Recreation Activities

Drop off a letter to Santa, and Parks and Recreation will personally deliver it to the North Pole. All letters marked with a return address and placed in the designated red mailboxes will get a postcard back from Santa. Mailboxes will be accepting letters November 13th – December 20th. Red mailboxes located at:

City County Building, Information Desk

316 N. Park Ave.

Helena Civic Center

340 Neil Ave. 

Memorial Ice Rink

5 Memorial Drive

Not able to get to a mailbox? Request a postcard from Santa online here.

Call Helena Parks and Recreation with any question: 406-447-8077

Join the local bicycle club or ride alone with family and friends on one of the many trails in Helena. Helena is a Silver Level Ride Center as recognized by the International Mountain Biking Association.

Check out our community partner, Bike Helena's webpage for trail maps, suggested rides and all things biking.

Registration

Registration for all weeks of camp, for both age groups opens May 1st.

Register Online Here

Register by phone: 406-447-8077

Who:

Helena's Parks and Recreation Department partnering with the non-profit Kay McKenna Youth Foundation.

What:

We provide affordable summer camps for kids ages 6-7 and 8-9. This summer, both age groups will be at Memorial Park. Campers will be at the same park, but the age groups participate in different activities with different counselors. Each week of camp has a different theme - no two weeks of camp are the same! Please read the camp descriptions every week to know what your child needs - like a swimsuit or closed toe shoes.

When:

Monday - Thursday
June 10th - August 8th
7:45am - 3:00pm

Where:

Memorial Park: 1005 Last Chance Gulch

We meet every day at the Memorial Park Cottage, next to the playground equipment and across from the baseball field. 

Why:

We believe Helena's youth should have access to a safe, creative and entertaining summer camp where they can enjoy the recreational opportunities our community has to offer.

Camp Cost:

Camp is $25 a week.  If you need a scholarship, one will be made available to you.

Ways to Donate:

Donate extra cash when you register

Donate Directly to the Kay McKenna Youth Foundation.

Help us pay for field trips by bringing the suggested amount in the camp description.

Talk to the Recreation Supervisor about donating snacks.

Free Lunch and Snacks:

Our camp partners with the USDA Summer Meal Program to provide free lunch for our campers. This summer meal program is also available to all Helena children under the age of 18. Children do not have to be registered to Kay's Kids to participate in the free summer meal program. To learn about the program and locations, visit their website HERE.

Campers are provided with a morning snack and afternoon snack. Please talk to us if you are interested in donating a snack for the day! We love goldfish and fruit snacks from Costco. Children have access to water and parents hare required to provide their child with a water bottle every day of camp.

Weekly Themes and Dates:

View the weekly themes, camp descriptions, dates and more on the Registration Website.

Become a Camp Counselor.

• Pay starts at $15.94 an hour.
• Free CPR and First Aid Training.
• Camp runs Monday - Thursday. Staff has three day weekends and 4th of July off.
• Play sports, do crafts, build sets, go swimming, perform chemistry experiments and help kids have the best summer ever.

Click here to apply

Call 406-447-8077 with any questions.

Bill Roberts Golf Course

Established in 1925, Bill Roberts Golf Course is a great place to connect with friends, play golf and have fun. The 18-hole, 6,782-yard championship course is beautifully maintained providing a park-like setting right in the center of Montana's capital city. In addition to the course, they offer a driving range, practice green, 3 indoor golf simulators, PGA instruction, full-service golf shop and brand-new bar and grille.

You can visit their website for rates, tee times, events a grille menu and more.

Canyon Ferry

Canyon Ferry has become one of Montana's foremost recreation areas because of its proximity to Helena, Great Falls and Butte. The reservoir covers 25 miles and there are 24 Bureau of Reclamation maintained recreation sites around the reservoir. There is east access to the reservoir from US Highway 12 east of Helena or just north of Townsend.

Hauser Lake

Hauser Lake is a 3,200-acre reservoir on the Missouri River created by Hauser Dam. The lake yields rainbow, brown trout, walleye, perch and Kokanee salmon; for which it holds the state record. It is an extremely popular take-off point for weekend boating, fishing and water skiing. There are two scenic public campgrounds on Hauser Lake: White Sandy and a few yards further Black Sandy State.

Holter Lake

Holter Lake is in west central Montana near Helena with well-maintained campgrounds available. It is in an open, grassy area near the shore of Holter Lake surrounded by sparsely wooden hills. There is a prairie dog town just down the road and food service within proximity of these BLM sites.

