Looking for the best dispersed camping near Bloomington? The Dyrt can help you find the best dispersed campsites for your next trip. Each dispersed site offers quick access to one or more of Bloomington's most popular destinations.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest outside of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no toilets, no treated water, and no fire grates are provided.
Camping in dispersed areas on the Forest is allowed for fourteen (14) days in any thirty (30) day consecutive period. Campers must move off Forest after reaching the 14-day limit. The stay limit also applies to all camping equipment (tents, chairs, ATVs, ATV trailers, etc.), even if used by a different person or group. Camping equipment must be removed by the end of the fourteen (14) day stay limit or the equipment may be impounded. Stay limits are implemented to reduce impacts to vegetation and wildlife habitat, as well as provide access to popular campsite areas for other visitors.
Diamond Creek Guard Station is located 30 miles east of Soda Springs, Idaho. The current building was constructed in the early 1990 ??s as a snowmobile warming hut. The cabin is accessible by car in warmer months and by snowmobile in winter. The cabin provides a few conveniences; however, guests should be prepared to bring the supplies and equipment they need to make their stay more comfortable.
The Bear Canyon OHV Trail is about two miles north of the guard station . Hikers and mountain bikers will also find trails nearby. The area surrounding the cabin is a playground for snowmobilers and skiers in the winter months. Anglers can fish in nearby Diamond Creek. The surrounding area also attracts big game and game bird hunters.
The cabin sits in a meadow at an elevation of 6,900 feet surrounded by the peaks of Dry Ridge and the Webster sub-range in southeastern Idaho. Stands of aspen and lodgepole pine dot the landscape. Wildlife in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest includes black bears, wolves, elk, moose, mule deer, bison, grizzly bears , mountain lions and pronghorn.
$35 / night
There are no fees for this campground under current conditions. There are no restroom facilities or services. This campground is located North of Logan Canyon.
Scout
Road to dispersed camping is closed Dec 1 - April 15. Permit fee is $10 for 3 days. We had a quiet ( only a couple of other campers further up) and enjoyable overnight visit but road was quite icy. So we did not explore far. Birds in caves in side of valley. Well loved trail starts a short distance up the road. Looks like a beloved student hang out in the area with picnic tables so you may want drive further in if visit in summer.
TravelerMany good spots. Close to the road so you can hear some car which was no problem. Lots of trees. Shaded which is great in the summer.
Guide(October 4th, 2023) Stopped here for a night on a road trip and it was the perfect place for some down time. There were still open spots when we got here late; we snagged a cool site with a small cave and a climbing route a decent way down the road. In the morning we hiked around some of the trails and explored the area. Even though it rained, it was a beautiful place to see some foliage! We only saw a few other people but it was the middle of the week and weather wasn’t great.
Traveler
We stayed here for the night on our rooftop tent. It’s very quiet, barely any people. There’s man made firepits made out of rocks of people who have stayed here. It’s chilly and very pretty around. Nice view of the sunset. There’s no cell service.
Scout
Tons of land, tons of campsites.. but most are "occupied" by empty trailers with no other vehicles or people around. There's empty cars parked on top of fire pits, no tents or any sort of life nearby. Felt strange.
This road is rough and very bumpy. Didn't feel comfortable "taking over" a campsite with things already parked there. Wouldn't recommend coming here.
GuideEnded up driving this road up to Idaho to find a bigger spot and some solitude. Took the dirt road for about 30 minutes and got the most perfect spot. Nobody was near us and the view was amazing. We went at the beginning of June, it was a bit chilly some mornings and at night, so come prepared.
Guide
And I got it at fossil butte. At north end of park is a 17% grade loose gravel narrow road with two hairpins - good luck! But northern end of park boundary is well marked. Dark dark sky and unbelievably quiet.
Scout
Easy access from Lava with about 10 designated spots, most with room for two vehicles and one(?) pull through spot that fit my truck/30foot TT. Most had either a metal fire ring or picnic table or both. Pretty enough area, but right off the road and even closer to a train that passed through multiple times at night.
Pulled in at 10:30 pm Saturday night July Fourth weekend and was able to snag the last spot so very clutch!
NOTE - Google satellite photos are NOT accurate, the area is fenced off and sites are limited, no longer the free for all it appears to have been
GuidePerhaps a little too close to the university in Logan Utah it was busy that Friday night. I think all the spots filled by 7pm some 50 people there that night. There is close spots for small couples and large groups and also more private spacious spots for people with pets like me
ScoutVery loud, with folks driving around until the AM. Definitely a local party spot.
TravelerLots of spaces here. Big pull-in spots for camper rigs. And some small side pull outs for sedans who don’t mind walk-in tent spots.
Scout
Stayed here for two nights, at the end of a dead end road, close to the creek. Real easy place to be.
ScoutWe didn’t have a problem finding a spot but it was very busy with lots of road traffic even until late. We woke up to our car being drive-by paintballed. It cleaned off easy, but not fabulous. Another camper left their fire ring with smoldering coals and didn’t extinguish it. Good for a quick place to sleep on your way through town, but not a super relaxing experience.
GuideAbsolutely beautiful location off highway 89. A popular place especially for ohv-ers. Lots of places to park but most of them seemed to be “claimed” (tents or trailers with no vehicles) for the upcoming weekend. That is the only reason for the loss of one star. We were there on a Thursday night just for and one night stop-and-go, so any of those claimed spots we could have used had they not been there.
