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Best Tent Camping near Challis, ID

304 Reviews

Primitive tent campsites scattered throughout the Salmon-Challis National Forest provide secluded camping options near Challis, Idaho. Little Bayhorse Lake Campground offers tent-only sites in a wooded setting adjacent to fishing opportunities, while Nip and Tuck Road features dispersed camping with mountain views. Several additional tent areas can be found along forest roads, including Twin Peaks Camping Area and West Fork Morgan Creek Campground, which operate seasonally from June through September.

Most primitive tent camping areas near Challis lack developed amenities. Campsites typically feature natural dirt or forest floor surfaces with minimal preparation. Fire rings exist at some locations, though seasonal fire restrictions apply during dry conditions. Vault toilets are available at certain established campgrounds like Little Bayhorse, but dispersed areas require visitors to practice proper waste disposal techniques. Camp Creek BLM sites provide river access with no services or potable water. Visitors must bring all necessary supplies, including drinking water, as most sites have no facilities. A 14-day stay limit applies to most public lands in the region.

The tent camping experience varies considerably by location and elevation. Higher elevation sites near Stanley offer spectacular night skies and cooler temperatures, while river-adjacent sites like Waddington Creek provide water access. Many dispersed sites maintain good separation between campers, enhancing privacy. Areas closer to Highway 93 experience occasional road noise, while forest sites offer deeper solitude. According to one visitor, Little Bayhorse Lake features "good spacing between campsites" that enhances privacy. Camp Creek sites provide river access where "each spot is super private" with easy swimming access, though minimal flat terrain may challenge some tent setups. Several campgrounds near Challis have been decommissioned in recent years, including Eightmile Campground, making current information essential for planning.

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Best Tent Sites Near Challis, Idaho (60)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Challis, ID

9 Photos of 60 Challis Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Challis, ID

304 Reviews of 60 Challis Campgrounds

  • Anna W.
    Jul. 7, 2019

    Point Campground

    Quiet, easy camping right on Redfish Lake.

    Lovely little campground with many amenities close to Redfish Lake Lodge. Each campsite has a dedicated level pad for tents, a picnic table, a bear box, and fire ring. The sites are a bit open, so privacy can be a bit lacking if that's a concern. This campsite is also walk-in, so you will need to use provided wagons to bring your stuff to your site and park your car in the provided parking lot. There are also bathrooms which had flushing toilets and running water and are well maintained. We loved that Point Campground is within walking distance to Redfish Lake Lodge, which has a bunch of different activities: horseback riding, kayaking, a dog beach, mountain biking, fishing, etc. This campground is great when camping with children, especially with the bathrooms & lack of car traffic on the tent-only side. We will be returning!

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 1, 2019

    Redfish Lake Overflow Dispersed

    Dispersed with vault toilet

    If you show up to Redfish Lake on a busy weekend and all of the campgrounds are reserved/full, no worries. There is a bunch of free dispersed camping all along highway 75. A quick stop at the Forest Service Office down the road and I had a pretty good map of the forest roads in the area, but more importantly, a tip about free camping a stone’s throw away from Redfish Lake and Sunny Gulch campground. The road in is a bit rough with ruts and rocks, but there are several established sites with fire rings. There was a loop to the right with about 8 such sites and a loop to the right with about 5 sites as well as one that was hidden behind the site I chose that you had to walk in to(it was actually a nicer site than the one I chose, but I was tired and set up before I saw it on my explorations. There was one vault toilet that was not especially clean, but free is free, and if you really wanted to, you could walk less than a quarter mile across to the developed Sunny Gulch campground. There are no picnic tables or grills or tent pads, but definitely stone fire rings at each site so no worries as long as you brought your own camp chair. If you need a shower, head into Redfish Lake to use the public pay showers there.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 26, 2019

    Caribou Campground

    Small but pleasant

    This is a tent only campground(there is nowhere for RVs to turn around, and backing out would be a horrific proposition) with only seven sites. The best sites are the four that are on the creek side of the camp road. There is a vault toilet(not especially clean) and a bear proof dumpster, and lots of signs about bears, but no bear boxes for food storage. The campsites are nicely shaded, but not especially private(you can see most of the sites from each other). This campground is$2 cheaper than the next closest campground(I drove to the other site to check it out and returned here because except for the price, they were about the same). There is a pretty cool avalanche/rock slide up the road that is impressive in size and there are some pretty cool beaver dams and lodges in the creek/marshy area that feeds into the river. Be careful picking a site along the creek as it runs pretty close to the edge of two sites and I suspect the sites get flooded during big rains(due to the beaver dams). Showers are not terribly far away at Redfish Lake Park.

