If you're looking for a place to dispersed camp near City of Rocks National Reserve, look no further. Dispersed camping is an excellent way to get away from it all and to disconnect. Find dispersed campsites you've visited before, or discover new spots from other campers.
Explore the Cotterel Mountains or hunt for upland birds and deer near this semi-developed camping destination. McClendon Spring was a favorite resting place for emigrants along the California Trail.
Scout
Basic BLM land, dispersed camping about 2mi outside the City of Rocks on the Bread Loaves side, perfect for rock climbers. At least 3 rock fire pits spaced out for several different groups with plenty of room and flat areas for tents. Appears to be a similar area on the other side of the road too
Traveler
Excellent dispersed camping nice spaced out spots. Can hike along the river. Overall really liked this spot
ScoutIn the summer when the area is busier I think we would have love this more. Happy we were able to find free camping in this area. It’s a recreation area, so when we arrived we saw some in the distance fishing and another person bike riding. We were the only ones camping, and there was some unknown activities of others who came and went that we were unsure of. We would have felt better if someone else was camping somewhere. Nothing happened though and it was a cool spot. Definitely think when other campers are around this would be a great spot!
Guide
We ended up finding this spot to when we were looking at camping near Independence Lakes. It is a dispersed camping. The site was big enough for 3-4 trailers and had a picnic table and a fire ring. I recommend anyone coming in with a trailer or Rv to come in from the Elba side opposed to the Oakley Side. If your looking for a nice quiet location located a few miles from a nice hike to the lakes this is the place. This is one of those hidden spots for those wanting to stay a few days hiking or taking out their ATV/UTV.
TravelerThe BLM Cauldron Linn camp site is breath taking. The drive out and down takes awhile but damn is it worth it! Bring everything you need because it is complete nature. I wouldn’t recommend taking anything longer than 22’ out here, twisty curves. Have some new art on my rig.
ScoutBeautiful views, solitude, and, with a little work, a level camp spot for our camper. Trek up the road a ways to see Teepee Rocks - amazing!
ScoutWe found this spot last minute, late in the afternoon while on a multi day drive. Lots of spots, though we had the place to our on a Sunday night, early April.
Great little trail along the river and falls. Perfect after a long day of driving. The area was super clean (lets all continue this!) and beautiful.
If you do not have a car for high clearance (a Subaru would do fine) just use the upper two camp spots.
Our dogs loved it:)
TravelerBeautiful spots and surrounding area. We sadly had to turn around because of a sketchy looking encampment. We did report to BLM so hopefully this spot will be more approachable in the future!
ScoutBeautiful camp site super easy to access, we got by fine without 4WD. Unfortunately people have kind of trashed some of the sites there was broken glass and lots of other litter
TravelerThere are only a few spots that I saw, and it’s first come first serve. There’s a river that a few people were fishing in, and a bank with plenty of space to hang out. The campsites are nicely spaced out so your not right next to anyone. There’s no designated trail that I could see, but there were some great areas for hiking and climbing.
Legend
This was a really really small camping area that's located along the creek road going through the south hills of Idaho. There are absolutely no amenities here however so take care of business at one of the more developed campgrounds along the road! It had wonderful shade everywhere but there wasn't any flat ground to be able to lay out a tent. There were also only 2 maybe 3 campgrounds if you squeezed it in and it required a high clearance vehicle to get to 2 of them. Good thing is if you get these sites you will have no one around you and personal access to a great hiking trail and in the winter snowshoeing back country skiing trail!
GuideEasy access on a gravel road, open field with 5 stone firepits. Relatively hard to find a level spot, but not terrible. No shade, very open area - it’s also open grazing land so you may have some cattle visitors. Stayed midweek in August and was alone the entire time.
Outhouses available in the park about 5-10 min drive away if you need them.
TravelerReally long gravel from highway to site. So far off the highway that it is complete quiet and serenity. Had firewood there and a fire ring to build a fire. Also a picnic table. Beautiful views.
GuideIf you like to fish then Oakley Reservoir is a worth the trip. The campgrounds are right on the reservoir and open and spacious. It’s a great spot to fish all day, light a campfire and gaze under the stars.
