With one of the longest camping seasons in the Idaho Parks system, Bruneau Dunes State Park offers camping opportunities throughout the year. Campsites and cabins are available with plenty of first-come, first-served sites too.
Bruneau Dunes State Park boasts the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America with a peak rising 470 feet above the surrounding desert floor. Explore the dunes in your hiking boots or rent a sand board from the Visitor Center, but off-road vehicles are only permitted on the main road. You can also fish for bluegill in the lakes at the foot of the dune; unlock the mystery of the desert with a breathtaking hike or horseback ride; plan a group picnic or visit the Bruneau Dunes Observatory and gaze at the night sky through the Observatory's collection of telescopes. (Observatory open Friday and Saturday evenings, April through mid-October.)
Bruneau Dunes State Park is a hidden gem in Idaho just 20 min off I-84 in Idaho not far from Boise. There is a small field of sand dunes in the park and the largest dune is the largest active dune structure in NorthAmerica. A couple of lakes and ponds are also found at the base of the dunes. There are 3 campgrounds in the park, one is an equestrian one. Only the outhouses are open in the winter and water and showers are turned off in winter but electrical hook ups are still available. Great views of the sand dunes from the campgrounds as well. Marginal cell reception with Verizon. Signal too weak for AT&T.
My first time in Idaho and talk about diversity and beauty. Bruneau Dunes is just another example of the variety of experiences to be had within this state! Windy, sunny and sandy best describes the whole park. The sand was a little toasty so I kept the dogs mostly in the shade. Sliding down the dunes is pretty cool. The pond/lake was low and mucky when we were there and I don’t know if fishing would be an option. The campground is adequate and well maintained. The picnic shelters help some with the sun and wind. Bring good anchors for anything you want to set up. The staff was nice and informative. Definitely worth a look see just cause it’s cool.
Stayed here for one night. It was during the pandemic, so the showers were closed, which was a bummer. Other than that, it seems like a good place. The sites are big, level, and well manicured. A few sites have shade trees while others have covered picnic tables. We were just passing through, so it wasn't convenient for us. If you're doing something in the area (river, dunes, etc.), it's a good option.
While the sites themselves leave much to be desired, Bruneau is awesome. The camp hosts have been there for 7 years and are super friendly and helpful. The restrooms are in tip-top shape and there are several features that made this an awesome spot for our family-a dog park within walking distance, open grassy space for playing whiffle ball, etc and the ability to ride bikes to the Dunes-about 1 mile from the Broken Wheel site. It does get super windy though. And although we have only been in the fall and spring, I have heard you really cannot walk on the sand in the summer-too hot! Overall, we love it.
Some very nice camp sites but it is actually like your in a desert. It gets very cold at night and hot and dry during the day. The hike up to the top of the big one was hard but very rewarding.
Sites are pretty standard, not many with shade, and I could see it getting pretty close on a busy weekend. Loved being able to walk to a s bike up the dunes. We didn’t get in the water, but would have if we had a raft or something. The clearest night sky you could ask for makes some awesome stargazing. Also there’s an observatory on the trail, but we didn’t get a chance to visit. We were there on an off day. If you’re hiking the dunes consider footwear. It looks like it would be fine to hike barefoot or in flip flops because it’s not an ankle turner, but the sand can get burning hot, literally.
We went there during the July 4 th weekend 2 nights 3 days. The landscape is amazing and it's an awesome place for star gazing. I happened to see shooting stars a few times. The camp host is also friendly and helpful. We didn't expect the wind to be so strong that our canopy was destroyed overnight. Make sure you always being insect repellent. It has lots of mosquitoes during the Summer. It is also way too hot during the summer time. Would recommend going there in the fall. We would recommend to hike among different sand dunes and the attend the observatory that is available Friday and Saturday nights.
Campsites are very close to each other, not much to obscure or for privacy from other campers. Very little shade so would be very hot midsummer. Cool location to check out the dunes
Wagon Wheel campground is nice place to relax. Nighttime star show is spectacular. The sand dunes are fun to climb. Sound of freedom with Air Force fly overs.
Lakes, dunes, the beautiful night sky, and wildlife galore! We stayed in a camper cabin and it was cozy and fun! Will definitely be back. The staff was also very knowledgeable and helpful.