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Camping near Donnelly, Idaho centers around Lake Cascade State Park, with multiple lakeside campgrounds providing access to water recreation and mountain views. The area includes a mix of developed state park campgrounds, private RV parks, and the City of Donnelly Campground right in town. Poison Creek and West Mountain campgrounds offer full hookup options for RVs, while more primitive sites can be found at Amanita and Rainbow Point. Campers have convenient access to both the small town amenities of Donnelly and the larger recreation hub of McCall, about 15 miles north. According to reviews, the campgrounds are well-maintained with clean facilities, and many sites provide direct lake access for boating and fishing.
Most campgrounds in the Donnelly area operate seasonally from May through September or October, with some Lake Cascade State Park sites remaining open until December 31. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-90°F during the day, while nights can be cool even in summer. Cell service is generally reliable in and near town, with AT&T providing 3-bar LTE service at some campgrounds. Reservations are strongly recommended during peak summer months, especially for holiday weekends. Fire restrictions are common during late summer, and smoke from regional wildfires can occasionally affect air quality. Winter camping options are limited, with snow typically covering the ground from November through April.
Camping options near Donnelly vary considerably between in-town and lakeside locations. The City of Donnelly Campground offers convenient access to town services at affordable rates ($15/night reported in 2024), while state park campgrounds provide more natural settings with beach access. Many campgrounds accommodate both tents and RVs, with several offering pull-through sites for larger rigs. Families appreciate the swimming beaches at Rainbow Point, where "the sites are spaced far apart and very spacious." Boaters will find multiple launch points around Lake Cascade, with some campgrounds offering boat-in access. Tamarack Resort is nearby, making these campgrounds convenient bases for mountain biking and other resort activities.
"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."
from $15 - $40 / night
Check Availability"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."
"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."
"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!"
from $20 / night
Check Availability"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!"
from $28 - $39 / night
Check Availability"This is a family friendly campground that is convenient to Donnelly and Cascade areas. AT&T 3bars LTE service as well as free wifi make communication and planning easy."
"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."
from $20 - $40 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $95 / night
Check Availability"This campground is right in Donnelly and right on the river. We drove through there in April so there was still snow but the location for summer is great. "
"Campsite is just outside of town next to the lake. Good little spot to pull up. We stayed one night and paid $15."
from $39 - $54 / night
Check Availability"The camp sites were clean, quiet and very close to the water. We are planning to come back in the summer and bring friends for a nice trip of kayaking and fishing right off the beach."
"I’ve always wanted to stay in this stretch of Lake Cascade. Camp ground was fairly small with only one loop, made it very cozy. Sites had plenty of room and an ok amount of trees."
from $12 - $56 / night
Check Availability
TravelerThese sites are basic but have picnic tables and fire rings, accommodating tents, campers, or smaller RVs. Direct access to the lake with a very small boat launch. Not a great swimming area but great for fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding. Shady sites. Composting toilets. No water or hookups. May have better swimming access points on the other side of the lake where it’s more sandy/rocky.
ScoutPlenty of room, close to town, free, toilets, great views.
RangerCamped here prior to lottery season night before our launch, and it was alive with excitement! There will be lots of whitewater enthusiasts getting ready to float and the boat ramp will be pretty busy but if you have a river permit in hand this is the best place. If you do not have a river permit in hand, the hustle and bustle might be interesting to experience but there are other campgrounds that may more suited to a non-river user. To each their own though!
ScoutLimited amenities but only $15. Great view. Very few people here during my stay
ScoutGood campground. Pretty expensive. No hot water for showers Lots of room and quiet because of tree cover
GuideWe usually camp at free dispersed sites but the welcoming atmosphere at Chalet Family Campground prompted us to extend our stay to a week. Their daily, weekly and monthly rates are reasonable for full hook-ups. The creekside setting is lovely. Showers are not fancy but clean and have good pressure and easy-to-adjust hot water. We will definitely stay here again!
GuideEasy to find, clean and quiet. Second time staying here, right on the river.
GuideRight off NF-490 road about 2 min from Hells Canyon Overlook. There would be road noise except hardly anyone comes up here, especially at night. Large open area, flat and hard-packed ground.
GuideWhat a beautiful overnight stay. Dispersed camping FYI: DRIVE PAST campground about 4 miles/11 minutes and you will start noticing creek side spots. (Don't be fooled by the flat open area before the campground, unless you want to be on the reservoir) Worth the drive in, fairly smooth gravel road.
Camping sites near Donnelly, Idaho cluster around Lake Cascade at an elevation of 4,800 feet with summer nights typically dropping to 40-50°F even when daytime temperatures reach the 80s. Most campgrounds in this region are situated on the eastern shore of Lake Cascade with access to both water recreation and mountain hiking trails within a 15-minute drive.
Hiking to waterfalls: Last Chance Campground offers direct access to Goose Creek Falls trail. "The trail is exceptionally well designed and has boardwalks over muddy stretches. It's 2.8 miles to the Falls and another 0.2 miles to a neat bridge," notes Gretchen B., who also appreciated the "beautiful and huge Ponderosa pines" at the Last Chance Campground.
