Best Dispersed Camping near Cambridge, ID

Dispersed camping areas near Cambridge, Idaho exist primarily on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in the surrounding region. Several primitive sites including Indian Rocks Dispersed Camping, Heart Mountain Spring, and Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site provide options for self-contained camping with minimal facilities. These locations generally follow standard BLM guidelines permitting camping up to 14 days in designated areas, with most sites situated along accessible secondary roads or pull-offs that accommodate both tent and RV camping depending on the specific location.

Access roads to many dispersed sites feature variable conditions, with several reviewers noting washboard surfaces and potholes requiring cautious navigation. Indian Rocks Dispersed Camping, located just off I-15, has a gravel road with minor potholes that most vehicles can manage at slow speeds. Heart Mountain Spring requires high-clearance vehicles according to visitor reports, with one review noting "washboard road" conditions making access challenging without "4WD or very good shocks and suspension." Most sites lack amenities such as drinking water, electric hookups, or trash service. Fire regulations vary seasonally, with some areas permitting campfires in established rings while others maintain restrictions.

These primitive camping areas offer varying degrees of seclusion and natural surroundings. Indian Rocks receives consistent use as an overnight stop due to its highway proximity, with visitors noting highway noise is present but "minimal" and "not enough to keep you up." A review mentioned it has "beautiful views on both sides" with "plenty of flat spots to park." Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site features a gravel parking area with nearby hiking trails and a small stream, though recent management changes may have affected camping regulations, as one visitor noted "conflicting sign info" about overnight use. Heart Mountain Spring provides a more remote experience but appears to have limited developed sites, with a visitor reporting the area was "full with trailers that have been there a while by the look of it."

Best Dispersed Sites Near Cambridge, Idaho (16)

    1. Indian Rocks - Dispersed Camping

    17 Reviews
    McCammon, ID
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 478-6340

    "GPS correct, no signage and just off highway West. Small 60x40 yard gravel/dirt lot a quarter mile up improved road with some potholes."

    "Just a quick turn off from the main Highway on a flat and smooth dirt road. The site is one huge Loop so stop and park wherever you want. There's one tree that I parked under for shade."

    2. Heart Mountain Spring

    2 Reviews
    Downey, ID
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 478-6340

    3. Portneuf Lower Sportsmen's Access

    1 Review
    Lava Hot Springs, ID
    14 miles

    "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."

    4. Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site

    8 Reviews
    Inkom, ID
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 478-6340

    "A short dirt road that’s well maintained leads up to a rock/gravel parking lot. As another reviewer said, the right is for camping, while the left is day use only."

    "Nice spot in a gravel parking lot surrounded by small mountains with toilets nearby. Park on the right as camping is prohibited on the left."

    8. Snake River Vista Recreation Site

    11 Reviews
    American Falls, ID
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 677-6600

    "Great location just a few minutes off the highway with multiple sites."

    "You are in the High Desert of Idaho so this site is amongst sagebrush but has good shade trees also."

    9. Franklin Basin Dispersed Camping

    9 Reviews
    Garden City, UT
    44 miles
    +1 (435) 232-2674

    "You can drive well into Idaho. You can drive for about 1.5 hours up in here and see amazing river meadow mountain views. The views are truly amazing."

    "Amazing location especially because it’s close to bear lake! I heard it’s better in August, but if you camp way further down the mosquitos are absolutely miserable."

    10. Smithfield Dispersed Campsite

    4 Reviews
    Richmond, UT
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 320-8300

    "After 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."

    "Stayed here for two nights, at the end of a dead end road, close to the creek. Real easy place to be."

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Cambridge, ID

55 Reviews of 16 Cambridge Campgrounds


  • S
    Jul. 27, 2021

    Indian Rocks - Dispersed Camping

    Decent BLM Boondock

    GPS correct, no signage and just off highway West. Small 60x40 yard gravel/dirt lot a quarter mile up improved road with some potholes. Was traveling late from Idaho to SLC and was a good stopping point. Can hear the highway still but quiet enough and secluded. No amenities whatsoever but there are some weathered petroglyphs to see. As an option there is a formal rest area off the highway a few miles south.

  • Matt P.
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Heart Mountain Spring

    Dirt pull out

    Not sure where precious reviewer went but the GPS coordinates are for a dirt pull out beside a narrow spring. A mile further uphill on dirt road is a small camping area. Free for 21 days. No facilities but a few fire pits. It was full with trailers that have been there a while by the look of it. No spring. I drove another few miles up the mountain and found the entrance to the massive ranch that owns most of the surrounding land. Beyond that was yet more dirt road with no sign of a antelope park or spring. I gave up and was thankful I didn't arrive late in the day.

  • Michael The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2024

    Snake River Vista Recreation Site

    Great Spot!

