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Camping options around Fish Haven, Idaho range from developed campgrounds to dispersed sites, with most situated near the turquoise waters of Bear Lake. Bear Lake State Park Campground offers year-round accommodations for tent campers with boat-in access available, while private options like Bear Lake/Marina Side KOA Holiday provide cabins, RV hookups, and glamping facilities. Nearby Beaver Creek Campground provides a more rustic experience approximately 10 miles west of Fish Haven, with sites available from June through October.
The camping season in the Fish Haven area generally runs from late spring through early fall, with most developed campgrounds operating between May and October. Bear Lake State Park maintains sites throughout the year, though winter camping requires proper preparation for cold conditions. Campground reservations are strongly recommended during summer months when the area experiences peak visitation. Several campgrounds feature full hookups for RVs, while others maintain a more primitive setting with vault toilets and limited amenities. Many campsites near Bear Lake fill quickly during holiday weekends and the peak summer season. According to one visitor, "The water at Bear Lake is absolutely stunning! Clear and turquoise blue - we recommend driving up the road to the North beach in Idaho!"
Waterfront camping options remain the most sought-after in the region, with several developed campgrounds providing direct lake access. The KOA properties offer extensive amenities including swimming pools, playgrounds, and organized activities, making them popular with families. For those seeking quieter experiences, St. Charles Campground provides a more secluded setting with only six sites available along Saint Charles Creek. A camper noted, "There is a good amount of shade at nearly all the campgrounds and they are close to the creek." Many campgrounds in the area maintain clean facilities with flush toilets and drinking water, though some dispersed camping areas require visitors to pack in all necessities including water. Wildlife viewing opportunities exist throughout the area, particularly in the less developed camping zones away from the lake shore.
"If coming from Idaho Falls stay on 30 Hwy till Montpelier then take 89 hwy to St Charles. If ya coming from Jackson Wy stay on 89 Hwy . If ya need Groc stop at the store in Montpelier."
"Public outhouses are available. if you are up to walking a bit the ones near the day use area are cleaner and used less. Beautiful lake."
"We have no cell service in the campground but you can walk to the road and get service if needed. Behind the bathrooms on the South side there is a little trail with a beautiful view of the lake."
"Sunrise Campground sites are immersed in trees to give you a surrounding cozy and comfortable feeling. Back in sites include a fire ring and sturdy picnic table..."
from $24 - $204 / night
Check Availability"The KOA Train: Another major highlight was the fun and fast train rides around the park. The grandkids rode it several times during the week."
"The store next to the entrance is amazingly well stocked with all you’d need. We stayed in an RV supersite that included a private hot tub and BBQ grill."
"Smaller than the Lake Side KOA in town, but guest have access to facilities at both locations. Really appreciated the quiet location."
"Everything is clean the roads to the mountains are around the corner and the lake is very close by as well! Good all around."
"You can drive well into Idaho. You can drive for about 1.5 hours up in here and see amazing river meadow mountain views. The views are truly amazing."
"Ended up driving this road up to Idaho to find a bigger spot and some solitude. Took the dirt road for about 30 minutes and got the most perfect spot. Nobody was near us and the view was amazing."
"We stayed about 5 miles outside of Bear Lake in the mountains past mile marker 492. Lots of campsites that are plenty private and have the capacity to hold a LOT of people each."
"Super lovely with easy access to the water. No showers at this campground, but I was able to get one in at the other campground. Would stay again!"
from $40 / night
Check Availability"Deluxe RV sites offer more space and privacy while standard ones are in a loop next to tent sites. Wifi is OK, T-Mobile cell service is 1 bar even with booster. ATT is 3 bars."
"It was a great location and the lake is not far away. I recommend paying a little extra to get the deluxe sites to have more space. You also have to pay $5 extra per dog that you bring."
from $35 - $55 / night
"Location is great to be close to the lake with full hook ups. The resort uses EVERY square inch so it feels very crowded."
"You can walk or drive to the beach that I think is exclusive to sun outdoors"
from $55 - $65 / night
Check Availability"We really liked that this site was close to the beach where we could tube and kayak as well as is only a couple miles from various trailhead or walking running and biking."
"Location is out about 7 miles out of town but has beach access which is great for families with kids.
It gets really windy from one moment to the next. The water is absolutely beautiful!"
from $45 / night
Check Availability"The tent was pitched right next to Saint Charles Creek. It is currently very high (6/2017). I was worried they may get their tent wet! The camp is paved, so no dust!"
