C
Chris Z.
Scout
ScoutBorder Campground — Bear Lake State Park
Definitely going back
Blue water, close beach, dog friendly, clean grounds, quiet hours, gorgeous scenery.
Camping near Fish Haven, ID
143 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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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.
Best Campgrounds near Fish Haven (143)
1. Bear Lake State Park Campground
"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."
2. Sunrise Campground
"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 Availability3. Bear Lake/Marina Side KOA Holiday
"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."
4. Franklin Basin Dispersed Camping
"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."
5. Bear Lake/Trail Side KOA Journey
"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."
6. South Eden Campground — Bear Lake State Park
"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 Availability7. Bear Lake Venture Park
"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
8. Sun Outdoors Garden City Utah
"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 Availability9. Birch Campground — Bear Lake State Park
"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 Availability10. 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! 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
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Drive Time
- 54 min from Logan, UT
- 1 hr 38 min from Ogden, UT
- 1 hr 53 min from Pocatello, ID
- 2 hrs 5 min from Salt Lake City, UT
Recent Camping Photos near Fish Haven, ID
108 Photos of 143 Fish Haven Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Bear Lake Venture Park
Bear Lake/Marina Side KOA HolidayA
Conestoga Ranch
Bear Lake/Trail Side KOA JourneyA
KOA Trail Side, Garden City, UT
Davis Canyon Campground
Beaver Creek
Bear Lake State Park CampgroundA
OsoBlu Bear Lake Yurts
Border Campground — Bear Lake State Park
Sunrise Campground
South Eden Campground — Bear Lake State ParkE
Recent Reviews near Fish Haven, ID
465 Reviews of 143 Fish Haven Campgrounds
- SSimon B.
TravelerForestry Camp, Utah
Forrester Camp, Utah
Amazing place to camp right next to the river.
The entrance you go across the bridge. It looks low, but a 13.5 RV can make it under no problem. As you enter, it gets lower and all of a sudden you realize that you can make it under the trees over the bridge.
James K.
GuideBelmont Hot Springs RV Park
Awesome Hot Springs
Just off of I-15 in Plymouth is a hidden gem. For $60 you get full 50amp hookups, a huge dog run for the pups and awesome access to Hot Springs. At 102 degrees we swam in the furthest spring-pond next to the green shop inside the fenced area. Late afternoon and early morning we had the place to ourselves. It was awesome. Bring a floaty or vest as the sides are slick. Ponds have a nice dock with ladders.
- DDonald B.Guide
Fossil Butte National Monument BLM
A long road
Travel through Fossil Butte, and up the hill, then drive a while and cross into BLM, then drive through some dirt roads, and up a hill and there you are… all alone. I love it. 8000 feet and 360 views. No amenities.
Matt G.ScoutFranklin Basin Dispersed Camping
Beware of Private Property
While there are a lot of disbursed sites along the corridor, they were all completely filled due to a bike race happening at nearby Beaver Mountain. We continued up and finally found a nice camp site just on the south side of Utah border but it turned out to be on private property. There’s a small stretch of a private property near the state line marked by a sign posted cattle grate. The property owner stopped by, he was super polite, but explained the boundaries and asked us to move along.
In many spots on the road on the way up there were wide open areas where a single camper had claimed a large area, even sites that could comfortably accommodate several rigs, so just a few things to watch out for.
Tyler M.ScoutAlbert Moser
Great out of the way place!
Loved this spot. Only recommendation would be to make each spot to the parking a little more clear.
- Rachel M.Guide
Willow Flat Campground
Horrible host, questionable reservations
The first night of our two night reserved and prepaid campsite was in a different site for an rv. The camp host was drunk and gave our site away to another family that didn’t have a reservation. Since they were all set up, we were tossed into the only other available site left. That site was a no show so I guess we got “lucky.” I paid $8 extra just to reserve. Otherwise it’s $20 a night for a tent site. The host yelled at his son in front of us, too. He wasn’t a young child and was actually super nice and tried to help. It was so uncomfortable. The campground itself was not bad. A weird layout for a few sites. I would stay again if there was a new host. We were right next to the water. The second night we were able to move into our actual reservation. Then it rained and hailed. Funny how that seems to happen on the weekends. We survived. It definitely was an experience with the weather that time. lol there’s trails and a lot of trees surrounding. Really nice location.
- GGary L.Traveler
Aspen Grove RV Park
A Great RV Stay
A top tier RV stay, the sites are laid out with plenty of room for your RV plus your outdoor activities. All sites have a concrete pad and large grass area. There is a large dog park and a dog washing station. They have a pickle ball court and exercise room. Great place to stay.
- RRichard K.Traveler
Franklin Basin Dispersed Camping
Shady spot in the trees
Easily accessible spot off FR 006. Found shady, mostly level spot to park van right off the road. Peaceful location. Fire pit in the camp area. No amenities.
Guide to Fish Haven
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.
What to do
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.
What campers like
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.
What you should know
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."
Tips for camping with families
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."
Tips from RVers
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?
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?
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?
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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