Best Tent Camping near Boise, ID
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Best Tent Sites Near Boise, ID (32)
1. Swan Falls - Idaho Power
Murphy, Idaho15 Reviews•73 Photos•194 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Group
2. Idaho City Yurts — Idaho Parks and Recreation State Headquaters
Boise, Idaho4 Reviews•16 Photos•49 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Yurts
3. Shafer Butte
Horseshoe Bend, Idaho4 Reviews•17 Photos•178 SavesOverview
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.
Recreation
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.
Natural Features
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.
Nearby Attractions
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
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Picnic Table
$50 / night
4. Caldwell Campground and RV Park
Caldwell, Idaho7 Reviews•2 Photos•76 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
$28 - $43 / night
5. Cottonwood Campground
Idaho City, Idaho1 Review•22 SavesOverview: 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.
- Tents
6. Morley Nelson Snake River Dispersed Campsites
Melba, Idaho1 Review•22 Saves- Phone Service
- Tents
- Cabins
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
7. Bald Mountain Campground
Idaho City, Idaho1 Review•25 SavesOverview: 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.
- Pets
- Fires
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Picnic Table
- Toilets
8. Willow Creek Campground
Idaho City, Idaho1 Review•11 Photos•41 SavesWillow Creek Campground is a small site composed of 3 camping units. Campground amenities include picnic tables, fire rings and a restroom. The campground is approximately 1 mile south of the Willow Creek Transfer Camp & Willow Creek Trail No. 019 trailhead located north of the transfer camp.
- Tents
- Group
- Picnic Table
- Toilets
9. South Fork Recreation Site
Garden Valley, Idaho3 Reviews•17 Photos•36 SavesALERT - 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.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Trash
- Showers
10. Bad Bear Picnic Area
Idaho City, Idaho1 Review•6 Photos•8 SavesOverview: Bad Bear Picnic Area and Campground are located 48 miles northeast of Boise, Idaho, in a scenic Ponderosa pine forest along Highway 21 at an elevation of 5,100 feet. Wildlife and summer wildflowers are abundant. Historic Idaho City is just 11 miles south. Mores Creek runs adjacent to the site, offering whitefish and rainbow trout fishing. The Picnic area is just across Highway 21 from the Campground. There are picnic tables and a vault toilet. The site is in an open area with shade. Parking spurs are paved. Due to its proximity to the highway, some noise from passing traffic is to be expected. Highway 21, also known as the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, snakes along Mores Creek to Mores Creek Summit, Gold Fork, and Banner Ridge with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and forest. Numerous trail opportunities are in the area, offering hiking, biking, horseback riding, and ATVing. In winter, the area becomes a playground for backcountry skiers and snowmobilers.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Picnic Table
- Drinking Water
Recent Tent Reviews in Boise
398 Reviews of 32 Boise Campgrounds
Fred S.
Legend
Succor Creek State Natural Area Dispersed
Beautiful view of Succor Creek canyon and surrounding hills
Free. Coordinates: 43.43811,-117.11743. Camped here at the end of Sept, 2024. Located at the southern end of Succor Creek State Natural Area, close to the boundary with BLM land. 1/10th of a mile from Succor Creek Road. Access from Succor Creek Road is okay; rocky and eroded in a few places on an uphill drive. The site is located on a loop where the access track ends at a livestock fenced. You pass another large dispersed site on the way up. The dirt site is not quite level. Lots of cow patties. Surrounded by grass and sagebrush. Site has a rock fire ring. Open to sky, no shade; solar recharging and Starlink possible. It may be possible to set up a tent in the grass. There is a view of Succor Creek canyon. Fantastic views of surrounding mountains. No hiking trails, but one can explore that area beyond the fence and get additional views of the canyon and creek. No cell service. Very remote location. Except for a few cows and coyotes, very quiet area. I loved this spot!
- JJason L.
Scout
Caldwell Campground and RV Park
Getting better
Has come a long ways in the last 10 years. Could still be part of the solution that part of the problem.
- JJohn E. M.Scout
Tie Creek Campground
Tie creek
Just 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.
Elise S.
Guide
Arrowrock Reservoir Dispersed
So pretty
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
Jill R.
Ranger
Rivers Edge RV Park
It’s like a dirty dog that badly needs grooming
Reading the other reviews made me a little unsure, but I went for it. The location is outstanding and my site is right on the river. The sites aren’t real obvious so I kind of made it up as I went. There is trash everywhere. The fire pits are all full of trash. And a little mowing or weed eating would help. To be honest, all the campgrounds I’ve been to this trip have been covered in trash and dog feces. It’s obvious service has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Keep your expectations low!!!
William P.Guide
River Pond Campground
River Front
Site 10 is right on the river.
Kiwi S.Scout
Grayback Gulch Campground
Fantastic campground
Sites are well spaces apart. A quit spot.