    Great location just a few minutes off the highway with multiple sites. Offers great views of the river and several prebuilt fire rings around the area as well. 4 x 4 recommended to get down to some of the lower spots, but there’s sites up top as well that would be suitable for 2-Wheel drive vehicles. Bring bug spray if you visit in the hotter months

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 15, 2024

    Snake River Vista Recreation Site

    Massive confusion and deep ruts

    I don't know how people are finding the beautiful places they show here. I used the GPS coordinates from here and it led me to a maze of twisted little passages. Very deeply rutted roads challenging me and my 4wd led to a complex of turns and turnarounds. The only road that appeared to lead down to the river was dirt at about 45 degrees. There are many ways to go and I don't know how to could know which to take. Must be dumb luck to find a pretty place by the river.

    So, I left and went to the location that the BLM website gives for this named place. It's not the same place. The official location of this place is farther west. That is poorly identified, too. There's a signed turnoff but down the road there's a "Y". I went right. That led to confusion and nasty flies going into my nose and eyes. I left.

    Looking at the map later it appears that I should have gone LEFT at the "Y" instead of right. I have no idea what that's like.

    Basically, this place has many roads that intersect and go to unknown places. I don't know why there are so many roads, circles, "Y"s, along the river, perpendicular to the river.

    The BLM website isn't helpful. I called them and expected a call back but didn't get it.

    I wouldn't go here without one of the people here who submitted great reviews with beautiful photos. It's not worth the confusing directions (both my Garmin RV GPS and Google Maps were wrong in different places) and ambiguity of destinations.

  • Kevin C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2025

    Indian Rocks - Dispersed Camping

    Close to road, easy short-stay

    Just a quick turn off from the main Highway on a flat and smooth dirt road. The site is one huge Loop so stop and park wherever you want. There's one tree that I parked under for shade. No services just a big flat field. But nice Vistas around.

  • Robin B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 19, 2023

    Snake River Vista Recreation Site

    Wonderful secluded spot

    This site is right above the snake River so you can hear the water, wonderful way to fall asleep! You are in the High Desert of Idaho so this site is amongst sagebrush but has good shade trees also. When I was there I could start a tent but this ground does tend to get pretty hard during dry season so staking may be a bit more difficult.

    There are actually 2 sites you can pitch a tent or park a vehicle. There is also a firepit. I got really good cell reception. There are fun trails to explore with beautiful scenery. This would also be a great spot if you like to pole fish. You can walk to the river and cast in! This spot os about 8 miles to the American Falls Dam where you can kayak, SUP, fish, and picnic

    The directions were spot on. I recommend a vehicle with relatively high clearance. It os closer to the interstate than you would expect so you can hear vehicles but was super quiet at night

  • Imerie T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 9, 2025

    Snake River Vista Recreation Site

    4x4 only

    Definitely a 4x4 or high clearance vehicle only now. It’s very rutted and low clearance would drag badly. We loved it though. Nice and quiet and amazing views

  • Erin H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 5, 2022

    Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site

    New Changes to this area??

    Blackrock Canyon BLM Pocatello, ID 8/4/22 DO NOT trust APP coordinates 42.8145, -112.3307 : Campendium 6/20/22 42.8146,-112.3307 : The Dyrt 6/30/22, 42.8142, -112.3306 : FREE Roam / 2019 These coordinates all lead to a reasonably level, fenced dirt parking lot on the left with a vault toilet and concrete walkway going across the road to a covered picnic/stream area. We were very excited. This is NOT the BLM camping area.... or rather more likely, 'no longer' is? There are 3 new looking signs stating Day Use Only, No Overnight Camping. However there is still a signboard by the toilet with the typical BLM rules/regs & 14 day limit? What's a gal to do? So I called the BLM office listed on the sign to clear up the conflicting sign info. Yep, the aforementioned parking lot is NOT FOR OVERNIGHTCAMPING - again, signs are shiney, no weathering, so this may be a new development? We were told there are 2 BLM camping areas. #1 is ACROSS from the aforementioned parking lot... big DEEPLY graveled area on the right as you come in that steeply slopes down to the picnic table area (our autolevel just laughed at us no matter what we did or where we positioned). #2 is about 1/4m further up where the road loops back on itself, and also has a vault toilet (no concrete walkway). This is a medium parking area inside the loop. Looked doable until we noticed the berm hiding under the grass. At 34' backed in, we'd have either lost the under carriage spare tire, or had our big butt sitting on the ground. So this too was a big nope for us. There is a pullout on the way to the 2nd area, but currently has a 'road closed' sign on it, and another pull out just before the 1st parking area. We could have squeezed into this one, but by this point we were wore out & the thought of all the dust ... just nope. We moved on. This is a GORGEOUS area, if you're a smaller footprint, and can get level. Verizon & ATT both usable but not very strong. Road in is a little washboard and hilly, but doable. I15 underpass ... we're 13'8" on truck & cleared both with no issues. Definitely recommend dropping your rig in the parking lot and scouting out this area 1st.