"There is a good amount of shade at nearly all the campgrounds and they are close to the creek. It has simple amenities like vault toilets, metal fire rings and picnic tables. "
from $20 - $50 / night
Check Availability
ScoutWe liked staying at sun outdoors. It was a quiet place with about 200 spots. A pool, hot tub and playground.
You can walk or drive to the beach that I think is exclusive to sun outdoors
GuideImmaculate park. 2 dog parks, Laundry, shower, playground, indoor and outdoor kitchens, workout center, board games, dog wash, store, EV charging stations and so much more. Level concrete pads and table at every site. Mostly pull throughs, and premium sites which include your own gas grill, outdoor table and chairs. I'm sure I'm missing something, but this was worth the $71 a night for back in site to me.
ScoutWe are very low maintenance. So this was a perfect spot for us. 20, 30 and 50 Amp plug ins.
GuideThis site is on a rock outcropping along the Woodruff Narrows Reservoir. Due to drought in Wyoming (and the west, in general) many reservoirs are drying up. This makes for good dispersed camping. One day, it'll come back, but for now, this site is perfect for someone who wants an empty space to do some boondocking!
TravelerWe were struggling finding a place for the night and scared to go up that dirt road with the RV. Thanks to locals (thanks Bart and Diane) we were informed that we could go up the road and find nice spots to camp. We ended up spending two amazing nights up there.
TravelerWe were driving south from Yellowstone and and to fly off from SLC two days later. We were looking for a spot to stop for the night that wasn’t too urban. Downata has been a blessing. Quiet place with amazing hot springs and very modern pools. Also many sport activities for the kids. An amazing sunset and great people at the desk that were both extremely kind and welcoming but also allowed us to check out a tad later for us to enjoy the site in the morning! Amazing memories for sure. Thank you from Switzerland
Patrick
TravelerAt an elevation of 8,950 ft, days are cool here, and the nights are even cooler. We were here in mid-July, and all the mountain flowers were in mid-bloom.
The campsites on the west side of the campground are the best (Loops A, B, and C). The sites on that side are well-spaced with lots of spruce and aspen trees between, and boast an amazing mountain garden of flowering plants that provide a beautiful privacy screen.
The vault toilets throughout the campground are clean and well-stocked, and even have garbage cans. There are water spigots at all of the toilets, and all of them were turned on when we were there. There are no RV water hookups, though.
Our favorite section is Loop C (Sites 15, 16, and 17). We stayed at Site 15, which worked well for our campervan, but the drive-through in which we parked our van would've been a little too steep if we hadn't had leveling blocks. Site 16 just up the road is very level. It also offers better options for pitching a tent compared to Site 15.
On the other side of Loop C, the only other campsite on the loop (# 17) provides excellent spots for tents, and is nicely secluded. The parking spot for Site 17 is pretty steep though, and there really isn't enough room for anything other than a short trailer.
As is normal for mid-July in the Wasatch, the mosquitos were out in full force. We had to douse ourselves in bug spray, and we still got more than just a few bites. The camp host (Michael) told me that normally they would have already sprayed for female mosquitos (i.e., the ones that bite), but budget cuts to the Forest Service have reduced the mosquito-abatement team to just one person, and this person is now the sole individual performing spraying for 88 different campgrounds in northern Utah.
There aren't a lot of hiking opportunities in the area other than an ATV trail that runs near the campground, but we were content just to chill in the cool mountain air and to stargaze at night.
TravelerThis is a great area to camp
TravelerGreat area for lake access
The Fish Haven area offers camping options at elevations between 5,900-6,000 feet along Bear Lake's western shore. Located at the Idaho-Utah border, this region experiences warm summer days with temperatures dropping significantly at night, even during peak season. Camping sites range from directly on the turquoise lakeshore to forest locations approximately 10 miles west in the mountains.
Kayaking accessibility: At Bear Lake State Park Campground, visitors can enjoy water activities with convenient boat access. "Agreat place to go especially if you want to cast your boat off and do some fishing or even some geocaching! If it's too hot on the lake there are some nice forests on the west side of the lake to escape into," notes Alan B.
Hiking trails: Mountain trails near Beaver Creek provide opportunities for forest exploration. One camper shared, "You can hike back into the forest on a trail at the back of the camp site. Absolutely insane views, forest for miles, owls, deer, you name it."
Cave exploration: Drive approximately 15 minutes north from Fish Haven to visit Minnetonka Cave. "Nearby is the beautiful Minnetonka cave and Bear Lake where you can recreate in numerous ways," mentions a visitor who stayed at St. Charles Campground.
Turquoise waters: The distinctive blue color of Bear Lake draws many visitors. "The water is perfect and so blue. Really earns the title of the Caribbean of the Rockies. Had my own trail straight to the water facing the sunset," describes Danielle T. from Bear Lake State Park Campground.
