Best Equestrian Camping near Bruneau, ID

Bruneau Dunes State Park is a hidden gem in Idaho just 20 min off I-84 in Idaho not far from Boise. There is a small field of sand dunes in the park and the largest dune is the largest active dune structure in NorthAmerica. A couple of lakes and ponds are also found at the base of the dunes. There are 3 campgrounds in the park, one is an equestrian one. Only the outhouses are open in the winter and water and showers are turned off in winter but electrical hook ups are still available. Great views of the sand dunes from the campgrounds as well. Marginal cell reception with Verizon. Signal too weak for AT&T.

My first time in Idaho and talk about diversity and beauty. Bruneau Dunes is just another example of the variety of experiences to be had within this state! Windy, sunny and sandy best describes the whole park. The sand was a little toasty so I kept the dogs mostly in the shade. Sliding down the dunes is pretty cool. The pond/lake was low and mucky when we were there and I don’t know if fishing would be an option. The campground is adequate and well maintained. The picnic shelters help some with the sun and wind. Bring good anchors for anything you want to set up. The staff was nice and informative. Definitely worth a look see just cause it’s cool.

Had an amazing time at the Bruneau Dunes State Park!!

it rained the evening that I arrived but each campsite had a sturdy covered area over a pick nick table. It was amazing!

The next day, the weather cleared up and we were able to explore the sand dunes. It was windy which made the heat more bareable.

Senior discount,  Dark Skies, Observatory, Tallest Dune in N.A., definitely worth a night or two.  

Our son was stationed at Mountain Home AFB and deployed in the Iraqi war, Enduring Freedom.   We did not have the chance to visit as a result.  While in Idaho, we swung by the base and then headed to Bruneau Dunes SP at his recommendation.  It was not what we expected.   I won’t lie.   It’s a desert folks … well, more accurate,  high plains.  But what a cool place.  The sites are basic & not a lot of shade to be found.  But the bathhouse is emaculate.    Great showers to wash off the sand from climbing the dunes.  Even if you aren’t staying at the campground,  you can shower for $3.  If you are interested in astronomy or astronomy photography,  this is a great place.   The observatory wasn’t open the day we were there.  I didn’t get meet the host, but heard great things. The dump station is large.  AT&T service, spotty.

While the sites themselves leave much to be desired, Bruneau is awesome. The camp hosts have been there for 7 years and are super friendly and helpful. The restrooms are in tip-top shape and there are several features that made this an awesome spot for our family-a dog park within walking distance, open grassy space for playing whiffle ball, etc and the ability to ride bikes to the Dunes-about 1 mile from the Broken Wheel site. It does get super windy though. And although we have only been in the fall and spring, I have heard you really cannot walk on the sand in the summer-too hot! Overall, we love it.

While the dunes at Bruneau make for some fun sledding, my favorite part is the star gazing program offered by the park staff during the summer. A new telescope facility is being completed and will be open by June of 2023. We weren't able to use it, but we were able to look at smaller telescopes the staff had out. They also used lasers to point out constellations in the sky. When the weather is clear, the stars are just amazing! 

For camping, I recommend the Broken Wheel loop. A lot of the sites have a shelter over the picnic table, and they are also spaced out more than the Eagle Cove loops. Most of the sites have water and 30 amp or 50 amp service. The park has its own dump stattion you can use on the way out.

The campground is not why you go here. The sites are very basic, sandy, close together however, if you like sightseeing and exploring this place is unique and interesting. The sand dune is huge and weird to see in the middle of this farmland. Not another one for hundreds of miles. That, and the stars at night are really mind blowing. 

We visited in the winter. the campground was all but empty, maybe 4 campers all weekend. The forecast was for 28 degrees Saturday night and my thermometer read 8 degrees in the morning. The RV did fine and didn't freeze up.  Whether you come here in winter or summer, be prepared!  Bring everything you'll need including water, food, warm and/or cool clothing depending on season. It's out there a ways!  The little town of Bruneau (10 minutes away) is not too far away, but they don't have much in the way of supplies or groceries. Mountain Home has everything - about 30 minutes away.

This is an interesting and fun place for a day or two. Wouldn't stay longer than that. The $30 we paid for a full hookup trailer site was a bit on the high side in my opinion, but everything is going up, so it's somewhat a common price.

