The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App
Map showing campgrounds near Council, IdahoExplore the Map

Best Tent Camping near Council, ID

460 Reviews

Tent camping options near Council, Idaho include several primitive sites in the surrounding Payette National Forest. Brundage Reservoir Camping Area offers dispersed tent camping with boat-in, drive-in, hike-in, and walk-in access options. Other nearby tent-friendly locations include Slaughter Gulch in Council and Rapid Creek Dispersed Camping Area, which is approximately 25 miles southeast of Council.

Most tent sites in this region lack developed amenities. Campers should bring all necessary supplies including drinking water, as most areas do not provide potable water. Fire rings are available at some locations like Paradise Campground, but not all sites have established fire pits. Vault toilets can be found at Rapid Creek Dispersed Camping Area but are absent at many other locations including Brundage Reservoir. The terrain typically consists of forest floor with minimal site preparation. According to one visitor, "The fir trees stand tall and still... It's really just a small meadow in the mountains that the BLM put a vault toilet and a couple of fire rings in."

The tent camping experience in this area offers genuine seclusion and natural surroundings. Areas around Brundage Reservoir provide lakeside camping opportunities with direct water access. A recent review mentioned that Rapid Creek Dispersed Camping Area "is excellent if you just want a quiet place where no one is around." Campers should be prepared for significant temperature drops at night, even in summer months. The higher elevation sites near McCall, such as Lick Creek Area and Paddy Flat, provide access to alpine lakes and wilderness trails. Wildlife sightings are common, and campers should practice proper food storage. The surrounding mountains offer hiking opportunities with scenic views of valleys and forests, making these primitive tent sites ideal bases for day hikes or backpacking trips.

Best Tent Sites Near Council, Idaho (57)

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 57 campgrounds

2026 Explorer Giveaway

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Council Contest

Enter to Win

Recent Tent Camping Photos near Council, ID

27 Photos of 57 Council Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Council, ID

460 Reviews of 57 Council Campgrounds

  • E
    Aug. 4, 2019

    Rainbow Point

    Open and grassy campsites

    Nice grassy sites, water right there, vault toilets, fire rings and picnic tables, tent camping or RVs. Not a lot of shade but cools down nice at night. Lots to do nearby!

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 11, 2025

    Hazard Creek Dispersed Camping

    Nice spot off the beaten path

    Nice flat spot with a stone fire ring. Hazard creek nearby isn't too loud and sounds great. Not much firewood is around as its all been picked already.

  • K
    Aug. 20, 2019

    Horse Thief Campground

    Gorgeous waterfront

    Fish and game property, but managed under YMCA. $15 with no discount for anyone. Picnic table and fire ring. Pit toilet that is in desperate need of a simple fly strip! I had to wipe live flies off the toilet seat to sit down. Haul your garbage out. No electricity. Bear sites in campground but no notifications! No potable water. Seemed a bit pricey ! Perfect for canoes. Boat launch area.

    Hawks, ducks, gorgeous waterfront!

  • C
    Oct. 31, 2019

    Summit Lake Campground

    Quiet spot

    This is a pretty quiet place! It about an hour drive/17 miles from Cascade on a paved road. True to it's name, the lake and campsite are right on a summit! The lake is pretty small and a little muddy, but a fun dip nevertheless. It's about a 5 minute hike from the campsites. There are 3 campsites at the campground and they are all first come first serve! Dispersed camping is allowed in the area as well. Managed to find 2 empty spots here on Labor Day weekend, which was a real treat! The sites all have fire rings and picnic tables and share a vault toilet. The sites are well spaced and there little noise carries around the area. The campground is a little close the to highway (Warm Lake Rd) but traffic at night is pretty low, so the noise isn't bad. There is a wilderness airstrip not too far off, so some plane noise as well! Otherwise, a nice spot with some great views of the night sky.

  • Amanda C.
    Aug. 24, 2021

    Amanita

    Good camping close to Town

    This is a typical campground with Vault toilets, no showers, no water or electric hookups. However, it is just a couple miles from nice dining, mountain biking, and hiking.

  • T
    Jul. 27, 2020

    Sugarloaf Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    Middle of the road

    We have high expectations since we’ve been at so many places, so please bear that in mind when reading this.

    1. Only vault toilets and water spigots placed randomly around.
    2. No electric/water hook ups, flushing toilets, or showers
    3. Outside of one vault toilet building some animal made a nest above out of dirt where they continually poop out of that looks like it hasn’t been touched in months so when you go to use the restroom you walk by a giant pile of poop.
    4. Pea gravel pads where they encourage you put your tent, not bad if you have a blow up mattress. It is nicely raked upon arrival.
    5. Campsite was clean.
    6. Most sites had trees, but not all so definitely check site pictures online if you need shade.
    7. Most sites have a view of the lake, since it’s almost like a peninsula campground.
    8. Nice boat ramps and lots of parking for boaters to leave trucks and trailers.
    9. Bugs would get a bit crazy at random times of day depending on weather.
    10. 20 minutes south of McCall if you wanted to get out and see a quaint little town.
    11. Cows on opposite side of water from campground; you can hear them, but not smell them.
  • K
    Aug. 13, 2023

    Rapid Creek Dispersed Camping Area

    Great secluded spot

    The fir trees stand tall and still. I can’t figure out if they are waiting for something to happen or if they simply don’t care.

