
  2. 1908Water pressure eroded ash and gravel around the pillar footings; within minutes a 300-foot section tore loose and a 20-30-foot wave swept downstream. ktvh.com
  3. 1908Missouri River Power began reconstruction in July 1908 and completed it in spring 1911. ktvh.com
  4. 1911The current dam was finished with a generating capacity of 19 megawatts. northwesternenergy.com

People

  • Samuel T. Hauser, Namesake of Hauser Dam and leader of its construction (died 1914).

Sources

  1. blm.gov/visit/white-sandy-campground
  2. recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/261822
  3. northwesternenergy.com/clean-energy/hydropower/hauser
  4. helenahistory.org/dams.htm
  5. ktvh.com/news/114th-anniversary-of-original-hauser-dam-failure
  6. visitmt.com/listing/hauser-reservoir-13835