Its pretty close to the snake river, and at the trailhead of a non vehicle trail. Its after Celebration Park on Victory Ln, you drive around the park and it turns into a dirt road. BLM or County land I think. Not many folks here. Smells like horse droppings. Pretty rough terrain getting to the end. There was a sign about a mile back that said “3 day camping limit”. You can get to the water, but its a slippery and steep trip. Its beautiful otherwise. There are big critters out here sniffing and jumping onto my camper, making my dog go crazy. Free camping, dispersed, no fresh water, no fires allowed. Hikers going to the trail will walk past your site if you park on the road turnouts... so dont shower outside... lessons learned.

If you don't want to leave Idaho but you want to feel like you're in the dessert, this is an awesome place to camp! We stayed here during Boise Questival and found that it was close, conveneient, and reasonable pricing! Happy camping!

This is a great campground but it’s very flat and open. Spots are very close together.

Cool place for photos and exploration but be ready for sand! Bandana around the face doesnt hurt. The observatory is close by to see outer space. Lovely place and the staff at the visitors center are friendly and helpful.

Great place to go in spring or Fall..Sand dunes are amazing to slide down..Van get hot in summer but they have full hookups..

Lakes, dunes, the beautiful night sky, and wildlife galore! We stayed in a camper cabin and it was cozy and fun! Will definitely be back. The staff was also very knowledgeable and helpful.

Wagon Wheel campground is nice place to relax. Nighttime star show is spectacular. The sand dunes are fun to climb. Sound of freedom with Air Force fly overs.

Worth the fee in our opinion. Very clean, nice folks and not crowded.

Electric and water hook-up, there is only well currently for the whole area. Observation area still closed due to upcoming work. A 2nd will be added next year. No shade except what you bring.

Hot, windy, bugs...great kayaking! Bathrooms are clean. If you don't have ac...whew

Dunes are impressive and worth a hike. Virtually no shade in Eagles cove area. Wagon wheel is more shades. Super hot at time of visit- 101 F

Well, that wasn’t fun. If anyone is planning on tent camping here, I would highly suggest going somewhere else. The dunes are awesome, but wow were the sites a let down. The fields had no grass and minimal shade. I ended up sleeping in my car but with the heat, needed the windows down. That’s when I entered mosquito hell and spent the night swatting skeeters all night. For an rv, sure good spot but tent campers beware.

We had to stay inside with the air conditioning on and avoiding mosquitoes in July. Maybe March is a good time. The dunes are cool and the observatory is a fun extra feature.

Great campground in the middle of no where. No wifi contrary to their claims online. Still plenty to do even though it was really hot.

Rented a cabin in April/May as it was expected to be rainy & chilly! Surprisingly, the weather warmed up a bit so it was just windy & chilly at night.

The only bad thing was (and it's not the park's fault) that Mountain Home AFB decided to do JET maneuvers at 1, 2, and 3 AM , causing a night's sleep to be non-existent!

Will definately be back during warmer weather for TENT camping, hopefully on a weekend so the observatory will be open! Currently, it's only open on Friday & Saturday! I was there earlier in the week!

Checked in late as the sun was setting. Just in time to get thru dinner as the Sand Dunes turned purple majesty. Free hot showers heated bathrooms and great views of the Dunes. Recommend the SW corner sites 31, unobstructed views

There is many places to camp, fish and hike up the largest sand dune in North America! It is very clean. Only downfall is that there is no good swimming, the water is all dirty.

Arrived a bit late and didn't have a chance to explore but lovely landscapes. Enjoyed the protected shelters, but it was very windy. The showers and flush toilets were closed for the season, which kinda sucked but the pit toilets were clean. Would visit again!

Stayed here for one night. It was during the pandemic, so the showers were closed, which was a bummer.  Other than that, it seems like a good place.  The sites are big, level, and well manicured.  A few sites have shade trees while others have covered picnic tables.  We were just passing through, so it wasn't convenient for us. If you're doing something in the area (river, dunes, etc.), it's a good option.

MOSQUITOS!!! If you are sensitive to mosquito bites, call the park rangers for an update before you make the drive. The dunes are amazing, but the mosquitos were so thick it made camping miserable. 5 minutes out of the car and i already had 15 bites! Kids that had been there a day or two looked like they were suffering from chicken pox. We were there at the end of June. Best to hit this park at a less buggy time of year. The observatory is really neat, try and be there on a friday or saturday night for one of their programs, but be forewarned, they leave the doors open, and the observatory is just steps away from a mosquito incubator (i.e. a swamp).