There is a creek that flows back and forth around the area, we had that for our soundtrack as we slept.
At about mile 2 from the turn-off, there is a cattle guard and clear signs that the road is public but the land is not. It is possible that there is another cattle guard further up and more dispersed passed it as we saw more rvs head up and not turn around and come back, but we did not investigate that.
Well worth the trip in the search for a spot though. It was an amazing stay.
ScoutI have grown up camping in the Franklin Basin area. It is the perfect location for anyone looking for places to hike or ride. There are many different places to visit throughout the area such as the "Plane Crash" site, Beaver Creek, old logging trails, and more. If your looking for a place to just get out in the dirt and relax, this is the place.
Legend
This was a very amazing experience. The hot springs were absolutely amazing.
There were a few visitors but only us and one other stayed. Our stay was a couple of nights.
It’s worth the drive if you have 4WD or very good shocks and suspension
RangerThere are some pretty good spots with shade for dispersed camping up green canyon
GuideNot a lot of info listed for this location so adding a review to hopefully help out! We didn’t get to camp here but it made me leave “stars”.
The drive into the monument is easy, zero issues. Once the road turn to gravel, it gets steep. We have a 15k pound fifth wheel and a 2wd dually and we’re only able to make it a couple 100 yds up the hill before we started spinning. If you have 4WD you may be able to make it with a big rig, but might still be a little tricky with the gravel. We didn’t get to go very far, so if you have a bigger rig use caution. Up the hill it looked like a few sharp corners that may not be good for a bigger rig to get around with bad traction. We are not new to dispersed camping as it’s our primary camp type, this one just didn’t work out! Looked beautiful!
Guide
It’s a pretty spot, but we were unfortunately unable to stay here because a couple was already there and they asked us to leave because they wanted the spot to themselves - which we understood.
They also blocked the road that goes pass the site with their truck so we weren’t able to drive any further to see if there was anywhere else in the area, but upon looking at satellite view of the coordinates, the road seems to go on a bit further so if you have the chance to drive through there may be more potential sites.
The road is a bit rough and you definitely need a high clearance vehicle to drive through.
Tons of wildflowers and trees everywhere. A very private spot right off the highway.
We ended up staying at Allred Flat campground just a mile or so up there road. It’s $10 a night - $5 if you have a pass - and in my opinion was even prettier than this site.
TravelerBeautiful and remote area 10 miles up the road from the Visitor’s Center. Paved road that turns to dirt- both in great condition. High clearance vehicle needed, especially on the BLM land. Visitor’s Center provided a map showing the location of the dispersed camping (road off to the left at the top). Strong internet access. Spectacular views!
ScoutEasy to find by putting the coordinates provided in Google Maps. Came in after dark and easily found a site about 1/4 mile or so up the road. Road is a bit bumpy but nothing major. Our truck handled it with ease, but even a sedan would probably be fine.
The site we chose had a fire pit and plenty of flat ground to set up. A tent, van/truck, or small trailer would work well. There are some larger more open areas that could accommodate an RV.
Great views of the canyon! It was raining most is the the time we were there, so I can only imagine what it is like on a nice summer day.
There are a couple outhouses. Did not see any sinks.
Overall highly recommend.
ScoutEasy to access, and very beautiful. There are tons of great sites secluded from others
TravelerSites were perfect for our overnight needs, but there were a ton of vehicles, dirt bikes, runners and we were woken up at midnight by explosions. I'm assuming they were kids down the road drinking and having fun, but they were setting off mortars at midnight on a Wednesday. Great location, but the locals use the heck out of it.
TravelerAbout 15 mins outside of Logan up a beautiful canyon. Headed up around 4pm on a Saturday during Memorial Day weekend so didn’t have high hopes but found a spot with a fire ring almost immediately! There was also another spot open down the road. Lots of people camping, hiking, mountain biking, and ATVs, so some traffic on the road, even after dark. Road ends a few miles in with a closed gate. There was a huge campsite back there with about 3 RVs parked.
Pit toilets and the entrance and a little bit up the road, very clean!
GuideThis site is incredible. It’s gorgeous however in my equinox I had to drive half on the edge of the road because the dirt road into the area where other tires go was so deep. There is no cell service at all ATT wise, my onstar WiFi wouldn’t even connect. It’s just one big open field.
ScoutAfter you've passed the Smithfield campground there are plenty of spots on both sides of the road where you can pull off and have dispersed camping. Most of the spots are pretty small and would only work for one or two tents or maybe a couple of hammocks.
It's a very pretty canyon with a creek running through it. Would recommend.
GuideMy boyfriend & I were the only 2 people probably in at least a mile radius. Complete privacy in a giant field of flowers that make the air smell absolutely amazing. There are sheep everywhere and they love to talk (my boyfriend was a little annoyed when they woke him up in the morning but I thought it was cool). Amazing views here. Overall just a fairytale spot. We stopped here between our drive from Zion to Teton. Would love to go back to this spot! Rough road but doable in my 2WD 1999 4 runner
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Bloomington, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Bloomington, ID is Green Canyon Dispersed Campground with a 4-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Bloomington, ID?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 dispersed camping locations near Bloomington, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.
