Best Camping near Harvard, ID

Searching for the best camping near Harvard, ID? Harvard is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Idaho camping adventure.

Best Camping Sites Near Harvard, ID (122)

Showing results 1-10 of 122 campgrounds

Pet-friendly camping near Harvard

Recent Reviews in Harvard

405 Reviews of 122 Harvard Campgrounds


  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bull Run Access Dispersed
    Oct. 18, 2024

    Bull Run Access Dispersed

    great spot except the hunters

    We were glad we read the reviews for directions & info about spots — like others mentioned, the best spot is a big grassy area amongst the trees (continue past the first circular parking area). However, the entire area has sportsman access, so we listened to gun shots most of the day… not exactly the peaceful nature vibe we were hoping for. Would likely come back, but pray it’s a day of no hunters

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Canyon Creek
    Oct. 12, 2024

    Canyon Creek

    Lake level is 50’ below the campsites

    No one is here on a beautiful October long weekend Saturday. I can see why. The reservoir level is way down! Just getting to the water is a challenge. Maybe this was nice years ago but it’s a good ways out from Orfino. Not worth the drive.

  • Samuel H.
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Elsie Campground
    Oct. 4, 2024

    Lake Elsie Campground

    Beautiful!

    What a place! I saw no trash or broken glass, it was very clean. I got there after dark and left first thing in the morning, wish I had more time to explore. Sites only had a fire pit, I believe there are also pit toilets but I didn’t have time to check them out.

    The road up is rough, potholes, it does get better about halfway up. Expect at least 30 minutes to get up after you hit the gravel, and that’s pushing it pretty hard.

  • Steve G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bull Run Access Dispersed
    Sep. 20, 2024

    Bull Run Access Dispersed

    Calm Breeze and Amazing Sunset!

    Stopped at the little restaurant and got a fantastic meal after being on the road all day then headed past all the massive houses to end up in such a gorgeous location. This is one of my favorite spots now!

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Red Bird Creek Trailhead
    Sep. 18, 2024

    Red Bird Creek Trailhead

    Beautiful View, Long Hike

    Trailhead view is beautiful. Hike is down to the Snake River, which is over 5 miles each way. Major elevation change. Parking is free for up to 48 hours. No amenities. Small store and restaurant nearby.

  • Liz B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Boyer Park & Marina KOA
    Sep. 12, 2024

    Boyer Park & Marina KOA

    Great campground with friendly staff

    We just stayed here for the first time. We were at Boyer Park & Marina, a KOA,  Sept. 1-5, 2024.  While the campground was full when we pulled in on Sunday, it was almost empty when we woke up Labor Day morning. Even when full, everything was pretty quiet. The beach and walking paths are very nice and close by no matter which spot you're in.  Just below the Lower Granite Dam, it's an easy three mile round trip walk on a paved Snake River Trail. I do not recommend making that journey when it's 83 degrees and getting warmer. UGH

    The store is great with many clothing options and more. Mike and Monica who run the place are so nice and very helpful. Apparently we really missed out by not taking advantage of the grill and ordering a Smash Burger, which will even be delivered to your campsite. 
    We will definitely be back.

  • Kaitlin K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bull Run Access Dispersed
    Aug. 30, 2024

    Bull Run Access Dispersed

    Buggy but Beautiful

    We were able to get our fifth wheel (40ft long, 13 1/2 ft tall) in and out easy! Lots of spaces and places to turn around. After crossing the bike path, take the first right onto the dirt road at the sportsmans access sign (parallel to the small paved parking lot.) Like another said, the best spot is past the first circular area. Keep going down the road and you’ll see a big shady area in the trees. (You can go further along to two more sites more suited for smaller pop-up campers, tents, or vans.) Close to the water so of course, there were some bugs: lots of bees and mosquitoes.

  • brett I.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Redtail Campground — Mary Minerva McCroskey State Park
    Aug. 29, 2024

    Redtail Campground — Mary Minerva McCroskey State Park

    A hidden gem

    Take a night or two to visit this nearly unused campground. What a wonder. You are on the Ridgeline between two valleys with views of the horizons of 50 miles or more. To the east ot is very much like the views in the Smokey mountains. Not a lot of shade at this campground. Great for solar and Skylink. ATT and Verizon were 3 plus. Make certain the chores are done and the drinks are made before the light show begins at sundown. Vault toilets, picnic tables and fire rings. Sites at this campground are reasonably flat and deep but not a lot of room for pop-ups.

    Camping here is free.

    My only criticism is the distance between signs on a very small road. A few more signs would be reassuring. For this campground, head generally south on Skyline Drive until you think you should be there, then go 2 more miles.

    Central potable water by the privy.

  • Diadra G.
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Elsie Campground
    Aug. 12, 2024

    Lake Elsie Campground

    Disappointed - people ruined this hidden gem

    This is my 2nd time visiting and the quality has dramatically dropped. Maybe the difference was that I went in early fall 4 years ago and this time was late summer but YIKES. 

