BLM schedules summer closures at Holter Lake, Devil’s Elbow, Clark’s Bay

The Bureau of Land Management is setting up a staggered summer shutdown across the Chain of Lakes area, starting with Devil’s Elbow from June 8-23 and followed by Clark’s Bay from June 24-30, as crews replace outdated water and irrigation systems that serve some of the county’s busiest recreation sites.

The schedule keeps only one site closed at a time, with all sites open for the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends. White Sandy is scheduled to close July 6-31 for water system and irrigation line work, Log Gulch Aug. 4-14 for water system replacement, and Holter Lake Aug. 20-Sept. 4 and Sept. 8-12 for construction. BLM Acting Butte Field Manager Brandy Janzen said the work is meant to address long-term maintenance issues and improve visitors’ experiences.

For reservation holders, the agency says to watch email for cancellation notices and refund confirmation. The closures matter well beyond the campground gate because they affect camping, boating and day-use plans across a stretch of public land that many Lewis and Clark County families use for summer weekends. Clark’s Bay Day Use Area, on Hauser Reservoir about 11 miles outside Helena, is normally open May 1 through early October and is linked by trail to Devil’s Elbow and Two-Camps Vista. Holter Lake Campground, about 45 miles north of Helena along the Missouri River, has 52 sites, including nine tent-only sites, and all sites are reservation-only.

The timing also reflects a broader effort to keep the summer travel season usable while construction is underway. BLM is also planning chip seal work in August at Devil’s Elbow and Clark’s Bay, adding another layer of temporary disruption for people headed to the Chain of Lakes area for camping, fishing, water skiing, hiking and wildlife viewing.

A second summer item is set to reshape East Helena’s calendar in a more local way. The East Helena Valley Rodeo Association’s annual fundraising festival, East Helena Spring Fest, is scheduled for Saturday, June 13 at the rodeo grounds and is being billed as new and improved this year, with more vendors and more activities for kids.

The nonprofit, volunteer-run association has been part of East Helena life for more than 60 years. Reed Palmer first proposed building the rodeo grounds after moving to East Helena in 1960, the first rodeo was held in 1963 with VFW involvement, and the group incorporated in 1972. In 1992, the Lewis & Clark In-County Timed Event Rodeo was added and became the biggest four-day event in town. The association says the grounds are being relocated because of a new industrial plant and growth in East Helena, making this year’s fundraisers and summer crowds especially important for the organization’s next chapter.