Winter recreation: Ponderosa State Park provides extensive winter activities when most other area campgrounds close. "In the winter, the park offers great snowshoe trails, and groomed trails for cross-country skiing and skate skiing," explains Hannah C., making this park a year-round destination.
Berry picking: Huckleberry picking is popular during late summer. "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!" says Hannah C. about the Last Chance area.
Spacious lakeside sites: Rainbow Point Campground receives praise for its 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," shares Heidi C. about Rainbow Point.
Beach access for families: Sugarloaf Campground offers excellent swimming opportunities. "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," writes Tara L. about Sugarloaf Campground.
Wildlife viewing: Several campgrounds offer wildlife viewing opportunities. "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," recounts Simran D. about their experience at Sugarloaf Campground.
Campground privacy varies: Site proximity differs significantly between campgrounds. "It's interesting a Dry CG- but there are bathrooms with flush toilets, however no sinks in the bathroom! Keep an eye on your food - the squirrels are all over!" warns Lauri P. about West Mountain Campground.
Boat launch access: Several campgrounds feature boat ramps for water recreation. "Nice boat ramps and lots of parking for boaters to leave trucks and trailers," notes Taylor W. about Amanita Campground.
Winter closures: Most campgrounds close during winter months. "We stayed for 3 nights the Wednesday before Memorial weekend and found a great walk-in spot right on the lake. Great views and during the week we had the campground to ourselves!" reports Laura R. about Amanita Campground's seasonal opening.
Bathroom considerations: Facilities vary widely across campgrounds. "The campground has lost many of the mature trees and is lacking shade. There is very little privacy between sites. Site 9 has direct beach access but be prepared for others to walk through your camp to access it," advises Jennifer D. about Amanita Campground.
Insect preparation: Mosquitoes can be problematic in early summer. "We saw quite a few mosquitos and spot 10 is right by a little inlet so I imagine mosquitoes will only get worse so bring spray lol," suggests Laura R. from her experience at Amanita.
In-town camping option: Chalet RV Park provides convenient access to town services. "This is a family friendly campground that is convenient to Donnelly and Cascade areas. AT&T 3bars LTE service as well as free wifi make communication and planning easy," shares jennifer about the in-town camping option.
Resort-style amenities: McCall RV Resort offers luxury accommodations for RVers. "The indoor pool and spa and steam room made this my favorite park so far on our journey. For any fisherman, as you leave the park go right about 2 miles to a parking area for Brown Pond. I caught my limit in 20 minutes," shares #1 National R. about McCall RV Resort.
Hookups and utilities: Poison Creek Campground provides full hookups for RVs. "Full hookups. Fireplace area was raked and cleaned. Tmobile works with winegard and my cell is att with 5 bars of 5g," reports William P. about this well-maintained campground.
Seasonal considerations: Campground experiences vary dramatically by season. "Stayed two nights here. Very nice, large campsite spots with picknick table and fire pit. Friendly camp host. Clean vault toilets. Goose Trial is right at the campsite. Nice easy trial," notes Martijn D. about Last Chance Campground's summer conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best campgrounds in Donnelly, Idaho?
Donnelly offers excellent camping options for all preferences. City of Donnelly Campground is ideally located right in town along the river, providing easy access to both Lake Cascade and mountain adventures. For lakeside camping, Poison Creek Campground — Lake Cascade State Park is a well-maintained option with clean facilities and stunning views, just minutes from Donnelly's conveniences. For those seeking more seclusion, the campgrounds around Warm Lake, located east of Donnelly, offer beautiful forest settings with hiking opportunities. West Mountain Campground on Lake Cascade's western shore is another popular option with both lake access and mountain views.
Are reservations required for camping in Donnelly, Idaho?
Reservation requirements vary among Donnelly area campgrounds. Boise National Forest Warm Lake Campground and most Lake Cascade State Park campgrounds strongly recommend reservations, especially during summer weekends and holidays when they frequently fill up. These can be made through recreation.gov or the Idaho State Parks reservation system. Amanita, a popular lakeside option, has some first-come, first-served sites but reservations are advisable for holiday weekends. For dispersed camping options like Herrick Reservoir Access, no reservations are needed as these operate on a first-come basis with typical 14-day stay limits. Always check specific campground policies as they can change seasonally.
What amenities are available at camping areas near Donnelly, Idaho?
Camping areas near Donnelly offer various amenities to enhance your outdoor experience. Chalet RV Park provides full hookups, free WiFi, showers, laundry facilities, and trash service—perfect for RVers seeking more conveniences while staying close to Donnelly's outdoor activities. For those preferring public campgrounds, Rainbow Point features spacious, well-separated sites with lake beach access, fire rings, and picnic tables. It's conveniently located near town while maintaining a natural setting. Other campgrounds in the area typically offer basic amenities like vault toilets, drinking water (seasonally), and designated fire pits. Some Lake Cascade State Park campgrounds include boat ramps and swimming areas.
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