Peninsula Campground at Ponderosa State Park accepts pets with accommodations for tent, RV, and cabin camping near McCall, Idaho. Approximately 47 miles northeast of Council, this established campground offers picnic tables, fire rings, and drinking water alongside pet-friendly policies. Lake Cascade State Park campgrounds, including Poison Creek, Sugarloaf, and Buttercup, welcome pets at their lakeside locations. Sites at these parks typically include fire rings and picnic tables with varying amenities—Poison Creek provides full hookups with electric, water, and sewer connections, while others offer more rustic experiences. Campgrounds maintain standard pet regulations requiring leashes and proper waste disposal. Sites at Rainbow Point tend to be spacious and well-separated, making them comfortable for campers with dogs.
Cold Springs Campground in Payette National Forest provides pet-friendly camping with access to nearby trails and Lost Lake. Sites include sturdy picnic tables, BBQ stands, and fire pits with vault toilets and hand pump water stations available. The campground features some ADA-accessible sites and relatively close quarters between campsites. Mosquitoes can be prevalent during certain seasons, particularly in early summer. Amanita Campground offers lakefront camping with direct beach access for pets to enjoy the water. The beach area is extensive and fairly clean, though campers should check for toxic algae warnings during summer months before allowing pets to swim. Most sites are available by reservation, though a few first-come spots exist, including one directly on the lake. McCall RV Resort - Northfolk Lodge provides year-round pet-friendly accommodations including cabin options for those seeking more amenities.
$15 - $40 / night
"Ponderosa is in beautiful McCall, Idaho. Close to downtown and the lake. Great hiking trails. Good park for a family. The campsites are right next to one another, so not much privacy there."
"Great walking path around and down to the lake as well! Quick 10min ride into town for a nice lake side dinner."
"Beautiful lake, nice campground, little beach spots nearby. The lake is very large. Boat ramp is close by. You can swim, kayak, canoe, paddle board, boat, fish. Camping spots are large."
"We chose Lake Cascade because we had heard that the lake winds were great for sailing and that is true. We stayed at Blue Heron campground."
$20 / night
"The campsites were large and there was access to the lake. The only space left for us was the one right in the front near the entrance but it was great!"
"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."
$15 / night
"The best hot spring locates a short distance from the campground. This is one of my favorite places to camp. The trees around gave us plenty of shade on a hot day!"
"We adore this spot for so many reasons—proximity to adorable McCall but removed enough to feel remote, trees, hiking along the water, close encounters with the fauna kind :) do yourself a favor and visit"
$20 - $40 / night
"The beach at the lake is lovely. Site #7 backs up to a large beach area. The campground is convenient to Donnelly and McCall, and quite close to Tamarack Resort (7 minutes), if you are riding there."
"Close to the water, very chilly at the end of the season. Glad to have toilets and water."
$28 - $39 / night
"Minutes from Donnelly Idaho for “the things you forgot”. Great views coming back again for sure."
"Right on Lake Cascade so you have lake views on one side and mountain views on the other, seriously beautiful. Shows off Idaho in a good way!"
$42 - $52 / night
"Close to McCall,several pull-thrus; even indoor hot tubs! No restaurant but you’ll be close to many great ones"
"The location is nice and quiet, awa from traffic.They have a nice lodge with an indoor heated swimming pool. Each site had a picnic table but no fire pit where we stayed."
$10 - $30 / night
"Campground is well maintained and provides access to toilets and water (hand pump). Nice fire rings and picnic tables at each site. But the sites are close together and the mosquitos were swarming."
"Close to lost lake. A bit tight road around the camp, but I've seen 5th wheelers in there. Clean sites, even some ADA sites."
$10 - $50 / night
"quiet, easily accesible near hiking trail and Weiser river"
TravelerWell-kept state park. No playground for kids. Dog park. Very quiet. Right on the highway but it’s not loud at all. Very many mosquitos, like swarms of them. Site was very flat and easy to park our 23’ camper. Small trails good enough for a stroll but not long enough for a hike.
GuideCouncil is one of my favorite areas in Idaho. This campground is well kept, wooded, and easy. There are some dispersed camping areas near by as well!
GuideFrontier Motel and RV Park is more of a motel than an RV park, with only ten spaces behind the motel and in between a public, local road. The motel was fronting Hwy 95 and the RV spaces were one block behind. They have a pool (nice!), laundry and easy town access, since the motel was right in town. The pool wasn’t warm, maybe 75F, but it sufficed for the cool-off need. The town, Cambridge, ID, was a nice, small town, maybe 200 residents. It appears that most of the 10-or-so RV spaces were used by monthly renters, but they had a spot for me and during a holiday weekend. Nice staff. For some reason I couldn't make friends with the black lab (the owner's dog). She's old, doesn't walk that well, but was wary of new people. I did not have any, any negative interactions with her, she just wouldn't let me give her a pet. The three-star rating is that the site location, noise from the highway and the street, and the marginal sewer connection (water/power were fine).
