129 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The Salmon River corridor near Carmen, Idaho provides a mix of established campgrounds and dispersed camping areas across Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service lands. Tower Rock Recreation Site in Carmen offers tent and RV camping with basic amenities including picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Nearby, Bobcat Gulch provides free dispersed camping along the river with primitive facilities. Several full-service RV parks operate in the broader area, including Wagonhammer RV Park & Campground in North Fork with hookups, showers, and laundry facilities.
Road conditions vary significantly throughout the region, with many campgrounds requiring travel on gravel or dirt roads. Higher elevation sites like Williams Lake Campground involve steep, narrow access roads that may challenge larger vehicles. "We had a really good experience. Just be aware to check your car breaks because the back travel is downhill the mountains," noted one Williams Lake camper. Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally from late May through September or October, with winter closures due to snow and freezing temperatures. Cell service is limited outside town centers, though some riverside locations surprisingly maintain connectivity. Campgrounds managed by the BLM typically charge $5-10 per night, while private RV parks range from $35-45 nightly.
Riverside camping locations receive consistently positive reviews, with sites backing directly to the Salmon River being particularly sought after. Campers frequently mention the peaceful setting and opportunities for fishing, kayaking, and wildlife viewing. Several campgrounds feature cottonwood trees providing welcome shade during summer months when temperatures regularly exceed 90°F. A visitor to Bobcat Gulch described it as "Pretty small and basic campground... Most sites back up to the river which is pretty nice." While some campgrounds offer drinking water and vault toilets, others provide only the most basic facilities. Visitors seeking more amenities gravitate toward the private RV parks in Salmon and North Fork, which offer full hookups, showers, and sometimes river access with private decks overlooking the water.
"Cattle farms nearby but not a bother. Small campground that is quiet with camp host on site. Camp host dog wanders but is friendly."
"It’s a nice quiet camp close to town on the river. It is not $5, it is $15 a night. Which is more - but 1/2 off for old farts like me."
from $2 - $15 / night
"Great location & super clean! Our campsite was right next to the river. Dog friendly and there is a dog island that your fur kid can run around off leash!"
"Wonderful location with very little wifi services. If you want to relax in a very nice, park setting, surrounded by mountains, this would be your place. Big spaces in the middle area."
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability"Only downside is it’s rather close to the highway and you can hear cars driving by pretty regularly."
"Access to river to look at great! Renamed to Andreas on the River. The management helped us get in and made sure we were good. Super 5 stars!"
"We literally pulled in off highway 93 and were immediately welcomed with open arms. The campground is under new management, so is going through a lot of amazing changes!"
"This small campground is right along the highway so it has easy access... and some highway noise. It is small, but we were there by ourselves 2 of the 3 nights we stayed."
"We have done only boondocking but were tired and wanted proximity to town. A few spots left and asked for one on the river, which had its own deck."
"Easy 5 minute walk to town. Great local grocery, bakery, and a few breweries."
from $45 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Shoup Bridge Campground is a small Campground surrounding cottonwood trees along the banks of the Salmon River. It is also right along the Highway. "
"Clean, cheap, safe, right on the river. 5 miles from downtown.Sure,it’s close to the road, but it’s not that bad. I probably wouldn’t make it a 5 day vacation site,but I’m sure people do."
from $2 - $15 / night
from $25 / night
Check Availability"It is a very off the beaten path, tucked away in the woods, true getaway from the busy city life."
"Nice are to get away from it all. Road is best traveled with AWD-4WD. Campgrounds are nice and level for tents."
GuideThis dispersed site was a large turn out on the road, enough room for two camps, on a large bend in the West Fork of the Bitterroot River, caught several cutthroat and rainbows 10-12”, site was great, free, shady and right next to woods and river. A couple nice stone fire pits had been formed, lots of room.
GuideSite “10”, tents only but enough room for our truck camper rig. Beautiful access to East Fork of the Bitter Root. Oneish hour south of Missoula. Most sites require reservations. Fished here, caught a bunch of little bitty Bull Trout. Host let us help ourselves to firewood.