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 23, 2019

    Mt. Borah Trailhead and Camping Area

    Wonderful Views @ a Semi-Primitive CG

    Wow!  Absolutely the best spot to set up camp if you're looking at doing an alpine attempt on the roof of Idaho, Mt. Borah!  The campground sits right around 7200'  which is a decent bit cooler than the Big Lost River Valley to the west.  There is also a good bit of shade despite there being few large trees.  Its kind of a transition between the sage brush and juniper climate zones.  There are picnic tables and metal fire rings @ each site but there is absolutely no running water so be sure to fill your water bottles and camelbaks in Mackey which is the closest town.  There are vault toilets but no other amenities.  The perk of being fairly primitive is that the sites are only $5 a night!

    If you're planning on summiting Borah it's a good idea to get an alpine start <6 AM so you don't get baked by the sun as there's no shade the last 2 miles and sparse shade the first 1.5.  It is a brutal hike if you're not prepared.  The trail ascends 5200' of elevation in just over 3.5 miles.  Your legs will probably burn, bring hiking poles for the descent!  If you don't feel like hiking there are plenty of rivers nearby in which to fish and great spots to check out the scarp of the 1980's Mt. Borah earthquake, which you drive across on the way to the campground/trailhead.

  • Kimberly Y.
    Jul. 15, 2019

    Mormon Bend Campground

    Right on the water

    Blacktop drive and parking pads with a few pull through sites. You can fish from your camp site. No hookups but water is available. Plenty of space between sites. Fire rings and picnic tables were provided. Firewood was for sale. Bring your bug spray for late afternoon and evening. We needed it in early July.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 7, 2025

    Sunny Gulch Campground

    Beautiful!

    Sunny Gulch is a NFS campground right between Stanley, Idaho and Redfish Lake. The views are incredible and the location can’t be beat. The campground has two loops with the lower loop being closer to Highway 75 (not noisy at all at night) and more appropriate for smaller rigs while the upper loop has some larger sites with some above the Salmon River. All sites have picnic table, prep table, fire ring and tent pad and are quite large and lots of space between sites. Sites are FCFS except for 10 reservable sites; camp host is fantastic and super friendly. Firewood is available at the host site and vault toilets are located throughout the campground and water pumps are also positioned within a short walk of most sites. The Ranger Station is 1/2 mile away and has four dump stations ($12 as of this review) and free fresh water if the pumps at the campground don’t suit your needs.

    Redfish Lake and all that encompasses is 1/2 mile to the south; the town of Stanley is beyond the Ranger Station about 2 miles to the north. We’ll definitely stay here again if we’re in the area!

  • Dexter I.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 16, 2021

    Shoup Bridge Campground — Salmon Field Office (Blm)

    Small campgound on Salmon river and highway

    Shoup Bridge  Campground is a small Campground surrounding cottonwood trees along the banks of the Salmon River. It is also right along the Highway.  We found this a pleasant campground to stay in, plenty of flat ground for our tents and only $5 a night.  A few sites are quite small, but still room for a tent. This was our Scouts jumping off point for a backpacking trip the next day.  While next to the highway we expected a lot of noise during the night, but that was not our experience, the only real road noise we had was in the early morning with worked out as it helped wake us up.  Each site has a picnic table and metal fire ring.  Water is available and the area has a vault toilet and trash cans.  Campground has a boat launch.

  • Nancy C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 8, 2021

    Deadman Hole

    A little slice of paradise on the Salmon River

    Pros: *Views for miles *Steps from the Salmon River *Boat launch for rafting,kayaking,fishing *Covered picnic table *Generous spacing between sites *Serious star gazing opportunities

    • Easy drive to Challis for supplies

    Cons: *No shade *Close to road, so some road noise.

    • No services, except a vault toilet, but with views like this, who cares.

    Pros out weigh the cons for us. 2 thumbs up.

  • C O.
    Jun. 4, 2019

    Iron Creek Campground

    Ranger Review: Iron Creek Campground

    First come, first served and self-serve pay sites. No shower, just one pit toilet. Even in the summer, nights drop into the 30s so we opted to car camp vs pitching our tent - especially since there was a fire ban during our stay. The night sky was breathtaking. The hike up to Goat Lake is still one of our most favorite hikes, simply gorgeous but strenuous at times, so be prepared. This was a great location to stay if you are planning to hike out of the Iron Creek Trailhead.

Guide to Challis

Challis, Idaho, offers a fantastic backdrop for tent camping enthusiasts, with a variety of campgrounds nestled in stunning natural settings. Whether you're looking for serene lakes or rugged mountain trails, there's something for everyone.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • Enjoy a peaceful stay at Challis National Forest Little Bayhorse Campground, where you'll find clean campsites with good spacing and access to fishing and hiking.
  • Morse Creek Campground features well-maintained pads and a vault toilet, making it a convenient choice for those seeking a quick getaway from downtown Boise.
  • At Fly Creek Campsite, tent campers can enjoy a secluded experience in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Challis, ID?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Challis, ID is Challis National Forest Little Bayhorse Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Challis, ID?

TheDyrt.com has all 60 tent camping locations near Challis, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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