RangerThere is a lot of space in each camp. Not much land in between each camp so be courteous. Good drinking water. A fairly dirty pit bathroom. I’m pretty sure it’s pet friendly. You can walk to the reservoir. The beach is very rocky.
ScoutPonderosa is in beautiful McCall, Idaho. Close to downtown and the lake. Great hiking trails. Good park for a family. The campsites are right next to one another, so not much privacy there. Bathrooms are close by. If you don't mind be a little tight with campsites, would highly recommend.
LegendCascade Lake is beautiful and an excellent stop over. Water sports and beaches and sand to get into everything.
Sage is a roadside campground with moderate size sites, NO SHADE and level cement pads. My site overlooked the beach , however we had to walk the trail to gain access to the beach. The beach was never crowded, though on occasion it had some annoying and loud boaters who seem to think they were the only ones that were there to enjoy the area. Their dog even tried to attack my leashed dogs. I just did my best to stay at the area of the beach with no one else present.
There was a constant haze in the sky from the wildfires in the area. Kudos to the fire men and women .
Town was very nearby and everything you could need was there, including a huge laundromat and snow mobile dealership. Worth the visit.
TravelerCamping is free, limit of 10 days. Not really any designated sites and surrounded by private land with aggressive signage. Not all roads around the reservoir are public, so be prepared to turn around and back up at dead ends. We came to an orange gate that said "private property", and stopped. While trying to turn around, we noticed a white truck sitting behind us. When we turned around and passed him, he motioned to roll down the window, and then berated us and called us idiots, even though we had not even entered the private land, nor did we want to. We felt threatened. In the end we chose a site on the upper road of the reservoir. The view was nice but not close to the pit toilet. No fire ring. No table. A no frills place. Like many lakes in Idaho, the reservoir is mostly dry. Not a huge deal but not the prettiest to look at. There is only one single pit toilet for the whole reservoir and someone was set up right next to it like it was their own. People ride off-road vehicles here. In an area with slim pickings for free camping, I guess you have to take what you can get.
TravelerOnce you turn off Hywy 95 on to Lost Valley Reservoir Road (about 16 miles North of Council), you will reach a Y in the well kept gravel road. If you turn left, you will come to Cold Spring Campground. There are RV/trailer and tent sites available for a small daily fee. There are campfire sites, hiking trails, toilets and water from a hand pump. You will need to pack out your own garbage as there are no dumpsters. Not a bad place but you are still about 1/2 mile away from the Lost Valley Reservoir.
If you return to the Lost Valley Reservoir road, you can continue on to the Reservoir. After about 1/2 mile, you will see the lake off to your right. There are camp sites all along this stretch of the lake with direct access to the lake. A few sites have a common outhouse with no running water. Along this side of the lake there is also a boat launch area, but I believe this is a 'No Wake Lake'. Check local burn bans, and pack your garbage out.
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, and I personally wouldn't risk driving them without a vehicle that has plenty of clearance.
The lake is small and as the summer progresses and water is drained from the reservoir, it shrinks. I prefer camping here until about the 1st or 2nd week of August. After this, the water levels drop drastically and green algae begins to accumulate around the lakes edge. There are small perch for fishing, but I did not catch any big enough to keep. We camped here in mid-July this year and had a campfire each night.
Beautiful views, great hiking, refreshing water, and several families had ATV's. Huckleberries are usually ripe 1st/2nd weeks of August. Very relaxing. Enjoy.
GuideWe love camping at Northwest passage campground. It’s beautiful and woodsy. Depending on what campsite you stay in the river is close. The bathrooms are clean and well-kept. There is no running water at the bathrooms. There are three total in the campground. There are only 22 sites so not a huge amount of campers and most of the sites are pretty private with woods separating them. There is a water pump at the entrance of the camp site that you get your water from. There are no hook ups or running water at sites. There are established fire rings and a picnic table. Some of the spots are big enough for trailers. Some are small and cozy for tent campers. The river is walking distance from all sites. It is perfect for paddle boarding kayaking and floating. There is a beach area for the campers that is perfect for kids to play and to relax and watch for floaters. The wild life there is abundant. We saw bald eagles, moose, deer and chipmunks. There is also a climbing crag that has a variety of climbs for different skill levels that is a five minute drive. This campsite is non-reservable. It’s first come first serve and usually very busy. The best time to get a spot is Sunday afternoon or Monday and Tuesday. Towards the weekends most spots are full. One downfall here is the amount of mosquitoes. They are large and thirsty. We came prepared this year with lots of mosquito spray and some thermoscell mosquito deterrent. It helped immensely. I would recommend this campground to anyone who likes a true camping experience. For the most part it was quiet and secluded. McCall is a 15 minute drive. pets are welcome.
