Best Campgrounds near Council, ID

Camping sites near Council, Idaho range from high-elevation forest settings to lakeside retreats, with altitudes spanning 3,000 to 7,000 feet across the region. The camping season typically runs from late May through mid-October, with most areas closing after the first significant snowfall. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing, making off-season camping impractical without specialized equipment.

What to do

Hiking to waterfalls: Access the popular Goose Creek Falls trail directly from Last Chance Campground, which offers a well-maintained 2.8-mile path to the falls. "The hike to the Goose Creek falls, as mentioned by others, is great. It's 2.8 miles to the Falls and another 0.2 miles to a neat bridge. The water was wild in June and so were the flowers," notes one visitor.

Water activities: Launch kayaks and boats from the shoreline at Amanita Campground on Cascade Lake. "This small lakeside campground captured our hearts. Who could resist it, with wide open lakefront views like these? A easy launch for kayaks by day, and a sunset view from the campfire by night," reports one camper.

Seasonal foraging: Look for morel mushrooms in spring and huckleberries in summer near many camping areas. "This is a great place to access Goose Creek Falls. A great hike for the family. It is also a good place to pick Morels in the spring and Huckleberries in the summer," shares a reviewer of Last Chance Campground.

What campers like

Lake access: Direct water entry points at Sugarloaf Campground allow for immediate recreation. "We tent camped here in July 2018. Sugarloaf is off by itself at the end of the lake, so it's a little more laid back there. Our group simply set our in the morning and camped out on the beach with our gear," one visitor explains.

Wildlife viewing: Morning and evening wildlife sightings are common at multiple campgrounds. "We even had 3 baby foxes visit our camp one evening. I could see it getting crowded on weekends, but I had this all to myself on a Monday and Tuesday," notes a Sugarloaf Campground visitor.

Quiet weekday camping: Most campgrounds experience significantly lower occupancy Sunday through Thursday. "Stayed at this campsite in late July and it was very quiet and not every campsite was occupied. Karen, the camp host is an absolute sweetheart and gave us some really good recommendations for the area," writes a Last Chance Campground reviewer.

What you should know

Road conditions: Access roads to Lost Valley Reservoir can be challenging for larger vehicles. "The road continues along the lake edge and over a small dam. There are several small, dirt access roads that lead to the lakes edge with camping sites at the end of each. Several roads are VERY rough and have deep ruts in them," cautions one camper.

Campsite availability: Popular sites fill quickly, especially at established campgrounds during summer weekends. "We love this campground. We've been able to stay here twice, but it's hard to get a reservation, unless it's during the week," reports a visitor to Poison Creek Campground.