Are you looking for a place to stay in Idaho City with your horse? Whether you own a horse or are joining a tour group, equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. Search nearby equestrian campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Overview: Deadwood Campground is a small campground that is located at the scenic confluence of the Deadwood River and the South Fork of the Payette River on the Banks-Lowman Road 17. Visitors enjoy rafting, kayaking and fishing on the South Fork Payette River, and hiking the nearby trails. The campground is adjacent from the river acces point. Natural Features: The campground is situated at the foot of a forested hillside. Towering Ponderosa pines are scattered throughout the site, offering partial shade. Summer wildflowers dot the landscape. Recreation: The Deadwood Ridge trailhead is located in this campground, and the campground also serves as a river access point for the South Fork of the Payette River. Camping use at this site is moderate. Driveway lengths for RV's are limited to camp trailers less than 15 feet in length. Nearby Attractions: Numerous natural hot springs pools can be found along the Banks-Lowman Highway, also known as the Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway. The area offers scenic views, wildlife watching, historical information kiosks and several trail opportunities. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are popular activities on the South Fork and Main Payette Rivers. Several companies in the area offer guided half and full-day trips.
Great place to camp with horses, pets and family. Just one mile North of quaint Idaho City. Walking distance to the Rodeo Arena, playground and just around the corner is the public RV Dump. About a mile to Morris Creek for a cooling swim. 2.5 miles to The Springs, Hot Springs Retreat. So much history in this part of the Boise National Forest. Right off Highway 21. 123 Bucking Horse Lane, Idaho City, ID First Come, First Serve. Pay Station with envelopes provided. Individual sites might be reserved, please check for signs.
$35 / night
Overview: Whoop-um-up Equestrian Campground is located 56 miles northeast of Boise, Idaho, along State Highway 21, under a scenic pine forested canopy. There are six campsites complete with feed boxes, hitching posts and water for stock. Wildlife and summer wildflowers are abundant. The historic town of Idaho City is just 11 miles south. The Crooked River runs near the site, offering rainbow trout fishing. Natural Features: State Highway 21, also known as the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, snakes along Mores Creek to Mores Creek Summit, Gold Fork, and Banner Ridge with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and forest. The Crooked River runs near the campground offering an opportunity to catch a rainbow trout. Recreation: Numerous trail opportunities are in the area, offering hiking, biking and horseback riding. In winter, the area becomes a playground for backcountry skiers and snowmobilers.
Silver Creek Campground is located 25 miles north of Garden Valley, Idaho, in beautiful Peace Valley at an elevation of 4,490 feet. Peace Valley offers a variety of great trails. Fishing and hunting are popular activities as well.
Peace Valley contains many trails for hiking, mountain biking, as well as horseback and OHV riding. Peace Creek Trail, Silver Creek Summit Trail, and Bull Creek Trail all begin nearby. Silver Creek, Peace Creek, and the nearby Middle Fork Payette River offer good-to-excellent fishing most of the year. Anglers in the area cast for whitefish and rainbow trout. In-season big game hunting for deer, elk and bear is a popular activity in the surrounding mountains.
The campground is situated among a mixed-growth lodgepole pine forest, which provides partial shade. Silver Creek runs alongside the campground. A variety of wildlife makes its home in and around Peace Valley, including deer, elk, bald eagles, and red-tailed hawks.
Silver Creek Plunge, a privately developed hot springs campground, is within a quarter-mile from the campground. It offers a hot springs pool, general store, a playground, horseshoe pits, as well as sand volleyball court and basketball hoop.
$150 / night
Cold Springs Campground is one of four campgrounds along Idaho's State Highway 55, next to the North Fork of the Payette River. This area is a popular location for river rafting trips and camping. This campground rests at 3,878 feet.
The North Fork of the Payette River is a very popular location for expert kayaking. Whitewater rafting is nearby on the Main and South Fork sections of the Payette River. Anglers will find good to excellent fishing for whitefish and rainbow trout.
The campground is situated in a scenic canyon just above Highway 55. The mountains are forested with a mix of ponderosa and lodgepole pines and shade is plentiful within most of the campground. Summer days are warm, reaching 80-90 degrees; nights are cooler.
Near the boat and kayak launch of the Payette River.
$120 / night
Bull Trout Campground is located on the shores of beautiful Bull Trout Lake at an elevation of 6,900 feet. The lake offers great fishing and canoeing opportunities. Many trails for hiking, biking, horseback and off-road vehicle riding are in the area. Only equestrian users may reserve equestrian sites. If an equestrian site is not reserved, it may be occupied by other user groups on a first-come, first-served basis.
Bull Trout Lake offers excellent canoeing and kayaking opportunities, as the lake is for non-motorized watercraft only. Anglers fish for brook and rainbow trout. A primitive boat ramp is located on the west side of the lake. Martin Lake is nearby, offering canoeing and fishing. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout. Many miles of trails can be found in the area, including the 11-mile Warm Spring Trail for hikers. The 35-mile Kirkham Ridge Trail is open to hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and dirt biking.