Lake Helena

Lake Helena is open to day use, walk-in access year long. The road from the kiosk to the lake (approximately 80 meters) is open for hand-launching of boats from September 1st to the end of waterfowl season (usually the middle of January). All vehicles must park at the kiosk parking lot. Pets must always be on a leash or under voice control. These restrictions are to help minimize disturbance to winter resting waterfowl, spring/summer nesting, brood-rearing and molting of waterfowl and shorebirds.

Park Lake

Park Lake Campground and Park Lake Fishing Access are two sites located on the same lake in the Helena National Forest in southwest Montana. At an elevation of 6,500 feet, the site encompasses 10 acres. Park Lake Campground sits back slightly from the 3.5-acre alpine lake in a lodge pole timber forest. There is boating access but no boats with motors are allowed on the lake. The boat launch is carry-in, fishing is permitted and there are plenty of scenic hiking trails.

Spring Meadow Lake

This urban, day-use-only park is minutes from Helena is a popular spot for afternoons of swimming, sunbathing, scuba diving, fishing and bird watching. When you tire of the beach, walk the park's easy nature trail that circles the lake and is home to a wide variety of birds and other wildlife. In winter, you can still stroll along the trail and ice skate on the lake.

Memorial Park Ice Rink

The Memorial Park Ice Rink is a cozy place to rent skates, enjoy a hot chocolate and ice skate under the twinkling lights. The ice rink hours are always weather dependent, so call the ice-line 406-443-8774 or check Facebook for current conditions.  The main building will be closed to the public and staff will rent skates and hand out concessions through the windows.

Hours of Operation:

Wednesday: 4-8pm
Thursday: 4-8pm
Friday: 4-8pm
Saturday: 11am - 8pm
Sunday: 12-6pm

We have extended hours when school is out.

Daily Admission Fees:

(Skate Rental included with admission)

Ages 0-3: Free!
Ages 4-17: $2.00
Ages 18+: $2.50

Note

• We have limited skate rentals, particularly larger sizes.
• We close as needed due to poor ice conditions.
• If the west gate is unlocked, the ice is available for public use. If it is locked the rink is closed for maintenance so, please stay off the ice.

Unattended Ice Rinks

Unattended ice rinks are located at Cunningham Park and Lincoln Park. The rinks are open from dawn to dusk. You must bring all your own gear and share the ice with other skaters. The rinks are flooded in the mornings, weather permitting, so please avoid using the ice while it is freezing.

Cunningham Park : 1234 Floweree St.

Lincoln Park : 1800 N Roberts St. 

A ten-foot-tall Sasquatch has been spotted on open lands. In the fall Sasquatch will be moving through Helena's trails for an eleven week long, city wide scavenger hunt.

WHO knows where Sasquatch will be every week? No one knows for sure, but the Helena Parks and Recreation team is out on the trails and has a pretty good idea when he's on the move. If you have any questions, feel free to contact them: 406-447-8077

WHAT should I do if I find him? Take a selfie! And don't forget to tag @HelenaParksRecreation and use the hashtag #SQUATCHOUT to enter our photo contest.

WHEN is Sasquatch on the move? Typically, he likes to find a new trail on Monday to make everyone's week day adventures a bit more interesting. Check our social media every week to get clues on where he's off to next.

WHERE do I start? Try downloading an app or visiting a website like AllTrails.com that has information on popular hikes and trailhead locations around Helena. Basecamp has paper maps for sale if that's more your style. Once you are on the trails, markers will direct you, making it easy to stay on the course you've chosen. If you've never hiked or biked before, getting started doesn't need to be intimidating. Remember that everyone is there to enjoy themselves so don't worry about the destination and enjoy the journey!

WHY should I participate? Sasquatch knows Helena's open lands better than anyone. Pay attention to where he's been and try to figure out where he's going. You will find brand new trails you didn't know existed before - maybe even a new favorite. No tickets, entry fee or reservation needed to participate - get outside and have some fun!

Skate a 10,000 square-foot Alltec-designed skate park that features quarter pipe corners with flat bank hips, two different gaps with ledges, a pyramid with a square tube rail and five benches. One of the benches has a curved edge, one is sloping, one has a step at the top, another has a rail that is two feet high. Use of the park is free to everyone.

Located at Centennial Park, 1200 N Last Chance Gulch