Gradual shoreline: The lake's gentle entry makes it ideal for waders and families. "The beach has fine sand and the water depth is super gradual - it'll take 50-60 yards to get waist deep. Crystal clear water," reports Heather C.
Creek-side camping: Some campsites feature running water adjacent to tent sites. At St. Charles Campground, "The tent was pitched right next to Saint Charles Creek. It is currently very high (6/2017). I was worried they may get their tent wet!" notes Carrie C.
Reservation importance: During summer, securing sites in advance is critical. "We had wanted to camp at Bear Lake and there was 1 site left were we had wanted. Unfortunately this guy on a bike had claimed the site... It was 1st come 1st serve and I would suggest you get there as early as you can," advises Shani C.
Site variations: Beach-front sites often lack shade while forest sites offer more coverage. David F. points out that at Bear Lake State Park, "The group site has full hookups with a pit toilet and a dump station. The group site also has a pavilion, grass, and trees. However, when I went, the individual sites had sand, sagebrush, with little to no shade."
Road conditions: Some dispersed camping areas require careful navigation. At Franklin Basin Dispersed Camping, one camper cautions, "This road is rough and very bumpy," while another advises, "I got my car stuck in a ditch trying to pull into one of the further spots... Bumper is now falling off and I think one of the rocks gave my tire a leak."
Kid-friendly activities: Bear Lake/Trail Side KOA Journey offers structured recreation for children. "Awesome place for kids. They loved all the activites available to them. Right close to the shops and ice cream shakes," reports David T.
Beach safety: The shallow entry at several beaches provides safer swimming for children. "The water is very shallow so if you have kids not to worry so much," explains John M. who camped at Bear Lake State Park.
Alternative swimming options: Some campgrounds offer pools when lake temperatures are too cold. According to Shane C., Bear Lake/Marina Side KOA provides "tons to do for the kids. Pancake breakfast was a nice plus for breakfast... Lots of activities for all ages."
Hookup availability: Bear Lake/Marina Side KOA Holiday offers full-service sites for larger rigs. "We stayed in an RV supersite that included a private hot tub and BBQ grill," shares JJ V., who describes the campground as feeling "like a resort."
Site selection strategies: For RVers wanting more privacy, premium sites offer advantages. "Deluxe RV sites offer more space and privacy while standard ones are in a loop next to tent sites," notes one camper at Bear Lake Venture Park.
Directional guidance: GPS coordinates can be misleading in this area. "Don't use address provided on their website. It'll take you to Marina," warns Isabel about Birch Campground, while another RVer suggests, "If coming from Idaho Falls stay on 30 Hwy till Montpelier then take 89 hwy to St Charles... Google will take you the shorter way which you will be traveling on a very dusty dirt road for 6 miles or more."
Frequently Asked Questions
What amenities are available at Bear Lake RV parks near Fish Haven?
RV parks near Fish Haven offer a range of amenities to enhance your stay. Epic RV Park & Marina provides direct access to Bear Lake, though sites are close together without firepits. Bear Lake/Trail Side KOA Journey features new cabins equipped with TV, microwave, and refrigerator in a quiet location, plus guests have access to facilities at both KOA locations in the area. Most parks offer full hookups, WiFi (though quality varies), and basic necessities. Cell coverage depends on provider – T-Mobile service is spotty while AT&T typically has better reception. Many parks are situated near the main road, allowing for convenient access to lake activities.
What outdoor activities can visitors enjoy near Fish Haven, Idaho?
Fish Haven offers abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. Bear Lake is the centerpiece for water activities like boating, swimming, and fishing. For those seeking wilderness experiences, Franklin Basin Dispersed Camping area provides access to miles of scenic backcountry with river meadows and mountain views—perfect for hiking and wildlife watching. Beaver Creek offers an isolated wilderness experience with beautiful surroundings. The mountains surrounding Fish Haven are ideal for hiking, mountain biking, and ATV riding on numerous trails. During winter, the area transforms for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. Wildlife viewing is excellent year-round, with opportunities to spot various bird species, deer, and other mountain wildlife.
Are there RV parks in Fish Haven, Idaho?
Yes, Fish Haven and the surrounding Bear Lake area offer several RV parks for visitors. Bear Lake Venture Park provides both deluxe and standard RV sites, with the deluxe options offering more space and privacy. Traveland RV Park is another good option, tucked behind a hotel just off the highway but situated far enough from the road to minimize traffic noise. The sites are level with good hookups. Additionally, there are several other RV accommodations within a short drive of Fish Haven, making it a convenient destination for RV travelers.
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