GuideSite #8 is at the end, right next to beautiful creek, levelish site, private for a campground, wonderful for getting a peaceful night sleep with the creek. Tent pad separate from rig, picnic table and fire ring (bring firewood). Vault toilets were clean by vault toilet standards. You can hike to Elkhorn hot springs easily which are rustic but fun. Host was attentive and happy to talk for a bit. Mtn biking nearby at the little ski resort. The whole Pioneer Scenic byway was beautiful and the Crystal park is close by to go dig some crystals out of the mountain (bring bug spray and a shovel)
TravelerLocated about 21 miles south of the town of Wise River, MT. Little Joe is a four site Forest Service operated campground for those wanting solitude. While not next to Wise River, there is a small creek a hundred yards to the north that provides natural white noise. The campground offers two single occupancy sites and two double occupancy sites. There are no pull through sites. One restroom and a hand-powered water pump services the campground. The campground is suitable for smaller RVs and camp trailers which helps keep this site largely empty during the week. It is only 7 miles or so from Crystal Park for those rock hounds. Cost is currently $15 per night befor any discounts from Federal passes (then $8/night). While there the restroom was clean and stocked. It's one of my favorite campgrounds on the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway (state highway 73) as it is positioned away from most other campgrounds other than dispersed sites. Lupine Picnic Area is approximately 5 miles to the south which offers spectacular views of the East Pioneers.
GuideSmall cg at MT St park, we have it to ourselves (at least right now). Tons of birds!!
ScoutPlease note, we have never stayed here, but the following experience should give anyone pause about ever making reservations, and then trying to cancel later. And, if the owner('Stu') is as corrupt and non-customer focused as he was in this simple matter, then God help anyone staying there who has a REAL problem! Our experience validates some bad reviews about this‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ owner! Here's our story: We made reservations online via RoverPass on 1 May, 2026 staying for three days in September, 2026, 4-1/2 MONTHS away, paying the full amount for all three days. Our plans changed and a month later, we canceled our reservations online via RoverPass. I then phoned Elk Bend RV Park.‘Stu’ answered. I told him that I had just canceled the reservations and he said“fine”, and hung up. I waited A WEEK and the credit had still not hit my credit card account. I phoned Elk Bend RV Park on 8 June 2026.‘Stu’ answered. I told him that“it’s been a full week now, and no refund credit has hit my credit card account”. He said“I’ll take care of it”. I said“Thanks”. End of conversation. A day or two later, I phoned Elk Bend RV Park and the call went over to voicemail after two or three rings. I figured I'd give the guy a couple more days, and called again on 11 June 2026. The call immediately went over to voicemail, no dial tone, nothing! Apparently, he had BLOCKED my number! At that point, I went online to my credit card account and logged a dispute. I attached at least 4 or 5 emails with the RoverPass reservations and cancellation to the dispute. After over a month, the credit was finally applied to my account. After over a month and multiple attempts, the credit card company noted that they had been unable to contact the owner! So, be forewarned, this‘Stu' character is a crook, and based on some of his reviews, a real kook, and he will keep your money unless DRASTIC action is taken! Had we paid for our reservations via check or debit card, we would have been, frankly, SCREWED! It is important to note that during this entire ordeal, we NEVER received a single phone call, email, or text message from'Stu' or anyone at ELK BEND RV Park concerning this matter! STAY AWAY! RUN, if need be! DO NOT STAY HERE! If you need a GREAT place nearby, we HIGHLY recommend Wagonhammer RV Park, in North Fork, about 42 miles North. We have stayed there three or four times over the years, and it's very nice!
GuideWe found this place by chance. Just off highway 93 S .. small dispersed campground .. maybe 4 sites in total with fire rings most with access to Salmon river. A decorated vault toilet with toilet paper and a small boat launch ramp. Close to the highway but noise really didn’t bother us. Spent two nights here. Free! We have a 30 ft motorhome with high clearance and found a nice place to camp up!
GuideLovely peaceful camp. Water out of the pump is very rusty so filtration a must. People need to go over the rules. No holding sites it is illegal. Please pay and show your tickets. Don't park in a campsite to visit other campers use day use. Do not leave smoldering campfires ever. That is considered unattended. Put it out so others dont have to breath it in all night. No gens after 10pm. Why doesnt everyone get better batteries and solar. It is easy and economical. Did i say pay? Why folks think they dont have to pay cause no one is watching. What other rules get broken by such folks when no one is checking. Have some honor in an honor system and especially when this regime has no honor.
ScoutWe recently camped at Rombo campground, with friends, and had a wonderful time. The campground is quite small, perhaps 15 individual spots, which worked well for us, as I particularly like the more private and quieter locations. There was potable water spigots and bear proof garbage containers. The fire rings looked fairly new, with higher, larger rings and sturdy grates.
The camp host is very friendly and helpful. He cleans the pit toilets on a regular basis and does a great job. He travels through the campground regularly, with his little dog Jellybean, making sure that everyone is taking care of their campsites (no unattended fires, trash issues, parking issues, etc.)
