There are some awesome campgrounds in Drumheller. A couple of them even make it onto our list of Campgrounds with Pools, but, dang, are they pricey! I hate spending the same as a cheap Red Deer motel rate per night to bring my own accommodations onto someone else’s piece of land. If you feel the same, this list of cheap Drumheller campgrounds is for you! (I even have a couple FREE options!)
Table of Contents
The Campground Selection Process
The requirements I used to filter this list included:
- Under $40/night for full services
- Within a 45 minute drive of the Giant T-Rex in downtown Drumheller
- Family friendly (this is a family focused website, after all!)
Not all of the campgrounds will be the most play-friendly locations, but they are possible places to stay, especially if you are used to bringing your own entertainment (bikes, toys, etc).
This list is sorted by the time it takes to drive to the World’s Largest Dinosaur.
Please Note: We do our best to keep the information Alberta Mamas current and accurate, but all information shared is subject to change. Please check the website and/or social media for the organizations directly (we always try to link to them!) to confirm before traveling.
Map of Affordable Drumheller Campgrounds
There is lots to see and do around Drumheller both to the north and south. Be sure to select a campground that lets you visit the other attractions you are interested in with the least amount of driving! (Or pick one that’s closer to home so you can split driving time between days.)
Freecamping
Rowley Ghost Town
The epic tourist ghost town of Rowley has two spots for unserviced, First Come, First Served camping. One of the spots is directly under their two grain elevators. You can’t get more “Albertan” for a campsite!
Location: 30 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: by donation
Special Features: The town hosts Pizza Night on the last Saturday of the month with a live band performing during the warmer season. You can get a 12″ 2-topper pizza for $15.
Visit the town’s Facebook Page for details!
Severn Dam Reservoir
With only 8 campsites, Severn Dam is free with zero services. It’s quiet during the week, and not much busier on the weekend. There isn’t much for kids to do, so make sure you bring your own entertainment.
Location: 35 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: Free
Visit the Campendium entry and Overlander entry for Severn Dam.
Cheap Camping
Wayne Community Campground
The famous near-ghost town at the end of Highway 10X across eleven bridges has a First Come-First Served campground with ten sites.
Location: 20 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: $20/night
Features: There is a playground for the kids, the famous Wayne Restaurant, and pit toilets.
Visit the Wayne Community Association’s Facebook Page for details.
Bleriot Ferry Campground
Located next to the river by the actual working Ferry (yes, we have ferries in Alberta – you’ve got to go!), Bleriot Ferry Campground is a 28 site, First Come-First Served campground in a provincial recreation area and operated by Alberta Parks.
Location: 25 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: $25/night
Special Features: Next to the Red Deer River and Bleriot Ferry. Note that there isn’t much for kids to do.
Visit the Alberta Parks Bleriot Ferry Campground page for more details.
Starland Recreation Area
This river-valley First Come-First Served Campground with 50 formalized sites and overflow and group campsites is a great option for close-to-Drumheller camping.
Location: 25 min to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: $25/night
Features: Has a playground, 3 ball diamonds that are used for tournaments, a short formal trail and great hills to explore independently
Visit the Starland County Campgrounds page for more details.
Michichi Dam Recreation Area
Online reservations are available for Michichi Dam Recreation Area. Offering a playground, flush toilets, showers, power, water, and a dump station the campground is fully equipt (though lacking in trees). There is an easy to access reservoir and dock to fish from, and scenic boardwalk hike through marshlands past the dam.
Location: 25 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Price: $25/night unserviced, $35/night serviced
Features: Coin showers, flush toilets, playground, sani-station, stocked lake, 1km boardwalk
Get more information on the Starland County Campgrounds page.
Little Fish Lake Campground
Off the beaten path, Little Fish Lake Provincial Park is a quiet spot away from it all with ten unserviced First Come-First Served campsites and a beautiful lake to enjoy. There is a walking path but not much else for the kids, so be sure to pack toys.
Location: 30 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: $20/night
Find a campground map and more information on the Alberta Parks page.
Village of Carbon Campgrounds
The final campground in the “under 30 minutes to downtown Drumheller” category, the campgrounds in the Village of Carbon are a savings if you are looking for sewer hookups or 50amp service, but not so much for no services or just power and water. Carbon has it’s own outdoor pool you could take the kids to.
Location: 30 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: Full service ($40-43), power/water ($38)
Get more details on the Village of Carbon’s website.
Swalwell Dam Campground
Reservations are available through Kneehill County for Swalwell Dam’s 6 unserviced campsites. There isn’t much privacy between sites, but with only six, you won’t have many neighbours to worry about! Bring toys for the kids as there isn’t much for them to do until you head into town for a playground.
Location: 40 min to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: $20/night
Get more details and make reservation on Kneehill County’s website.
Braconnier Dam
With 8 unserviced sites, lots of trees, and a location 5 minutes from Three Hills, Alberta (we love our strange names for towns in this province!) Braconnier Dam is a bit away from Drumheller, but a central point to visit a lot of east-central Alberta.
Location: 40 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: $20/night)
Get all the details and make reservations on Kneehill County’s website.
McLaren Dam Campground
18 reserveable sites along the water are available – 8 with power, 10 with power and water, plus overflow camping. The dam has been stocked with rainbow trout and motorized watercraft are allowed.
Location: 45 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: $25/night unserviced, $35/night serviced)
Get more details and make reservation on Starland County’s website.
Three Hills Golf Club and Campground
If your family is into golf, the Three Hills Golf Club’s campground may be the spot for you! The 9 hole course has a slope rating just under 70 and very approachable green fees (and club rental rates) making it a great family course. The campground has spacious stalls with power and water with an on-site dump station. Reservations can be made by phone or by submitting a request.
Location: 45 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: $35/night
Get more details about the campground and golf course on the Three Hills Golf Club website.
Tolman Bridge East and West Campgrounds
Operating as First Come-First Served campgrounds, the Tolman Bridge East and West campgrounds have 65 sites between them. There is a playground in teh East campground. More shade is available in the East campground.
Location: 45 minutes to the Giant T-Rex
Cost: $25/night
Note: the campgrounds are close to a community gun range
Get more details or make a group reservation on Starland County’s website.
More Campground Options
If you’re willing to go a bit further, there are many more campgrounds about an hour away listed on the Kneehill County website.
If you don’t want to deal with the longer drive that these affordable campground require, there are options closer to town (some are even in town!).
Some popular campgrounds in and around Drumheller that are over the $40/night rate include:
- 11 Bridges Campground
- Badlands Campground (note: not available until after the Badlands Passion Play finishes it’s run in July)
- Cactus Coulee Fun Park
- Dinosaur RV Park
- Dinosaur Trail RV Resort (Featured on our list of Campgrounds with Pools!)
- Hoodoo RV Resort and Campground
- Horseshoe Canyon Campground
- River Grove Campground
More About Drumheller
- We’ve put together a huge list of Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Drumheller!
- Read about our visits at Day Trip to Drumheller and Family Trip! Drumheller Alberta
- If you’ll be visiting the Royal Tyrrell Museum, be sure to check out the Experience Alberta History Annual Pass
- Be sure to visit the Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington
- Not sold on the campground experience? Check out our hotel recommendations in Drumheller (with waterslides!).
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