  • johny R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 15, 2025

    Franklin Basin Dispersed Camping

    Amazing mnt views great road

    2wd friendly road for MILES. You can drive well into Idaho. You can drive for about 1.5 hours up in here and see amazing river meadow mountain views. The views are truly amazing. There are nice size and spread out dispersed camping spots along the way. Just make sure you stick to the gravel road as you go up, dont turn off. The road turns to dirt in idaho but is still 2wd safe until you get to a ver clear turn around. Beware of cows! They will be in several sections of the road but are friendly to cars and move out of the way. The sites can be a little buggy but many have direct river access or beaver pond access. If this place had cell signal it would be one of the best spots ever


Guide to Cambridge

Primitive camping near Cambridge, Idaho centers on public lands with minimal development and basic fire rings. The surrounding area sits at elevations between 2,600-5,000 feet with significant temperature variations between seasons. Dispersed sites typically feature uneven terrain with sagebrush vegetation and scattered pine trees depending on elevation, requiring proper vehicle clearance for access.

What to do

Creek exploration: Snake River Vista Recreation Site provides access to river water for outdoor recreation. One camper noted, "You can walk to the river and cast in! This spot is about 8 miles to the American Falls Dam where you can kayak, SUP, fish, and picnic."

Wildlife viewing: The region's varying elevations create habitat for diverse wildlife. At Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site, campers can spot native animals along the hiking trails. As one visitor described, "A cute little stream runs below the site as well."

Stargazing opportunities: Clear high desert skies make this area excellent for night sky viewing. The remote nature of sites like Franklin Basin Dispersed Camping creates ideal conditions for astronomy. A reviewer mentioned having "Quiet, clear unobstructed view of sky for my Starlink."

What campers like

Natural water features: Many primitive camping sites near Cambridge offer water access. At Snake River Vista Recreation Site, "This camp site had 4-5 sites, some on the hill others near the water. There was even a little beach that could be seen from the road near the river."

Spacious camping areas: The region provides numerous pull-offs and established dispersed sites. Franklin Basin Dispersed Camping offers "Tons 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."

Mountain scenery: The surrounding landscape features rolling hills and mountain views. One camper at Pebble Creek Road Pull-Off mentioned, "About 10 dispersed spots right next to the water/right off the road" though they cautioned about nearby train tracks.

What you should know

Road conditions vary seasonally: Access roads require careful navigation. At Smithfield Dispersed Campsite, "The road is dirt and bumpy so be prepared for that but I've never had a problem finding a spot."

Limited facilities: Pack everything needed for self-contained camping. Most sites like Snake River Vista Recreation Site are strictly "no amenities" with reviewers noting, "totally pack in and pack out no toilet in the area."

Seasonal concerns: Summer brings insects while winter access may be restricted. At Franklin Basin, one visitor warned, "If you camp way further down the mosquitos are absolutely miserable."

Occupancy patterns: Some areas experience uneven use patterns. At Franklin Basin Dispersed Camping, a reviewer observed "tons of land, tons of campsites.. but most are 'occupied' by empty trailers with no other vehicles or people around."

Tips for camping with families

River proximity considerations: Sites near water provide natural entertainment but require supervision. Smithfield Dispersed Campsite "is a very pretty canyon with a creek running through it," making it popular for families but necessitating water safety awareness.

Space requirements: Larger groups need specific sites that accommodate multiple vehicles. Franklin Basin works well for families as it has "amazing location especially because it's close to bear lake!" with one camper noting it's "great for big groups."

Noise factors: Some primitive sites experience unexpected noise disruption. Families should note that at Pebble Creek Road Pull-Off there are "VERY ACTIVE TRAIN TRACKS about 50 yards from these spots. A train every 1-2 hours that blows its horn the whole night."

Tips from RVers

Vehicle clearance requirements: Many dispersed sites require higher clearance vehicles. At Indian Rocks - Dispersed Camping, visitors advised, "Just go very slow. We did fine with the 27-foot trailer" despite road conditions.

Site selection strategies: RVers should scout locations before committing. Blackrock Canyon Recreation Site visitors suggested, "Definitely recommend dropping your rig in the parking lot and scouting out this area 1st" due to uneven terrain.

Supply considerations: No hookups or facilities means preparation is critical. At Indian Rocks, one RVer noted it's "Not a place we'd stay for long, but perfect for an overnight stop" and recommended bringing all necessary supplies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Cambridge, ID?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Cambridge, ID is Indian Rocks - Dispersed Camping with a 4.2-star rating from 17 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Cambridge, ID?

TheDyrt.com has all 16 dispersed camping locations near Cambridge, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.