- MMayre J.Guide
Grayback Campground and Group Sites - Reserve
The few of Free camping near Boise
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.
- BBretinaScout
Rivers Edge RV Park
Beautiful!
Traveling through Idaho and made this reservation online just an hour before arrival. Very simple to reserve.
We have a 38' 5th wheel pulled with a dually pickup. It was a tight fit, but after we were parked, it was awesome. We were in space #5. After unhooking, we did park the pickup across the lane in space they have for extra vehicles. Hook ups were simple. Although the sewer pipe at our site was a little high, so we had to really use risers under our drain pipe to get it to that level. Other sites seemed ground level.
When we left the next morning, we did have to pull out the "entrance" lane, as the angle of the space and smaller area, we couldn't turn sharp enough for the exit lane.
We could watch the sunset over the Snake River from out campsite. No bugs and lots of shade. Quiet campground.......except the duck hunters on other properties.
We didn't use the restrooms, etc. there.They have very nice metal fire pits and a decent picnic table at each site. If you needed to stay in a cabin, they looked very nice. The larger one with the bathroom, was a beautiful site.
The price was great, especially for full hookups. I wish we could have stayed more than one night.
We would definitely stay there again.
- RRachel B.Scout
Country Corners Campground & RV Park
Clean, quiet and good for an overnight stop
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.
Greg D.Guide
The Wagon Wheel
Quaint and quiet
Well shaded sites with a clean bathroom, shower combo. There’s only the one bathroom but we didn’t have to wait for anyone to use it. It was quiet except for an occasional public service siren which wasn’t too loud. We felt safe staying there even though it was in a residential area The only thing that was missing was a picnic table
- KKyle J.Guide
Dog Creek Campground - Idaho
It's ok as a fall-back option
My wife and I were forced to make last minute changes to our camping trip this year(thanks to the Wapiti 2024 fire in Stanley) and Dog Creek was the only campground available on the dates we had set aside. We had been up to Pine once before but had never explored past the town.
The campground itself is quiet and away from the main road but it is directly parallel to the South Fork of the Boise River. There are a TON of ponderosa pines and other various pine trees so the campground looks small because of the dense tree cover. From the main road, the main drive is a fairly narrow paved dirt/gravel road and not bumpy at all so most vehicles shouldn’t have an issue with it.
The camp sites themselves are a little close to each other but you’re not shoulder to shoulder or directly on top of each other. The camp host greeted us upon our arrival, filled us in on the fire restrictions and said to let him know if we needed anything.
We had reserved sites 10 and 11 but in reality, they might as well call it a group site because there is no separation between the two, you even share a"driveway”. There were fire rings, tent pads(at some sites) and picnic tables, along with shepherds hooks for hanging trash off of the ground. There were also metal tables at every site that we think are intended for camp stoves.(The picnic tables are wood)The fire rings were well cared for(none damaged that we saw and they all had adjustable grills)….but our fire ring was very close to the bushes which was a little sketchy.
This campground is nice and quiet and full of trees. But unfortunately, for us, that’s where the appeal ends. In order to get to the actual Dog Creek from the campground, you have to hope that sites 2 and 5 are not occupied and even then, the creek isn’t super exciting. It’s pretty but it’s a climb down into a ravine of sorts and it’s not deep enough to lay in and there aren’t any places to setup chairs to just enjoy it. The water flowing through the creek is clean and it is pretty to look at, but that’s about all it’s good for.
As for other things to do at the campground, there isn’t much. There are no hiking trails as far as we could tell, but if you go across the street to the river, you can actually enjoy your stay, assuming the banks of the river aren’t packed with dispersed campers and their ATV’s.
The campground does have water spigots and the water tasted fine. The restrooms(vault toilets) were impeccable in terms of cleanliness. Some of the nicest Forest Service campground restrooms we’ve used and the camp host does an awesome job of keeping them clean and bug free.
Speaking of bugs, we didn’t see many mosquitoes but we did see a good amount of bees, wasps and yellow jackets and there were traps setup throughout the campground so bring an epi pen if you’re allergic to any of them.
We lost cell service just after the reservoir (T-Mobile) but my satellite communicator worked fairly well at the campground.
There are dumpsters to take your trash just inside the entrance to the campground, which is a little annoying as you have to walk quite a ways to dump it, but there were also no critters hanging around the sites.
Dog Creek campground is the type of campground where you setup your camper or RV and leave for the day to do other things. Whether it’s boating at Anderson Ranch, taking the ATV’s up into the mountains or try to find hiking trails. The campground itself is very pretty BUT it doesn’t offer much in terms of things to do while there. However, if you are looking for some peace and quiet, with very little noise from the outside world, it’s great.
Jerry L.Scout
Malheur County Fairgrounds
Low cost opt
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.
