Searching for a tent camping spot near Banks? Finding a place to camp in Idaho with your tent has never been easier. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
ALERT - The Swirly Canyon segment of the South Fork Payette River stretch offers opportunities for camping and fishing in a scenic mountain area. The BLM's South Fork Recreation Site is an undeveloped camping spot along the river.
Shafer Butte is located atop the scenic Boise Ridge Mountains, near Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area, at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Visitors enjoy hiking and biking on various trails in the surrounding area, and simply relaxing and taking in the area's beautiful views.
Popular activities in the area include hiking and mountain biking, the Mores Mountain Trail begins in the campground. This 2-mile interpretive nature trail is family friendly.
Shafer Butte offers scenic views of Deer Point, Mores Mountain and Shafer Butte summits, as well as the expansive valley below. The campground is situated among Douglas fir and aspen trees, which offer partial shade in most sites. Wildlife and summer wildflowers are abundant in the area.
Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area is close by and offers more hiking and biking trails, as well as other summer activities, check out this link for more information http://bogusbasin.org. The Ridge to River trail system is near by as well, check out this link for more information http://www.ridgetorivers.org
$10 - $75 / night
$28 - $43 / night
Overview: Bald Mountain Campground is near Idaho City, Idaho. The Campground has 4 campsites in a secluded, forested area. A trail from campground goes east to the Middle Fork of the Boise River. A second trail goes from the Thorn Creek Butte Lookout south of the campground and follows Cottonwood Creek south.
Overview: A stay at Cottonwood Campground enables guests to enjoy all the beauty and recreation offered around the Middle Fork Boise River and Arrowrock Reservoir. The tiny campground hosts 3 campsites. Weather is usually good from mid-May through late September and is easily accessible by car in good weather, although the road is sometimes rough and the drive can be seemingly long. Checking with the Mountain Ranger District (208-587-7961) on road conditions before heading out is recommended. Natural Features: The campground is situated just north of the reservoir along Cottonwood Creek. There is at a switchback of Forest Service (FS) roads 268 and 377. It is located less than a mile along FS road 377. Wildlife watchers may want to look for deer and elk. Waterfowl, eagles and osprey are attracted to the river. Recreation: Cottonwood Trail begins nearby, leading to Bald Mountain. Check the Idaho City Ranger District Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for trails in the area that are open to hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers and off-road vehicles. Click here for an Idaho OHV safety message. Arrowrock Reservoir is a premier fishing destination in southwest Idaho. It offers excellent trout fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout. There are also good swimming holes. Big game hunting is a popular activity in season. The Middle Fork Boise River is just north of the campground and also offers great fishing.
Scout
Has come a long ways in the last 10 years. Could still be part of the solution that part of the problem.
ScoutJust off the asphalt on a gravel road. Very dusty and noisy on the weekends. Can be busy because a lot people park in there to float the river.
Guide
Loved this spot! Parked our tow behind camper right on the beach. It is very muddy so don’t get too close to the shore, we had to help two vehicles get out of the mud. Also very buggy which is why is lost a star
Guide
Site 10 is right on the river.
Scout
Sites are well spaces apart. A quit spot.
Guide
Nice spot, got to drive up the road past the usa fee area campground. Its a bit up a hill and not on the valley floor so phone service is there like one bar. No tables but some make shift fire pits at free spots. Kinda a rocky road but not a bunch of holes. Supposedly there have been mountain lion sightings in this area. Some intense utah/idaho drivers so just be cool. A less dry quiet spot, beautiful sounds of bugs at night prob crickets and no biter bugs like mosquitoes. Could give it 4 stars but I got to sneak in in the usa fee area to use toilet. Usually most hosts are not paying attention or are cool about it if you aint a crazy. Hey just realized Im not one of those lol.
Scout
We arrived late, but it was no problem. Everything was great - quiet, but near the highway. Showers and bathrooms were super clean. We walked to the little cafe down the street and had a nice country breakfast before going on our way to Idaho.
Scout
I like the idea of being able to camp cheap and all, but if there happens to be a storm before the day you pull in, you might encounter some mud in the grassy area. Not complaining, but was trying to stay out of the mud as I have a dog who doesn’t care where he runs and that can be a problem with the wife inside trailer.
GuideNice lil spot to relax . Really rough road is the only bad part
Traveler
About an hour off the highway, 7 miles of which are washboard-bumpy gravel roads along the lake cliffside (Had to drive under 10mph those last 7 miles). We were in an AWD sprinter van, and the road conditions definitely put a damper on the night. Site is right on the water gorgeous once you’re there. The stars were incredible. Toilet on site but the flies were swarming.
Scout
This campground has potential that is not being exploited. Lovely spot beside the Payette River but that’s about it. Water and 30/50 hookups but too few trees, ery little to do without driving a distance. Close to white water rafting outfitters.
Ranger
Spend 6 nights here while exploring Stanley, the sawtooths, and Boise National Forest. Big sites, beautiful lake, and very private. Really enjoyed our stay here.
