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 Campground

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&amp;T.


A hidden gem in Idaho!

Had an amazing time at the Bruneau Dunes State Park!!

it rained the evening that I arrived but each campsite had a sturdy covered area over a pick nick table. It was amazing!

The next day, the weather cleared up and we were able to explore the sand dunes. It was windy which made the heat more bareable.

Rain and shine

Great campground in the middle of no where. No wifi contrary to their claims online. Still plenty to do even though it was really hot.

Sand Dunes and Fishing

There is many places to camp, fish and hike up the largest sand dune in North America! It is very clean. Only downfall is that there is no good swimming, the water is all dirty.

Big and open 

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.

Fun, Educational, Diverse Landscape

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. 

Perfect campground for spring getaway.

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. 

Sites are meh. Sights are awesome.

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. 

Really hot

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. 

Wide Open Spaces

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. 

Sand Dunes

Senior discount,  Dark Skies, Observatory, Tallest Dune in N.A., definitely worth a night or two.  

Our son was stationed at Mountain Home AFB and deployed in the Iraqi war, Enduring Freedom.   We did not have the chance to visit as a result.  While in Idaho, we swung by the base and then headed to Bruneau Dunes SP at his recommendation.  It was not what we expected.   I won’t lie.   It’s a desert folks … well, more accurate,  high plains.  But what a cool place.  The sites are basic &amp; not a lot of shade to be found.  But the bathhouse is emaculate.    Great showers to wash off the sand from climbing the dunes.  Even if you aren’t staying at the campground,  you can shower for $3.  If you are interested in astronomy or astronomy photography,  this is a great place.   The observatory wasn’t open the day we were there.  I didn’t get meet the host, but heard great things. The dump station is large.  AT&amp;T service, spotty.

Dark sky area and really unusual sight 

We had to stay inside with the air conditioning on and avoiding mosquitoes in July. Maybe March is a good time. The dunes are cool and the observatory is a fun extra feature. 

Hot in the summer 

Well, that wasn’t fun. If anyone is planning on tent camping here, I would highly suggest going somewhere else. The dunes are awesome, but wow were the sites a let down. The fields had no grass and minimal shade. I ended up sleeping in my car but with the heat, needed the windows down. That’s when I entered mosquito hell and spent the night swatting skeeters all night. For an rv, sure good spot but tent campers beware.


Two thumbs down Campsite for tents

While the dunes at Bruneau make for some fun sledding, my favorite part is the star gazing program offered by the park staff during the summer. A new telescope facility is being completed and will be open by June of 2023. We weren't able to use it, but we were able to look at smaller telescopes the staff had out. They also used lasers to point out constellations in the sky. When the weather is clear, the stars are just amazing! 

  

For camping, I recommend the Broken Wheel loop. A lot of the sites have a shelter over the picnic table, and they are also spaced out more than the Eagle Cove loops. Most of the sites have water and 30 amp or 50 amp service. The park has its own dump stattion you can use on the way out.