Cashless fee kiosks added at Missouri River Breaks campgrounds

FORT BENTON, Mont. — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced visitors can now pay camping and recreation fees by card at three Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument campgrounds.

The new electronic kiosks were installed at Coal Banks Landing, Judith Landing and James Kipp campgrounds. Campers can use the touchscreen, follow the prompts and pay by tap, then get a printed receipt.

“With digital banking and shopping now so common, people often don’t routinely carry cash,” said Becky Cooper, monument manager in a BLM release. “We’re excited to offer our visitors this option at our developed campgrounds and help make planning a camping trip a little easier.”

The traditional iron ranger fee boxes and envelopes still remain available for people who want to pay with cash, BLM said.

James Kipp Recreation Area opened on April 1 along the Upper Missouri River where U.S. Highway 191 crosses the river valley in central Montana. The site has 34 no-hookup campsites for trailers or RVs up to 40 feet long with fire rings, picnic tables, vault toilets, trash dumpsters and an RV waste dump.

Non-potable water and the RV dump station at James Kipp are expected to be available by mid-May. Coal Banks Landing Campground also opened on April 1 and has 20 campsites. Potable water there is also expected by mid-May.

Other monument recreation sites are likely to open by mid-May depending on seasonal road access, according to BLM. That includes Judith Landing Campground, which was scheduled to open May 15.

Campsites at all three campgrounds cost $20 per site per night and are available first-come, first-served.