The campground is situated in a mixed-growth forest of Douglas fir and lodgepole pine, which offers partial shade. Summer wildflowers are abundant.
$15 / night
This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature. If this option is available, you will need to__first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival__as some remote areas have limited or no cellular service.
Ranger
Spend 6 nights here while exploring Stanley, the sawtooths, and Boise National Forest. Big sites, beautiful lake, and very private. Really enjoyed our stay here.
Traveler
We drove in on a late Thursday night, June 27th, to find the entire campground packed, and even struggled to find a dispersed camping site nearby. It's a great spot, but for it being a Thursday night, expected to find a bit more available.
Guide
Quick 1 night stay. Nice river access. Pretty quiet.
ScoutWe love camping in this campground. The reason for only three stars is because of the extremely rude behavior of the"camp host". We will not be going back as long as she is still there. This is our third time camping there and we have never seen treated so poorly by a camp host.
ScoutI arrived July 3rd, the first of a group of 8 ladies from Salt Lake City, UT. Driving up to the campground I was in awe by the views of the mountains, the streams, rivers, lakes, and campground.
As soon as I drove into the campground the host, Kelly greeted me with a huge smile and willingness to find me the perfect spot for me and the ladies.
Never in all of my camping experiences have I ever had a host that is not only 100% invested in his grounds but as well as his guests. I watched him closely. He knew all of the names throughout the campground. He would stop and visit multiple times to check on us. We connected and he is a friend for life now.
He kept his campground spotless. When I got there my spot was beautifully raked. It was amazing. He is amazing.
If you have the choice between any lakes in this area, you need to choose this one!!
Thank you Kelly for making our trip so amazing and memorable! You are the best!!! You truly are an awesome guy!
TravelerThis campsite was a little slice of heaven, I honestly contemplated reviewing it because it want to keep this gem hidden. We were originally booking in an equestrian site but we don't own horses the camp host left us a little sticky note (there is not cell service) on the fence when we arrived to let us know that our campsite had been moved. We drove down the dirt road a little more and went to our new site, as well pulled up we were greated with the best lake view and a massive campsite. There isn't that many amenities at this campsite, it's a pack in pack our but there is a dumpster and vault toilets one for every I'd say 8 or 9 sites. The views were the best part, the camp hosts were kind and frequently driving through to make sure we are ok. They do sell wood bundles for $5 which was great because we ran out of wood multiple time and driving to Stanley they wanted $13 a bundle. This is now our favorite campsite and we will for sure be back!
LegendWe LOVED our campsite at Bill Trout Lake. We had a lakefront spot, tons of trees around, and enough space to have privacy from other campsites. All of the campsite we’ve seen were very spacious. We had a camper van and other people had tents. The sites fit a 5-person tent plus a 2 person tent, hammocks, camping table plus camping stove. Each site has a concrete picnic table and concrete benches. All of the lakefront sites on our side had individual access to the lake. The lake is shallow and perfect for paddle boarding and kayaking. We saw one person fishing! This campsite is remote, no cell phone signal and that’s what we were looking for. We were able to disconnect, relax and reset! We had our dog with us and were able to have his lead tied to two trees to allow him to run from one side to another. Tons of chip monks (drove him nuts LOL). We saw a lot of chip monks and pretty birds. Thanks fully we did not see any bears although it is bear country! There was one bathroom by our campsite. Super clean, the campground manager came around everyday to check on the sites and she made sure only those who had a reservation were there. We had a beautiful view of the lake. It was so peaceful and beautiful. I read a book in two days! We definitely want to go back. Our campsite was number 5 and my favorite. Great shaded area. We liked the fact there was a lot of space and you are not on top of one another. We had a camper van and it got a bit chili at night but we had blankets so we were fine. There’s a small area for kids to go biking around these campsites. The closest grocery store and gas station is about 45 minutes from the campground so make sure you have everything you need, unless you plan on driving around! The roads are not paved so make sure your tires are in good conditions so you don’t get a flat. You would be on your own cuz there is no cell signal until you are back on the road (freeway/highway). Well worth the trip! We were there in the middle of the week so it wasn’t busy but it started getting crowded as we were leaving (on a Friday). We would recommend this campground! Get a lakefront spot, bring enough food, drinks, water, a paddle board or just your camping chairs, enjoy the beautiful views of the lake and mountains, disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature and have fun!
TravelerWe love Deadwood. It’s far enough that it’s not overly crowded. Most camp spots have sandy beach access and feel private. I like that I can reserve a spot so I know there’s room for my camper trailer.
RangerSituated next to Pettit Lake this campground served as a base camp while we explored the nearby hikes (Alice & Farley). Helpful host. Clean pit toilet. Water accessible in an adjacent trailhead (Tin Cup) parking lot. Campsites are well spaced. All sites are FF. $18/night. No cell coverage.
Only concern we had was that our site #13 was buggy given its proximity to the lake. Next time we will pick a site farther from the lake.
Guide
Nice and quiet campground close to highway 21. We arrived on a friday night without reservations and there was plenty of space.
Scout
When the water is high, and you have a boat available the lake can make the trip almost bearable. However, the high costs, terrible spot organization, continuous UTVs on the road, and overall maintenance at this campground really tend to kill any good vibes you may have had on the water. We have tried coming here multiple times and always are underwhelmed with the results. Also, if you by chance were thinking of staying in the "resort" expect higher than normal prices for a room with a bed and bathroom, no services are provided (including cable), they do however have a dvd collection you may barrow from if you are in need of something on the tv.
TravelerGreat but small NF campsite at the Deadwood trailhead. 6 sites with picnic tables and fire rings. Clean vault toilets.
RangerFamily reunion just up the road from bull trout lake next to what we call "Frog Lake". Frog lake is up the road from Bulltrout on one of the smaller ponds. It was a little dry this year so the pond was at a lower level than normal. Still lots of trout in the pond and saw about an Osprey catch fish every morning.
GuideGreat campgrounds. Beautiful views. Clean grounds, clean toilets, and within walking distance to the hot spring pool. Highly recommend. Fishing wasn't too bad.
LegendJust 6 sites here (try and get #6, it’s really close to the river) on a traditional and ancient campsite that Native Americans used for a long time. The campground has the basics: picnic tables, fire pits, a vault toilet (in need of servicing), and dumpster. There is also a trail head right in camp as well as another trailhead on the other side of the Deadwood River. Across the road is a nice little interpreter site with info about the wildlife as well as river running info. You aren’t too far from several hot springs too.
TravelerThis is a first come first serve for tent camping, and we grabbed the last spot on this trip. However, it was within walking distance of the water for swimming and fishing.
Also VERY clean toilets!
Other than it was hot mid-day, it was beautiful, plus an amazing hiking trail is close too.
ScoutDidn’t think we would find a spot for the weekend since we left so late. Drove up to silver creek expecting that if we couldn’t get in we would boondock on the other side of which boasts acres and acres of opportunity all around to boondock. However we were able to secure a spot. It can get a little busy (kids riding bikes, playing) and the campsites can be close together depending on what side you’re on, but it’s absolutely beautiful and very accommodating. We brought our side by side and drove the trails every day for hours all day! Had Picnics on the river rapids and soaked in the hot springs (you will drive by on your way to the grounds. Unfortunately the one at the campsite is closed and for sale. Be bear and wolf aware!
Legend
This is a small campground right off Highway 55 and across from the Payette River. There are 4 small campgrounds right in a row near here. There is plenty of shade and pretty good privacy. Not much room for larger campers or RV, better for smaller campers and tents. I did not get cell service here.
TravelerVery simple and tranquil campsite
Legend
This is a conveniently located campground near all the amenities of Idaho City. Miles of forest for hiking, exploring and fishing. Right off Highway 21, it's easy to find with ample space between campsites. A great base camp for exploring the area.
Legend
This campground is near Highway 21 but far enough off the road for a quiet camping experience. Lots of room for all kinds of vehicles and choices of camping styles here. This is actually one of my favorite place to snow shoe in the winter.
TravelerQuiet with restroom and clean water. Lots of firewood laying around. No cell service, except Mores Peak and Idaho City... No service in Lowman (only 1 mercantile with 2 pumps), but an absolutely gorgeous drive! Only downside is the flies late morning to evening. But overall an awesome 2 days of peace and quiet and no cell. Didn't hike, but plenty of trails due to horses and heard running water in the distance.
ScoutI stayed here in September of 2019 and loved it! The camp host was great and the campground was clean. The water spigot was by the trailhead and and older pump style but effective. I went July 2020 and there was no host, campground was tidy but certainly not the clean it was before, and the water spigot was broke. No water.
ScoutThis campground was amazing. Clean vault toilets and clean sites. Camp host was really helpful and sweet. Garbage bins. Lake is crystal clear and gorgeous. Don’t miss this place! Close to lots of great hiking for all levels and experiences.
GuideThis was a perfect place to stay before going on our backpacking trip. The camp host Rachel was very nice and helpful. She brought us our firewood and answered all our questions. The sites all had fire rings and picnic tables. The sites were spacious.
GuideVery well kept campground. The camp host was very nice. He delivered the firewood and directed us to the waterfall. Our campsite was clean and had a cooking stand next to the picnic table. I would very much recommend this campground.
TravelerThe whole area around the Anderson Ranch Reservoir is mostly used by hunters and fisherman. We needed a spot to camp after Craters of the Moon and this was not exactly what we were looking for. All of the accessible spots around the dam were taken so we took a spot at this “Resort.” The Fall Creek campground had some water access spots that were all “reserved” so we opted for the hillside with cramped picnic tables and fire rings. There were a couple trailers that looked like they just set up for a few weeks and come and go. There is also a full bar with pool tables at the campground (?!). There may have been other facilities but we only used the vault toilet near the closest boat ramp. It’s a beautiful area and if you’re lucky to snag a spot along the water, it would be enjoyable. However, keep in mind that there are lots of ATVs and UTVs and the scene is deer hunters, not really our thing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Idaho City, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Idaho City, ID is Deadwood Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Idaho City, ID?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Idaho City, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.