Camping options within 50 miles of Council, Idaho include forested sites with elevations ranging from 3,200 to 5,000 feet. The area features pine-covered mountains with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during the day and dropping to 45-55°F at night. Seasonal considerations include early summer mosquito activity and potential toxic algae warnings at lake sites during late summer.
Hiking trails near camping areas: At Last Chance Campground, access the trail to Goose Creek Falls directly from your site. "The hike up the river to the falls is one of the better short hikes in the area but there is evidence of bears," notes Tom K., adding that the trail is "2.8 miles to the Falls and another 0.2 miles to a neat bridge."
Water activities for pets: Lake Cascade State Park Sugarloaf Campground offers multiple water options. "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 out in the morning and camped out on the beach with our gear. We had paddle boards, a canoe, and a floatie and spent the entire day out there," shares Tara L.
Winter recreation options: While summer camping is popular, some areas offer winter activities. Hannah C. explains that at Ponderosa State Park, "In the winter, the park offers great snowshoe trails, and groomed trails for cross-country skiing and skate skiing."
Spacious, well-separated sites: At Rainbow Point Campground, campers appreciate the layout. "The sites are spaced far apart and very spacious. Campground host is great and the campground is clean. There are a few pull throughs which make it easy for RVs. The beach at the lake is lovely. Site #7 backs up to a large beach area," reports Heidi C.
Clean facilities with consistent maintenance: Poison Creek Campground receives praise for its upkeep. "Campground is well kept. Showers and facilities clean. Minutes from Donnelly Idaho for 'the things you forgot'. Great views coming back again for sure," writes Phillip C., who has visited multiple times.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The natural setting provides wildlife sightings. Simran D. shares about Sugarloaf Campground: "Cant get any better views of the water! Hung my hammock up right next to the reservoir. At night we could hear coyotes! We even had 3 baby foxes visit our camp one evening."
Campground closures and logging impacts: Before planning, check if your preferred site is operating. "Last Chance used to be one of my favorite campgrounds until they had to log it this past winter. As of now (2020) the campground is closed to the public until they can clean it up," cautions Hannah C.
Varying site privacy levels: Site selection matters for privacy preferences. Jamie H. notes about Ponderosa State Park Peninsula Campground: "This campground boasts lovely showers and bathrooms. All well and good if you like to be in a fishbowl. There is no privacy between camp spaces."
Water quality concerns: Water conditions can change seasonally. Jennifer D. warns about Amanita Campground: "Beware that in the summer the lake gets toxic algae and may be unusable for swimming." Always check current advisories.
Best beach access: For families with children, direct water access makes a difference. "Amanita a little gem... The campsites were large and there was access to the lake. The only space left for us was the one right in the front near the entrance but it was great!" Jamie H. explains.
Foraging opportunities: Engage kids with seasonal foraging. At Cold Springs Campground, Adam C. notes, "The lake is great but it's a bit of a walk to get there (little less than a mile)." Hannah C. adds that Last Chance is "a good place to pick Morels in the spring and Huckleberries in the summer!"
Off-season advantages with kids: Visit during shoulder seasons for fewer crowds. Celine K. suggests: "PSP is a great place to stay or spend a day at. There is great lake access, hiking trails, and the Ponderosa's are superb! I like to go to PSP during the 'off-season' to avoid the crowds."
Full hookup options: For RVers needing complete services, Taylor W. shares about Lake Cascade State Park Sugarloaf Campground: "Middle of the road... No electric/water hook ups, flushing toilets, or showers," while Kimberly D. notes that Poison Creek Campground offers "nicely paved sites."
Year-round accessibility: For those seeking pet friendly camping near Council in winter, consider options with extended seasons. #1 National R. raves about McCall RV Resort - Northfolk Lodge: "Wow this park is amazing, very well run 10 out of 10 on this one. The indoor pool and spa and steam room made this my favorite park so far on our journey."
Site access considerations: Navigating campground roads requires attention. Will M. advises about Cold Springs Campground: "A bit tight road around the camp, but I've seen 5th wheelers in there. Clean sites, even some ADA sites. When you see the sign, hang a left or it's 2 more miles before you can turn around with a trailer."
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Council, ID is Peninsula Campground — Ponderosa State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 36 reviews.
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