## Overview

 Sam Owen Campground is nestled on the banks of Lake Pend Oreille in a densely wooded forest of pine and cedar. Popular activities include hiking, canoeing, swimming and boating in summer, and skiing in winter.
## Recreation

 A beach draws crowds of sunbathers and swimmers. Visitors also like to hike the half-mile, accessible Sam Owen Trail #4. The trail reaches a beautiful vista of Owens Bay, where hikers can rest on benches and take in the astonishing view.Anglers take pleasure in catching kamloops, Dolly Varden, northern pike, trout and catfish. A boat ramp and dock are located on-site. 
## Facilities

 Amenities include a picnic area, paved overflow parking areas and an amphitheater for educational programs. Campsites do not have electric hookups but a group picnic shelter has electricity and lights. Accessible flush toilets, drinking water and a dump station are provided.
## Natural Features

 Sam Owen Campground is situated on a peninsula on the east side of Lake Pend Oreille in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, at an elevation of 2,000 feet. The lake spans 82,088 acres and has 125 miles of shoreline. The well-loved campground shares a peninsula with the Sam Owen Game Preserve, which provides plenty of opportunities to see wildlife up close. Deer are very easy to spot, and watching for unique birds is a rewarding activity. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The Pend Oreille Scenic Byway is well worth exploring.

Sam Owen Camnpground

Stayed here for a few days back in June. Since I've been lucky enough to be able to work remotely, I just needed to find a campsite that had cell reception so I could tether my laptop, and this one does (at least on Verizon). 

It has a lot more to offer too though, as the lakeside location is pretty great. You can rent paddle boards and head out onto the water. Apparently this is one of the deepest lakes in the country. A local couple that gave us a ride on their boat told us they test submarines in this lake, or at least used to. I love random bits of interesting info like that.

All the standard amenities here, and then some. Restaurant / bar within walking distance. 

The only thing that got to be a bit much is how crowded it was. Yes, the campground is large (four different loops in total, if I remember correctly) but still, felt like a zoo sometimes.

Still, if you're looking for easy, don't mind paying and ideally making reservations ahead of time, and can sacrifice some privacy, this will do you very well.

Convenient, lots of amenities, a bit crowded.

such a nice spot to camp. the lake is beautiful and trees are juuuust great.   the sites are well maintained and clean.  the men's bathroom has no door for the toilet.... going #2 out in the open is fantastic 😉.   also, maybe more dog owners could bring their yappy loud dogs and train them to all bark late at night.... oh wait nevermind, that already happened.  
regardless, beautiful place to camp.

Beautiful lake and great forests

Nice campground on Lake Pend Oreille.   The spots are somewhat private with some spots very close to the water.  There is a RV resort within walking distance on the beach that has a bar and restaurant.   The views of the lake and mountains were spectacular.  There is an RV dump that was $6 dollars to use.  The campground has an upper and lower loop.  Reservable and first come sites.

Sam Owen is a nice place to camp for a few days, or spend some time on the water. It is surprisingly quiet for a campsite, considering it's location! Pend Oreille is a beautiful lake and is a great place for boats, kayaks, and paddle boards! The campsites at Sam Owen have picnic tables and some have fire pits. There are dumpsters and water available as well. I have camped here mid-May and came for day visits during busier summer months and never felt that there were too many people or I needed a reservation. Sandpoint is a charming town and area. Joel's in Sandpoint has some of the best burritos in the Northwest. There is an excess of hiking and mountain biking in the area! Some good trails include Mickinnick and Sam Owen trail.

Quiet for a state park!

Sam Owen did not disappoint! We had a huge, level spot (#56) at the end of the campground (not all sites are so level). A little tight to get into with a 40’ 5th wheel, but doable. The lake is just a very short walk away (great paddle boarding!) and though there is no cell service within the CG, there is on the far side of the swimming beach, next to the Beyond Hope resort (very crowded looking camping there!). 

A gem of a spot! 

Very nice well kept campground on the east shore of lake Pend Oreille. We visited in 2021 September. A lot of trees have been cut down and cleared out from a giant wind storm last year. The storm crushed cars and campers. All cleared up and nice now. Most spots are still shaded and very close to the lake. The access roads are narrow and trailers over 30 ft can get in but very carefully in the skipping stone loop. If you want a pull through for easier entry/departure, try the dancing shadows loop. There's a dog beach with plenty of shoreline access. It was very smoky due to all the forest fires at the time.

Wooded lakeside gem

Absolutely 

Many spots to choose from. Some right on the water, many more back in the woods. Very clean and plentiful restrooms 