Guide
Owners were very helpful about the activities in the area.
Traveler
Great spot to escape 55 traffic jams! It has great fishing, and river beach access. Has a bathroom. Picnic tables. Only draw back would be road noise but if that doesn't bother you then 5 stars for a dispersed site!
ScoutWe were excited about this find, the location was perfect for riding sxs right outside of round valley.
We unfortunately, could not fit our rig in the gate. It was tight and could not make the turn with a long box truck and 30ft camper.
I did not like that the spots were so close together and not very private.
Greg was very nice though and willing to give us a refund. Still haven’t seen the refund come through yet.
Scout
Campsite is just outside of town next to the lake. Good little spot to pull up. We stayed one night and paid $15. Lots of campsites were full on the other side, this was good being so close to the tamarack resort.
Scout
they have absolutely destroyed what we use to love..they put sand in every camping spot with railroad ties and huge spikes make sure you like sand in your shoes and in your tents and campers.. the placement of the fire pitts make it where you cant sit around the fire ..carry a flashlight at all times so you dont trip over the ties that they have placed …they took family sites big enough for 10 people and made them so close you can actually hear the next site breathing in their sleep..the camp host by the Name of Tod Had a nasty additude towards my wife when we had first woke up at 8:00 am hounding us about money..sorry we got there at 3:00 in the morning we were going to stay for 14 days and left in 3 they made nature into a aparment style camp ground i guess thats what happends when greed takes over..we have never had problems before ..camp hosts were great and now they need blue and red lights on top of their wheelers..now you look out your front window used to see the lake and mountains now you see the top of some ones tents…way to go IFAG..
Scout
I called (no one answered @4:45pm)... then we drove because it was on our way... and there was no one. The restaurant was closed... it is 6:15pm.. maybe they aren't open past 6?
Scout
We’ve been here twice now. First 2021 and again June 2024. Campground is well kept. Showers and facilities clean. Minutes from Donnelly Idaho for “the things you forgot”. Great views coming back again for sure.
Guide
Quick 1 night stay. Nice river access. Pretty quiet.
Guide
Stopped here for a night on the way to the Tetons. Short walk to the confluence of the Snake and Boise River.
Scout
Well, guess the review below should have been posted after we checked out. Why? We went for a walk and upon our return at 9pm we were greeted by the management advising us we needed to immediately depart. If we didn't we were told we'd be trespassing and.... This is a first for us. A bit surprising as we are both retired health care professionals(surgeon and MPH). Plus, we have volunteered as camp hosts in both state parks and a KOA. Not a good experience. We are in a 38' Class A, and we're assigned site 17. The"guide' took us to our site. He had the people in the next site move their car so we could pull through and back in. Then he directed my husband pull through an area where there was a dead tree with the branches cut off, but still with the trunk and large limbs present. The top of our RV got caught under a protruding branch, scraping the top edge of the coach. The guide shared this was his first week and he didn't understand why they assigned us this site. He got his manager to come look at our coach and the site. The manager said he would have parked us differently, and they are not responsible for the damage. We asked for a different site, and the approach was better. Still very tight. Not a great way to start the visit and very disappointed in the management. Leaving early and likely won't be back or recommend this park to others. We camped at Boise Riverside RV Park in a Motorhome
GuideThere are many group sites and single sites. Many sites own a corner turn. Also your entire campsite will be visible to every car passing. There are other sites on the other side of the road that are more private. Be wary the road is very dangerous getting in. Take it slow.
Some people park their trailers at lake front but beware of the dune sand , you might get stuck.
I love being able to jump into the lake and ride my bike along the lake.
T
Scout
Great spot to relax
ScoutTraveling across the state and we looked for a place to roll into later in the evening. Called this campground to see if there were any spots available and talked to a very nice woman on the phone who was able to get us in a tent spot immediately. We got there at about 10:30 and she met us out front and showed us our spot. Only a few tent spots but they were offset a little from the campers. Nice showers and had 24h bathroom access. Free WiFi all the way in our tent which was pretty awesome! Right off the highway which was convenient but could be a minus if the noise bothers you. Overall great experience!
Traveler
This is a great campground. Sites are spaced out, 1 loop makes it easy to maneuver. Would recommend NOT using sites 3, 4, or 5 if you have an RV. All other sites are great! The entrance is a narrow road down a hill. But still very accessible for a travel trailer.
Keep in mind, Black Rock is 20 miles of dirt road. It does get bumpy in some spots. I was able to drive 15-20mph with a trailer most of the time.
No trash service, pack in pack out. Vault toilets, hand crank water pump. Recommend RVs fill up on water in Idaho City.
No cell service on T Mobile
Guide
Very calm and peaceful this weekend. Able to get our favorite spot by the river.
Tent camping near Banks, Idaho offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a peaceful escape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Banks, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Banks, ID is South Fork Recreation Site with a 3.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Banks, ID?
TheDyrt.com has all 35 tent camping locations near Banks, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