Most sites had an easy access to the river and there were a few trails nearby to hike on. We heard heron calls in the evening, as well as seeing many smaller critters. The camp host warned us that bears had been visiting the campgrounds near the Painted Rock Reservoir, about 10 miles away, and could show up at our campground as well, so we were sure to pack all food items away.
The spaces for campers were not very large so I would say this is best suited for smaller campers or travel vans. We had a tear drop trailer, which was perfect for the site that we found. There are only a few sites that can be reserved online, the rest are on a first come basis. Our only complaint about our three days there, is that there was a crew across the river that was clearing deadfall and working with chainsaws. They started at about 5:45 each morning but had to quit at 2:00 pm. That put a damper on trying to sleep in and the noise was a bit irritating as it sounded like a dirt bike racetrack around the forest.
Camping near Carmen, Idaho offers access to the Salmon River and its surrounding mountains at elevations ranging from 3,800 to 7,000 feet. Summer daytime temperatures regularly reach 85-95°F, while nights cool significantly to 40-50°F. Road conditions vary greatly from paved highways to steep mountain roads that require high-clearance vehicles, particularly when accessing Williams Lake Campground.
Kayaking and fishing: Tower Rock Recreation Site provides direct river access with a boat launch for day trips. "Beautiful location on the river for a quick overnight stop. Clean bathroom facilities and only $5," notes a visitor to Shoup Bridge Campground.
Swimming and cliff jumping: During summer months, the area offers cooling water activities. "We visited the lake that was maybe 5 minutes away from the sites and swam out to a little island to cliff jump! It was a beautiful and well kept site," shares a camper at Williams Lake Campground.
Wildlife viewing: Many riverside campsites provide opportunities to see osprey, bald eagles, and deer. "There was an osprey nest right by our campsite which had some babies and parents which were interesting to watch," reports a visitor to Tower Rock Recreation Site.
River-front sites: Most campers prefer spots with direct river access. A visitor to Bobcat Gulch notes, "Pretty small and basic campground. Most sites back up to the river which is pretty nice. FREE and pretty quiet for the Saturday night I stayed."
Clean facilities: Despite the remote nature of many campgrounds, visitors appreciate maintained bathrooms. "Vault toilets were clean and had TP. No hookups. $15/nt," mentions a visitor to Morgan Bar Campground.
Stargazing opportunities: The area's limited light pollution creates exceptional night sky viewing. "It is a very off the beaten path, tucked away in the woods, true getaway from the busy city life," notes a camper at Twin Lakes, describing the remote nature that supports clear night skies.
Cell service variations: Connectivity changes dramatically depending on location. "No cell phone reception for Verizon. There was an osprey nest right by our campsite which had some babies and parents which were interesting to watch," reports a visitor at Tower Rock Recreation Site.
Limited amenities: Most public campgrounds provide only basic facilities. "If you want complete solitude from the internet and TV this is the place for you to reconnect with nature... There was internet at the office but it was 56k speed," explains a visitor to Wagonhammer RV Park & Campground.
Payment systems: Most BLM campgrounds require cash payment via envelopes. "The sign says there is a 50% discount for interagency passes (including military) but we did not get that option when using scan & pay. Can use the envelopes to pay the discounted rate directly if you have cash," notes a Morgan Bar Campground visitor.
Dog-friendly options: Several campgrounds welcome pets with designated areas. At Wagonhammer RV Park, a visitor notes, "Dog friendly and there is a dog island that your fur kid can run around off leash!"
Safe swimming spots: Look for lakes rather than the swift-moving Salmon River for child-friendly water play. "The lake is for non motorized water crafts only. Perfect for first time swimmers," advises a visitor to Twin Lakes.
Insect preparation: Summer brings mosquitoes, especially near water. "The mosquitos are terrible so bring lots of deet, and in July it gets to be around 30°F at night so bring lots of extra blankets," warns a Twin Lakes camper.
Road access considerations: Many campgrounds have challenging approach roads. A Williams Lake visitor cautions, "I would definitely recommend taking a reliable car because the road is a little difficult to the sites, but worth it."
Spacing between sites: RV sites vary greatly in size and privacy. "Spaces are a little tight, and there are definitely other boondocking sites along the river in this area," notes a visitor to Wagonhammer RV Park, though they add it provides "a nice spot for those looking for the comforts of home while nestled in the wilderness."
Hookup availability: Most public campgrounds lack connections. For full services, Century 2 Campground offers complete amenities near town with "access to river to look at great!" according to a recent visitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Carmen, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, Carmen, ID offers a wide range of camping options, with 129 campgrounds and RV parks near Carmen, ID and 9 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Carmen, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Carmen, ID is Morgan Bar Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 8 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Carmen, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 9 free dispersed camping spots near Carmen, ID.
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