Dispersed camping near Challis, Idaho offers easy access to the Salmon River and surrounding mountains at elevations between 4,800-8,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 45-90°F with minimal rainfall, making this central Idaho region ideal for outdoor recreation. Primitive sites require campers to bring their own water and pack out trash due to limited facilities at most locations.
What to do
Fishing access: Easy boat launches at Cottonwood Recreation Site provide direct river entry. "About a dozen spots with only 2 specifically for tent camping. Water and pit toilets. Inexpensive and the sites are descent. Horseshoe pits x 2 and a dump station and sandbox," notes Todd J.
Mountain exploration: Alpine lakes approximately 8 miles up dirt roads from town provide cooler temperatures during hot summer months. Kevin C. from Big Bayhorse Campground shares, "This place is absolutely gorgeous. The road can be a bit sketchy in spots but all in all not completely difficult. The vault bathrooms were clean, and I met one of the rangers while I was there who was super friendly."
Stargazing: Minimal light pollution creates exceptional night sky viewing conditions. Nancy C. describes the experience at Deadman Hole Recreation Site: "Views for miles... Serious star gazing opportunities. Easy drive to Challis for supplies."
What campers like
River access: Swimming opportunities for cooling off during hot days. Sonya at Watts Bridge Campground explains: "Very easy river access from site, but water is moving quickly. We walked to the other side of the bridge and let our dogs jump in where the water was calmer. Overall really clean and well maintained space."
Privacy between sites: Many campgrounds provide adequate spacing. At Deer Gulch, Sharon W. found "Lots of room for our dogs to run by site without bothering others." Ted T. adds it has "plenty of sites" with "great view of the mountains."
Clean facilities: Despite remote locations, many campgrounds maintain usable vault toilets. Annie C. at Mill Creek discovered "The two vault toilets were clean and stocked with TP. The campground was spotless."
What you should know
Road conditions: Dirt access roads to many sites require caution. Jamie M. warns about Big Bayhorse Campground: "We only made it partially up the steep narrow road before our truck started to over heat."
Limited or no cell service: Connectivity varies greatly between campgrounds. Laura M. reports from Deadman Hole: "Zero cell reception ATT, verizon or TMobile. The WeBoost was able to give us bars of LTE but still was not very usable."
Weather considerations: Summer heat can be intense at lower elevations. Mark M. found Watts Bridge Campground to be an "Okay site on Salmon River--HOT in July. Simple campground along Salmon River--beautiful setting, with maybe 5 spaces, not all of which are marked well but do have picnic tables to indicate."
Wildlife awareness: Open range cattle may wander through camping areas. Kevin C. at Big Bayhorse notes: "This area is open range, and there are cattle roaming the grassland next to the lake. Watch your step on the paths around the site."
Tips for camping with families
Fishing for kids: Stocked alpine lakes provide consistent catching opportunities. At Big Bayhorse, Beth B. found "Fishing was perfect for young boys that need to catch something frequently to keep them engaged. Caught 6 trout in the first hour."
Pack extra water: Most dog friendly campgrounds near Challis lack potable water sources. Beth B. continues, "We left early only because we didn't have enough water. Bring plenty for drinking and other daily uses!"
Recreation options: Some campgrounds offer additional facilities. Phil M. at Challis Hot Springs reports "volleyball court, playground, two different hot pools from Hot springs. Beautiful flowers, right on the river! There's also hiking trails behind the campground."
Sand play areas: Some sites include play spaces for children. At Cottonwood Recreation Site, Todd J. mentions the presence of a "sandbox" along with other amenities.
Tips from RVers
Limited hookup availability: Most pet-friendly camping options near Challis are primitive. Ray & Terri F. at Challis Hot Springs note, "AT&T coverage was good, with 3 bars of LTE and speeds up to 15 MB/s. Although the CG has WiFi, we were never able to connect to it. We were able to get DISH coverage on all three western satellites at our site."
Bridge weight restrictions: Some dispersed sites require crossing narrow bridges. Kenny R. cautions about Deer Gulch: "Just off the main highway, and only a narrow bridge as an obstacle. There is currently a 30'ish foot big fifth wheel here, so I guess it can handle the weight. Just watch your sides if you are pulling a camper."
Pull-through availability: Limited sites accommodate larger RVs. Christine at Round Valley RV Park observed, "Many large and well spaced pull through sites, all on gravel. Very little shade. Water, sewer and electric all good. Easy in and out."
Dump station locations: Plan ahead for waste disposal needs. Anne E. at Cottonwood notes it has a "Dump station" making it "a little gem with easy paved access and paved throughout. Just off the highway with good signage right on the Salmon River."