- BBrendan R.Scout
Succor Creek Reservoir Dispersed Camping
Nice flat spot
After a couple dry creek beds there’s a less developed path that goes up a hill. There’s some old headstones from the 1800’s, (yes really) and a stone fire ring. Smooth dirt and very isolated
Bradley B.GuideArrowrock Reservoir Dispersed
Chill
Nice lil spot to relax . Really rough road is the only bad part
- SSarah S.
Traveler
Irish Point Dispersed Camp Ground
Beautiful spot, but difficult to get to
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.
Phillip C.Scout
Trinity View Resort
Complete Satisfaction
Found this place after a trip to another spot was not to be. Awesome staff great spot to just relax. Today the views were almost as impressive as the staff. We are going back! dusty 3 mile road and all.
- JJohn N.Scout
Riverlife RVing
Needs some tlc
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.
- Allie V.Scout
Swan Falls - Idaho Power
Beautiful sunrise
Once you get past the 7 miles with no camping, there are a large amount of campsites. The road is pretty washboard and there was some traffic noise in the morning . There was a moderate amount of trash on the beach that I camped at. But, overall a good campsite.
- pphyliss G.Traveler
Big Eddy Campground
Great little spot!
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!
- KKelly P.Traveler
Trinity View Resort
Great RV Park
Found this gem few miles off the highway with amazing views all around. Plus the owners were incredibly nice. Would definitely stay again.
- BBrenda B.Scout
Rivers Edge RV Park
Such a DISAPPOINTMENT
The cabin we reserved for two nights was such a disappointment, becasue of the time we arrived we forced ourselves to stay one night. The floors were not clean and sleeping on the bed provided was like sleeping on a pie tin. it crinkled and cracked everytinme you moved. The cabin door you could not lock and the bathroom was unbelievably dirty. The shower was more like a drip.
- RRobert R.Guide
Mountain Home RV Park
Nicest RV Park I've Ever Been To
I've been a full-timer for several years now and have stayed in many parks. This is by far the cleanest, nicest park I have ever seen. The sites are wide, spacious and clean. Lush green grass and shady mature trees at every site. All concrete pads. Private bathrooms with showers! The dog park is stunning. The roads are paved and there's not a single piece of gravel in sight! You really have to see this place to believe it. It's like a little neighborhood!
Katrina H.TravelerMorley Nelson Snake River Dispersed Campsites
Rough road but with beautiful views
We parked right beside the river, and it was absolutely gorgeous. However, I don't recommend taking a car on this road. It's definitely an ATV road as it's very rough.
DS K.Traveler
Spillway Campground
Anderson ranch reservoir free camping
3 sites with tables and a pit toilet. Beautiful secluded spot mostly to ourselves
Emily S.Traveler
Little Camas Reservoir
Pretty reservoir
Pretty little spot with pretty decent cell service. Lots of space for my dogs to run around. Could see other campers in the distance. Everyone had lots of room to themselves. I could see it becoming a little bit busier on the weekend. No facilities available at all, which is fine by me! Unfortunately people seem to leave trash around. There was a fire pit which I appreciated but greasy tends in the pit. There also trash bags and a few other things around. Overall, this did not majorly detract from the site. I would recommend bringing bug repellent or a thermacell to ward off bugs.
- Traci B.Guide
Deadwood Campground
Nice 1 night stay
Quick 1 night stay. Nice river access. Pretty quiet.
Guide to Boise
Boise, Idaho, offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure and relaxation in nature.
Tent campers appreciate these amenities
- At Caldwell Campground and RV Park, you'll find clean facilities, picnic tables, and access to drinking water, making it a convenient choice for families.
- Shafer Butte provides a serene environment with picnic tables and toilets, perfect for those seeking a rustic camping experience.
- The Idaho City Yurts offer unique glamping options with cozy yurts, complete with firewood and a picnic area for a comfortable stay.
Some prices for tent camping range from $0 to $40
- Camping at Cottonwood Campground is free, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious campers who enjoy fishing.
- Willow Creek Campground has a low-cost setup, ideal for those looking to enjoy a peaceful riverside experience without breaking the bank.
- For a more developed site, Caldwell Campground and RV Park charges a flat rate, regardless of the length of stay, providing good value for amenities offered.
Tent campers like these nearby activities
- At Shafer Butte, enjoy scenic hikes and the thrill of mountain biking at the nearby Bogus Basin Mountain Resort.
- Fishing enthusiasts will appreciate the opportunities at Cottonwood Campground, known for its small size and angler-friendly atmosphere.
- South Fork Recreation Site offers stunning views and trails for hiking and four-wheeling, making it a great spot for adventure seekers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Boise, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Boise, ID is Swan Falls - Idaho Power with a 3.9-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Boise, ID?
TheDyrt.com has all 32 tent camping locations near Boise, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.