GuideRight on the Snake River. On the loop there’s half a dozen spots (no established fire rings, probably best for car camping) and I saw some people camped on the beach but I also saw early morning fishermen that would probably be angry if the beach was covered in campers, so just respect the multiple uses. Bring bug spray! Had verizon service.
LegendYou could choose one of the spots on the drive down to the canyon so you can have a view from above, or you can camp right on the “beach” like we did. It is a bit of a rough and dusty drive, nothing the Subaru Outback couldn’t handle. There were local people swimming and fishing when we arrived but they all left by sunset. Small waterfalls across the river that you could hear, overall great spot but a windy road down.
ScoutGreat place to stop and sleep. I would consider one of the upper spots next time, strictly for the morning views.
Comfortable with River noise.
GuideFantastic views of the canyon, both above and from within. Steep dirt road down. Several spots along the dirt path on the way down to the river bed of varying degrees of difficulty. No amenities save for a rock fire pit or two. Had full cell service w At&t. Looks like people have driven right onto the sand by the water. Hundreds of birds flying around the canyon walls and rocks. Could hear the cows at the nearby farm, and occasionally smell them when the wind was right. I visited in April and the water level was low.
TravelerWasn’t sure what to expect but wow this area didn’t disappoint! Camped with our 3 kids for 2 nights along the river. Beautiful views, bring your fishing poles and kayaks! Tent or car camp but not accessible with trailers due to sketchy narrow road down to the canyon.
TravelerThis is right along snake river. There look to be about 8 back in spots, but we didn’t explore very far down the road. The main downsides are the bugs and lack of fire pits, but worth it for the water. We fished and sat by the falls all evening. There were a few other people but very quiet.
ScoutWe camped on the terrace overlooking the river. We were in a 31' motorhome and would not be able to navigate the 120⁰ hairpin turn down to the river level. The walk down to the river and the falls was worth the effort.
ScoutPrivate and peaceful situated inside snake river gorge Come cool water jumping spots… river is peaceful. Lots of wind! Road coming down slightly sketch and coming up will be difficult for non 4 x4 or low clearance vehicles. Super easy to find.
TravelerCoordinates are accurate to location. I would not recommend for RV campers as much as I would for tent or van campers. The road was a little steep but we found a tree cave spot as mentioned in one of the previous comments. We arrived around 6pm and were the only ones there. The river was beautiful so we took a dip in the water. There is also a good size rapid. We saw a rabbit, quail, mouse, and a ferret. It did get busy after 8pm but overall great place to camp.
GuidePulled up here last minute at about 2am for some quick sleep, the view I woke up to was incredible. Drive through pretty farmland to get there, easy to navigate.
ScoutIt is literally hidden out in the hay and corn fields. The road down into the canyon is ok for small trailers, vans, trucks. The water was out so the bank was a dusty desert and at the waters edge was a thick swampy mess with gross stinky mud foam…. So swimming was out of the question. We found a pull in area under a cluster of trees that was perfectly serene. Will definitely go back. Large black beetles are bad there and bugs as expected. Nothing to cause a big issue, we brought a bug zapper and net enclosed canopy!
GuideWe were really excited to stay here. The water and area is beautiful. There are 2 great shady spots right on the water. Unfortunately it looks like 2 guys are living down there and let’s say they don’t look like the friendliest for a couple of reasons. My boyfriend and I immediately got a bad vibe and decided it was best not to stay.
TravelerThe dirt road getting down to the river wasn’t bad, but larger vehicles might have a little trouble. I saw an RV parked at the top. I found a cool spot underneath trees like a little cave towards the end of the road. There was a campfire ring and it was shaded and private. The river is really pretty and there’s a little waterfall to see. The area was really beautiful and I felt like I was the only person there.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near City of Rocks National Reserve in Idaho, where you can immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. This area offers a variety of options for those seeking solitude and adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near City of Rocks National Reserve?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near City of Rocks National Reserve is Cauldron Linn BLM Dispersed with a 4.2-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near City of Rocks National Reserve?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 dispersed camping locations near City of Rocks National Reserve, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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