    There was broken glass EVERYWHERE. We cleaned up so much trash in our site and off the road. The pit toilet was completely out of toilet paper (which we anticipated). Despite being stage 1 fire restrictions, multiple people were having fires, one person's was still smoldering when I got up the next morning. Due to the number of people, ATVs, dirt bikes, nearby shooting range, etc it was just much more noisy in the busy season. I recommend going in the off season.

    The road up to the lake is really rough and narrow but manageable with a proper vehicle. 

    The lake is gorgeous! I just wish people were more considerate.

    FYI There is a moose that frequents the area so keep your trash in your car to avoid feeding the moose.

  • Samantha A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Canyon Creek
    Jul. 16, 2024

    Canyon Creek

    THE BEST CAMPING SITE OF OUR TRIP

    Took about an hour to get to our campsite, but was so worth it. Was a creek at the top of a mountain in the middle, I guess hence the name. Local had wondered how we found his special fishing spot. Was a place to swim, but we did not get in. Such a beautiful view and lots of nature to see.

  • Saraj B.The Dyrt ADMIN User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bell Bay Campground
    Jul. 15, 2024

    Bell Bay Campground

    Total Gem

    Bell Bay Campground was a total gem for our recent camping trip with friends. 

    It is located almost an hour south of Coeur d'Alene on a very windy road with limited guard rails. There are also no facilities the entire way so make sure you have what you need before leaving CdA. 

    The views of the lake and surrounding mountains were stunning, even if it got a bit hot and dusty at times. We spent most of our days just chilling on floaties in the lake that we could access by a (pretty steep!) trail directly from our campsite. Previous user's photos showed a dock but there wasn't one in sight. The facilities were spot-on—clean vault toilet, water spigot with great pressure, and spacious campsites that gave us plenty of room to set up our 2 tents and hang out around the campfire. The campground has firewood for sale but my only warning is to check burn bans in the area ahead of time.

  • Jeffrey Y.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Clearwater River Casino RV Park
    Jul. 13, 2024

    Clearwater River Casino RV Park

    Easy access RV park

    All paved parking spots and easy to access! Only downside is having to walk the dogs across the parking lot to go to the bathroom in the grass, but it’s nice to have the grass! Dog poo bags and trash cans available.

  • Joshua C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Rainy Hill Campground
    Jul. 8, 2024

    Rainy Hill Campground

    Nice FREE spot in a pinch

    Needed to find a camp spot last minute on a Friday evening. Took our chances and drove out to Rainy Hill Campground. We found the last open spot in the rocky low area that was wide open. A few big rigs could pull in there but would be best for one group rather than many. Not the most beautiful spot but did have some nice surrounding trees. The other campgrounds were up on the hill and far enough away to still feel private but the area we parked was highly visible from the road and people looking down from the hill tops.

    Some mosquito activity and the ground was pretty rugged that we opted to stay in the vehicle for the evening and move on the next morning.

  • KThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bull Run Access Dispersed
    Jul. 7, 2024

    Bull Run Access Dispersed

    Beautiful area with mosques

    Just stopped for one night but I enjoyed the rest. Pretty spot close to the lake, but the mosquitoes are abundant! I had my door opened for just a few minutes and had to kill like 20 before I could sleep.

  • K
    Camper-submitted photo from Wolf Lodge Campground
    Jul. 6, 2024

    Wolf Lodge Campground

    Clean & Welcoming

    Came in late and stayed with friends for a night, was able to get a tent site right next to them. Shower & bathrooms were clean, very safe and secure campground ♥️

  • Freddie Faith M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Camp Coeur d'Alene
    Jun. 30, 2024

    Camp Coeur d'Alene

    Great little private campground in the Wolf Lodge Bay.

    This is a great little private campground in the Wolf Lodge Bay, and their added free amenities made this campground a really fun alternative to the usual state park/national forest campsites I go to more often. The swimming pool was well kept, and we really enjoyed using the free canoes. They had a lot of decent looking free firewood, but we were camping during a fire ban and weren't able to use it. (This, of course, is no fault of the campground. But if we camp there again it will be nice to have free firewood!)

    We originally booked tent site 3, which I cannot recommend as it had no shade or privacy, but the attendant was very kind and let us switch to a shadier site for free. I think this was tent site 4 or 5, which were much better. Tent site seven looked really nice as well and I would recommend that one. But if we go back we will definitely be booking the island tent site 201, it looked to be the best one of all.

  • A
    Camper-submitted photo from Camp Coeur d'Alene
    Jun. 11, 2024

    Camp Coeur d'Alene

    WARNING. DO NOT MAKE RESERVATIONS

    I tried to cancel a reservation. Last week, no one answered the phone. They didn't respond to email. And as of today, their phone is disconnected. Another source stated they were in bankruptcy (unconfirmed).

  • David
    Camper-submitted photo from Clearwater River Casino RV Park
    May. 31, 2024

    Clearwater River Casino RV Park

    Smoke free Casino

    I didn't stay the night, and I'm not a gambler, but I did stop in just to have a look. This was the first casino I have ever been to that didn't gag me with cigarette smoke the minute I walked in the door.

