Bumblebee Campground

Planned to take a nights rest here on my way to Oregon, and was unpleasantly surprised that it was closed. The visit was in early November. Makes sense it was closed. Was able to camp on the road nearby as it was all forest service land. Lots of large pull outs alongside the river.

So we were super excited to visit this campground, nothing on the government website or any of the signs until you get there indicated that the campground was completely closed. We ended up staying along the river just a bit down the road. It was still US forest service land and we were able to find a comfortable site. There was no water but the beauty of the area and the little river running behind it made up for everything.

This is a spacious, green campground surrounded by trees and greenery.  Great for bike rides, fire pit cooking and hiking.  There is a lot of space between campsites and it feels like you have the whole place to yourself.  Great for kids, families and photography.  This is a popular spot for tubing, swimming and playing in the river.  The camp hosts are super friendly and say there is a resident moose to look out for!

We tried to stay here on a Saturday in July- and it was way too crowded. People were parked everywhere (in all the designated spots and everywhere in between) and there were multiple groups playing music. Might be a place you could stop mid-week (though I would guess it stays fairly busy all summer) or during the off-season, but if avoid it during the summer if you’re looking for any privacy or quiet.

Private sites in the woods of Idaho. Fish in the creek next to most sites.

This is the main launch for floating down the river and going to the most popular unpaved campground. ( If some is paved, continue on into the woods, there are endless possibilities along the river .)

I have camped here probably less than 5 times in my 25 years here. The last time was Aug 2012. I just came back from Mexico and had a bad case of Montezuma’s Revenge. Let’s just say it was my best friends’s 1/2 drunken birthday celebrations. At the time, not many camping sites were taken because it was a week day. Now picture two witches celebrating in the moon light next to the biggest fire, streaking, dancing, and to top it all of, fecal matter all along the perimeter of our site.

We camped at Bumblebee in July so we could have easy access to the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. The campground is managed by the US Forest Service with a camp host and has 23 campsites and a large group campsite that would accommodate up to 100 people. The amenities include paved/chip sealed roads and campsite parking, vault toilets and potable water spigots. The campsites are wooded and a stream runs past the campground. There were blue Forget-Me-Nots growing all along the stream. The campground provides nearby river access for fishing and floating.