Established Camping
Alturas Inlet Campground
About
USDA Forest Service
Sawtooth National Forest
Overview
Alturas Lake Inlet Campground is located on the shores of scenic Alturas Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range.
Recreation
This site is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. Alturas Lake offers excellent boating, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and fishing for bull trout and Kokanee salmon. The 10-mile round trip Alpine Meadows Trail begins nearby, with spectacular canyon, meadow and alpine lake views. The trail is also a popular area for bird watching.
Facilities
This campground contains several family campsites, some of which have lake or creek views. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Roads and parking spurs are gravel. A day-use site is adjacent to the campground with a designated swim beach. Smokey Bear Boat Ramp is less than 1/4-mile away.
Natural Features
Alturas Creek runs through the campground, where summer wildflowers are plentiful and a mixed-growth conifer forest provides partial shade. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.
Nearby Attractions
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities, and an estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains. Perkins Lake is less than 2 miles away, with excellent fishing and canoeing. Pettit and Yellowbelly Lakes are nearby, with more fishing, canoeing and hiking. The Salmon River offers fishing for rainbow trout, Westslope cutthroat trout and occasional hybrid cutbows and bull trout. Popular area events include an Arts and Crafts Fair in July, and Wagon Days, Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair and Fireman's Ball in September.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
A Sawtooth gem
If you was beautiful, off the beaten path, yet still within an easy drive to supplies and activities you certainly will love this place.
- (35) View All
Good escape from the summer heat
Alturas Lake Inlet campground is tucked into the lovely, shady forest around it. We saw plenty of birds, chipmunks and tiny wildflowers were all over our site in early July. The lake is a short walk but some campers drove over just to make it easier to tote their chairs and water gear. Bring layers - it can is cool in the evenings and at night (40s F) even in July but warm in the day, especially if you are out by the lake. We tent camped at site 17 and although it was near one of the many vault toilets, smaller trash dumpsters, and water spigots, our site was bigger and we set up a decent distance from it. Most sites seemed to have a good distance between each other and enough privacy courtesy of trees and various plant life. We didn’t have any issues, but there plenty of signs reminding campers to be bear aware. (We are pretty careful to keep our food, cooking supplies, toiletries and whatnot in our car when not in use anyway). We did not have cell service (Verizon) and it was a bit of a drive before we got it again. Overall, it’s a beautiful retreat well suited to escaping the heat of summer if you have a tent or small trailer/pull behind.
Great Launching Point
Close to Stanley, great site managers, and nearby lakes/trails make this a great place for all campers! (Our rig was 33ft class A)
- (4) View All
Location
Alturas Inlet Campground is located in Idaho
Directions
From Highway 75, turn onto Forest Road 205/Alturas Lake Road. Travel approximately 3 miles to the campground.
Address
SAWTOOTH NRA
Stanley, ID 83340
Coordinates
43.9 N
114.8830556 W