  • Jade A.
    Camper-submitted photo from Premier RV Resort at Granite Lake
    May. 24, 2024

    Premier RV Resort at Granite Lake

    Racist staff

    The management is incompetent. Catherine Thagard is claims policies that are not written and informs customers upon arrival. They threaten you, their male management is racist and aggressive. They bend their "rules" and policies dependent on "who" you are. Most importantly, they treat their employees horribly. Only stay here if you want to fund a racist, masaginistic company that abuses their staff

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Rainy Hill Campground
    May. 23, 2024

    Rainy Hill Campground

    Quiet overlook camp

    Easy access only 20 minutes from interstate - quiet except the bird songs and occasional coyotes. No mosquitoes in May but imagine it could be very buggy in summer months since it’s next to a river/marsh. Seemed like there was 5-6 spots for car / tent camping.

  • B
    Camper-submitted photo from Lost Moose Campground
    May. 21, 2024

    Lost Moose Campground

    Beautiful hidden private campground

    Lost Moose Campground is a hidden gem tucked 8 miles off of I-90. This campground was clean and well-maintained, and the owners were extremely pleasant and friendly. There are 14 RV sites with water and electric, 6 pull-through sites, and 8 back-in sites. There are 4 tent sites along the Latour Creek if that is more your style. There is a small gift/ general store on site with goodies for everyone. 

    After turning off I-90 at Cataldo, ID, it is a two-mile paved drive followed by a 6-mile gravel and dirt road to the campground. The gravel and dirt road was well maintained with only a few potholes to avoid. As long as you do not mind getting your rig a little dirty, this campground is well worth the trip.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Bull Run Access Dispersed
    May. 17, 2024

    Bull Run Access Dispersed

    Very good camping

    Went with the family in mid May on a perfect weekend weather-wise. If you drive past the first couple grass campsites and continue on the narrow road with water on both sides, just off to the right is a single secluded campsite amongst the tree. The best site there imo. privacy, lots of trees so the site gets a good amount of shade but sun still pokes through, perfect. 

    Mosquitos weren't so bad that it affected us but we all had a few bites. My only knock on this site, which isn't much, is that you can see homes from the sites. What can I say I like to feel like I am far from everyone. 

    Good site to camp for a family.



Guide to Harvard

Camping near Harvard, Idaho, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.

What to do:

  • Biking Trails: Enjoy the scenic bike trails around Hawleys Landing Campground — Heyburn State Park. One visitor mentioned, "Most folks come in to bike the trail," making it a popular spot for cycling enthusiasts.
  • Fishing and Boating: If you love fishing, Dent Acres is a great choice. One camper noted, "This campground has some nice campsites with trees," perfect for a relaxing day by the water.
  • Hiking: Explore the trails at Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park. A reviewer shared, "Sweet little nature trails were pretty and easy for smaller children to walk through," making it family-friendly.

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness at places like Hawleys Landing Campground — Heyburn State Park. One review stated, "The toilets were clean, they are porcelain, flushing toilets inside a hut."
  • Privacy: Many enjoy the privacy offered at Little Boulder Campground. A visitor mentioned, "They've done a good job of spacing the spots out and keeping plenty of trees and foliage in between for privacy."
  • Beautiful Views: Campers love the stunning scenery at Canyon Creek. One reviewer said, "My site was gorgeous, looking out over the lake!"

What you should know:

  • Limited Cell Service: Be prepared for spotty cell service in areas like Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park. A camper noted, "NO CELL SERVICE. You just have to be present with one another."
  • Crowded Campsites: Some campgrounds can get busy, especially during peak season. A visitor at Spring Valley Reservoir mentioned, "This can be a nice place depending on how busily you catch it."
  • Road Conditions: Accessing some campgrounds may involve rough roads. One camper at Canyon Creek warned, "4 miles of rough gravel road with tight turns."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Trails: Look for campgrounds with easy trails, like Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park. A reviewer mentioned, "Sweet little nature trails were pretty and easy for smaller children to walk through."
  • Space for Activities: Choose sites that offer room for kids to play. One camper at Emerald Creek Campground said, "The creek was nice background noise," perfect for family fun.
  • Plan for Mosquitos: Be ready for bugs, especially in the summer. A visitor at Emerald Creek Campground noted, "Mosquitos were bad," so bring repellent.

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Hookups: Make sure to verify if your chosen campground has the necessary hookups. A camper at Dent Acres mentioned, "The restrooms are very clean with only 2 showers!"
  • Space for Big Rigs: Look for campgrounds that accommodate larger RVs, like Hawleys Landing Campground — Heyburn State Park. One reviewer said, "Big rig friendly," which is a plus for RV travelers.
  • Explore Nearby Attractions: Don’t forget to check out local attractions. A visitor at Premier RV Resort at Granite Lake enjoyed the "walking/biking path along the river," making it a great spot for outdoor activities.

Camping near Harvard, Idaho, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions