Wood River Campground, near Ketchum, Idaho, is a solid choice for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors while still being close to town. This spot is perfect for fishing trips on the Big Wood River or quick jaunts into Ketchum for supplies and meals.

The campground features several shaded sites, many of which are conveniently located near the river. Visitors appreciate the clean facilities, including well-maintained vault toilets and water spigots scattered throughout the area. As one camper noted, “The campsites and vaults were very clean and well maintained,” which adds to the overall comfort of your stay.

For those who enjoy hiking and biking, the surrounding Sawtooth National Forest offers stunning views and plenty of trails to explore. While some sites are closer to Highway 75, the noise tends to fade in the evenings, allowing for a peaceful night under the stars. Just keep in mind that this is bear country, so be cautious with food storage.

With a friendly camp host on site and a laid-back atmosphere, Wood River Campground is a great spot for families and friends looking to unwind and connect with nature. Whether you’re pitching a tent or parking your RV, you’ll find a welcoming environment that encourages outdoor fun.

## Overview

 Wood River Group Overnight Area is located inside the Wood River Campground, which has 30 single campsites for RV's and tent camping, which are available for use on a first-come first-served basis. This campground is located on the banks of the beautiful Big Wood River at an elevation of 6400 feet. Ketchum, Idaho is conveniently close, only 10 miles south. Visitors enjoy fishing, tubing and exploring local trails.
## Recreation

 This site is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. Fly-fishing for rainbow, brown and brook trout is popular on the Big Wood River, as is float tubing. A self-guided nature trail begins near the amphitheater, leading to a small cave and a beaver pond. 
## Natural Features

 A forest of Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine, Lodgepole pine and aspens offers plentiful shade within the facility. Colorful summer wildflowers are abundant and willows dot the banks of the river. Temperatures are cool with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The 20-mile Harriman Trail passes nearby, offering excellent hiking and biking. Numerous additional trails spur off the Harriman Trail leading to deep canyons, sparkling lakes, swimming holes and more great high country fishing. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area Visitor Center is 2.5 miles from the campground, with a small museum, bookstore and area information. An RV dump station and drinking water are located here as well. Easley Hot Springs is 4 miles north, offering a swimming pool, hot tubs, showers and a small store. Sun Valley Resort is 7 miles south, with hiking, biking, guided horseback riding and beautiful mountain scenery. Popular area events include Wagon Days in Ketchum in September. In Stanley an hour away, an Arts & Crafts Fair is held in July and a Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair and Fireman's Ball in September.

Wood River Campground

Looking for the best campgrounds near Ketchum, ID? Ketchum is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Ketchum and user-submitted reviews.

Ketchum

The Best Camping in Ketchum, Idaho | ID Camping

Nice campground close to town. Over all pretty nice very forestry. The main down fall is each of the camp grounds are pretty close to each other with almost no privacy. 

Nice and close!

We hightailed it to the area early on a Thursday morning pior to the 4th of July weekend in hopes of finding a spot.  We were greeted by the nicest host ever.  He apparently loved what he was doing and just wanted to help.  He told us to ride through,  check out the sights that were open and if we didn't find one that our rig would fit in, he would help us find a spot at one of the other NFS campgrounds in the area.  I do get frustrated when I see picky people complain because of road noise, or smelly vault toilets (this one didn't).  Generators running.  Y'all, this is a NFS campground, and a nice one at that. It is not a resort.   Rustic beauty.  Best part is when you do want more modern amenities,  Ketchum is right down the road.  There is a rails to trails multi purpose trailhead not too far down the road.  We road our bikes into town, south of town, over to Sun Valley.  So many great routes.  There is a nice NFS headquarters just down the road that has really nice exhibits.  There is hiking in the area.  We loved the area so much and can't wait to return.  PS....they do have a group area.

Nice NFS Campground

I initially reviewed this campground under Wood River Group (reservable) before the Dyrt added just the campground (first come only).  Both the group and individual sites are at the same location.   You can check out my extensive review and photos there.   I had already deleted moat of my photos before I got the notice this one was added.  Here's that post. 
  
https://thedyrt.com/camping/idaho/idaho-wood-river/review/122472

Check out the Wood River Group review

 Right off Hwy 75 sits this clean campground with paved road throughout the campground and paved sites which helps to cut down on the dust as many of these campgrounds along Hwy 75 are dusty. 

  

There is a good amount of shade here and mostly flat parking at the sites. Each site had a picnic table and fire pit. The trees are trimmed from the ground up and allows zero privacy. 

  

There are pit toilets and water spigots throughout as well. There were dumpsters for trash. 

  

Some of the sites are fairly close to the highway so you’ll get some road noise which dies down at night and you’ll also hear the river. Other sites on the far side were much quieter. There were a couple of pull through sites too. Good for almost all rigs, vans or tents. Hiking and biking in the area and amazing views of the mountains. Lots of great photography if you’re into that! 

  

This is bear country but bear boxes are not provided to store food appropriately. There was a host on site that was friendly and helpful. Not too many people here. There were a lot of open sites.

  

$18/night for camping, day use available for a fee. See picture of signage.   

  

Zero cell reception.

Pavement Limits the Dust

We were looking for a nice quiet campground to act as a base for fishing the Big Wood and visits into Ketchum/Hailey/Bellevue. Wood River did not disappoint.  It is located @ 10 miles north of Ketchum making it very convenient to run into town for supplies, meals, shopping,  and entertainment. 

The campground consists of a couple of connected loops with large shaded campsites.  Some are along the Big Wood River.   The roads and sites are well suited to smaller rigs.  Big rigs might have a difficult time negotiating the loop road and finding sites deep enough to accommodate them. 

The campsites and vaults were very clean and well maintained.  The camp hostess during our visit was Peggy.  She did a great job checking us in and making us feel welcome. 

Dispute being near Highway 75 the road noise in the evenings was not a distraction.  We camped in site 21 which is one of the farthest sites from the the highway.  All in all we loved the forest feel and will return. 

Photos of Wood River Campground

Real photos from real campers