    If you’re looking for sone sort of gorgeous panorama, this might not be the place for you. It’s really just a small meadow in the mountains that the BLM put a vault toilet and a couple of fire rings in. That being said, this place is beautiful.

    You can’t see rapid creek from the campground but you can hear it. And that’s really just as good. The white noise from the creek matched with the occasional bird or other nature sound is one of the most relaxing things on the planet.

    It’s high enough in elevation that this place gets nippy at night. I stayed in early August and the temps dropped into the upper 30s at night.

    The campground is well maintained and the vault toilet was reasonably clean when I arrived. It became Kevin clean shortly after I set up camp.

    There are trails from both sites near the vault toilet that lead down to Rapid Creek.

    I never saw any bear scat but signs on the property warn of them so be smart with your food.

    All in all, Rapid Creek dispersed camping is excellent if you just want a quiet place where no one is around. It’s amazing but not for the reasons people usually like in my opinion. ◦

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2024

    Herrick Reservoir Access

    Just ok

    Camping 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.

  • Lisa M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 20, 2025

    Secesh Campground — Payette National Forest

    Remote Camping on a flowing river

    This campground is right off Lick Creek road along the Secesh River. There are only 5 spots. First come first served $10 fee. There are picnic tables, fire rings and a clean vault toilet. Our site was Site 1 and we backed up to the river. This was a quick overnight stop for us. It was beautiful to listen to the river all night. There are horse hitching posts in this campground. We were the only campers but the camps are pretty spread out.

Guide to Council

Tent camping near Council, Idaho provides access to numerous primitive sites within the Payette National Forest. Most locations sit between 4,500 and 7,000 feet elevation, creating significant temperature variations between day and night. Access roads to many dispersed sites require high-clearance vehicles, particularly after rainfall when dirt roads become rutted and slippery.

What to do

Mountain biking opportunities: Brundage Reservoir serves as an excellent base camp for mountain biking enthusiasts. Franklin R. notes, "We went here for mountain biking (if you go, check out Groupon for the lift) this campground was awesome because it was so close to Brundage resort, and the ski lift up, it was such an enjoyable stay, filled with awesome people!"

Lake activities: Paddleboarders and kayakers can access multiple water bodies in the region. At Northwest Passage Campground, Cindy N. reports, "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."

Hiking alpine trails: Several wilderness access points exist within 30 miles of Council. At Lick Creek Area, Courtney R. shares, "Lick lake is a 3 mile hike into the wilderness and is gorgeous!" Many trails open by late June but remain accessible only until first snowfall, typically mid-October.

What campers like

Waterfront accessibility: Direct lakeside camping draws many visitors to the area. Ted-Kelli T. describes Brundage Reservoir: "We then spotted a beautiful lake through the trees. Both of us, as well as our pup, were amazed as we made our way through some brush, at which point we saw an open spot right next to the water."

Privacy between sites: The forested terrain provides natural separation at many campgrounds. Cindy N. explains Northwest Passage Campground has "only 22 sites so not a huge amount of campers and most of the sites are pretty private with woods separating them."

Wildlife viewing: Animal sightings enhance the camping experience throughout the Payette National Forest. Cindy N. reports, "The wild life there is abundant. We saw bald eagles, moose, deer and chipmunks." Wildlife activity increases near dawn and dusk at lower elevation sites.

What you should know

Water availability: Most dispersed camping areas lack potable water sources. At Paradise Campground, Ryan C. advises, "Make sure to bring all gear for dispersed camping and pack out everything! The creek is fast running, echoing throughout the canyon so fishing or swimming are not an option."

Temperature fluctuations: Prepare for cold nights even during summer months. Kevin C. reports about Rapid Creek, "It's high enough in elevation that this place gets nippy at night. I stayed in early August and the temps dropped into the upper 30s at night."

Road conditions: Access routes to many sites deteriorate after rain or snow. Sherilyn notes about Brundage Reservoir, "The gps for this site was off. It says to take a left at the fork. But the reservoir is to the right. Just follow the posted sign."

Tips for camping with families

Site selection for safety: Choose campsites with appropriate terrain for children. Ryan C. warns about Paradise Campground, "Most of these designated campgrounds are right off the fire roads which can be a bit exposed and tricky if you have children or dogs with you. As you continue to drive there are a few areas on the east side of the road which provide more privacy."

Beach access for kids: Some sites offer child-friendly water access. At Northwest Passage Campground, "There is a beach area for the campers that is perfect for kids to play and to relax and watch for floaters."

Insect protection: Mosquitoes can be problematic, particularly in early summer. Cindy N. advises, "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."

Tips from RVers

Access limitations: Many forest roads restrict larger vehicles. At Granite Lake Camping Area, Christopher R. notes it's an "awesome place for tent camping and hiking lots of trails to explore but not a great place if you need a RV to go camping."

Cost considerations: Out-of-state visitors face higher fees at developed sites. Michael G. comments about Northwest Passage Campground, "62$. No hooks. No cell. Because I'm out of state."

Arrival timing strategies: Competition for limited spots intensifies on weekends. Cindy N. recommends, "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."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Council, ID is Brundage Reservoir Camping Area with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 57 tent camping locations near Council, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.

Keep Exploring

  3. View all Idaho cities for camping