Best Camping in Idaho

Idaho's camping is concentrated in the Sawtooth NRA, the northern panhandle lakes, and the central mountain wilderness — with some of the finest dispersed backcountry camping in the lower 48.

Sawtooth NRA: Redfish Lake Campground
On the shore of Redfish Lake with direct views of the Sawtooth Range — Idaho's most scenic drive-in campground. Multiple loops with tent and RV sites; some lakeside sites. Reserve months in advance through Recreation.gov; first-come-first-served sites are available. The Redfish Lake Lodge and marina are adjacent.

Sawtooth NRA: Grandjean Campground
At the end of a 7-mile unpaved road on the South Fork Payette River — the trailhead for the Baron Lakes and Sawtooth Lake routes into the heart of the Sawtooth Wilderness. Small, primitive campground with immediate access to the finest backcountry in Idaho.

Stanley Basin (multiple sites)
The Stanley Basin — surrounded by the Sawtooths, White Clouds, and Salmon River Mountains — has multiple BLM and USFS campgrounds in meadow and riverside settings. Jerry Johnson Hot Springs (accessible via Trail 101 near the Lochsa River in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness boundary) is a hike-in camping and hot spring combination.

Lake Pend Oreille: Farragut State Park and USFS
Multiple campgrounds on Lake Pend Oreille — Farragut State Park's East Beach Campground is the largest. USFS campgrounds on the lake's east shore (Trestle Creek area) give more solitude. The lake's fishing (bull trout, lake trout, Kamloops rainbow) is exceptional.

Craters of the Moon: Lava Flow Campground
The only campground within Craters of the Moon National Monument — 51 sites in the open lava field. Dark skies here are exceptional (the monument is a certified International Dark Sky Park). Hot in summer (the lava absorbs and radiates heat); better in spring and fall. Generators banned after 10pm.