Searching for a tent camping spot near Idaho City? Find the best information on tent campgrounds near Idaho City, including sites, reviews, and tips. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Shafer Butte is located atop the scenic Boise Ridge Mountains, near Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area, at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Visitors enjoy hiking and biking on various trails in the surrounding area, and simply relaxing and taking in the area's beautiful views.
Popular activities in the area include hiking and mountain biking, the Mores Mountain Trail begins in the campground. This 2-mile interpretive nature trail is family friendly.
Shafer Butte offers scenic views of Deer Point, Mores Mountain and Shafer Butte summits, as well as the expansive valley below. The campground is situated among Douglas fir and aspen trees, which offer partial shade in most sites. Wildlife and summer wildflowers are abundant in the area.
Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area is close by and offers more hiking and biking trails, as well as other summer activities, check out this link for more information http://bogusbasin.org. The Ridge to River trail system is near by as well, check out this link for more information http://www.ridgetorivers.org
$50 / night
ALERT - The Swirly Canyon segment of the South Fork Payette River stretch offers opportunities for camping and fishing in a scenic mountain area. The BLM's South Fork Recreation Site is an undeveloped camping spot along the river.
Overview: Bald Mountain Campground is near Idaho City, Idaho. The Campground has 4 campsites in a secluded, forested area. A trail from campground goes east to the Middle Fork of the Boise River. A second trail goes from the Thorn Creek Butte Lookout south of the campground and follows Cottonwood Creek south.
Overview: A stay at Cottonwood Campground enables guests to enjoy all the beauty and recreation offered around the Middle Fork Boise River and Arrowrock Reservoir. The tiny campground hosts 3 campsites. Weather is usually good from mid-May through late September and is easily accessible by car in good weather, although the road is sometimes rough and the drive can be seemingly long. Checking with the Mountain Ranger District (208-587-7961) on road conditions before heading out is recommended. Natural Features: The campground is situated just north of the reservoir along Cottonwood Creek. There is at a switchback of Forest Service (FS) roads 268 and 377. It is located less than a mile along FS road 377. Wildlife watchers may want to look for deer and elk. Waterfowl, eagles and osprey are attracted to the river. Recreation: Cottonwood Trail begins nearby, leading to Bald Mountain. Check the Idaho City Ranger District Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for trails in the area that are open to hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers and off-road vehicles. Click here for an Idaho OHV safety message. Arrowrock Reservoir is a premier fishing destination in southwest Idaho. It offers excellent trout fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout. There are also good swimming holes. Big game hunting is a popular activity in season. The Middle Fork Boise River is just north of the campground and also offers great fishing.
Overview: Bad Bear Picnic Area and Campground are located 48 miles northeast of Boise, Idaho, in a scenic Ponderosa pine forest along Highway 21 at an elevation of 5,100 feet. Wildlife and summer wildflowers are abundant. Historic Idaho City is just 11 miles south. Mores Creek runs adjacent to the site, offering whitefish and rainbow trout fishing. The Picnic area is just across Highway 21 from the Campground. There are picnic tables and a vault toilet. The site is in an open area with shade. Parking spurs are paved. Due to its proximity to the highway, some noise from passing traffic is to be expected. 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. Numerous trail opportunities are in the area, offering hiking, biking, horseback riding, and ATVing. In winter, the area becomes a playground for backcountry skiers and snowmobilers.
Willow Creek Campground is a small site composed of 3 camping units. Campground amenities include picnic tables, fire rings and a restroom. The campground is approximately 1 mile south of the Willow Creek Transfer Camp & Willow Creek Trail No. 019 trailhead located north of the transfer camp.
Scout
Has come a long ways in the last 10 years. Could still be part of the solution that part of the problem.
ScoutJust off the asphalt on a gravel road. Very dusty and noisy on the weekends. Can be busy because a lot people park in there to float the river.
Guide
Loved this spot! Parked our tow behind camper right on the beach. It is very muddy so don’t get too close to the shore, we had to help two vehicles get out of the mud. Also very buggy which is why is lost a star
Traveler
My husband and I came to this spot with our 28ft trailer, luckily we were able to squeeze in. Lots of spots to choose from too. The campsites were clean and very peaceful place to camp for a few nights.
Guide
Site 10 is right on the river.
Scout
Sites are well spaces apart. A quit spot.
Guide
Nice spot, got to drive up the road past the usa fee area campground. Its a bit up a hill and not on the valley floor so phone service is there like one bar. No tables but some make shift fire pits at free spots. Kinda a rocky road but not a bunch of holes. Supposedly there have been mountain lion sightings in this area. Some intense utah/idaho drivers so just be cool. A less dry quiet spot, beautiful sounds of bugs at night prob crickets and no biter bugs like mosquitoes. Could give it 4 stars but I got to sneak in in the usa fee area to use toilet. Usually most hosts are not paying attention or are cool about it if you aint a crazy. Hey just realized Im not one of those lol.
Scout
We arrived late, but it was no problem. Everything was great - quiet, but near the highway. Showers and bathrooms were super clean. We walked to the little cafe down the street and had a nice country breakfast before going on our way to Idaho.
Guide
Well shaded sites with a clean bathroom, shower combo. There’s only the one bathroom but we didn’t have to wait for anyone to use it. It was quiet except for an occasional public service siren which wasn’t too loud. We felt safe staying there even though it was in a residential area The only thing that was missing was a picnic table
Guide
My wife and I were forced to make last minute changes to our camping trip this year(thanks to the Wapiti 2024 fire in Stanley) and Dog Creek was the only campground available on the dates we had set aside. We had been up to Pine once before but had never explored past the town.
The campground itself is quiet and away from the main road but it is directly parallel to the South Fork of the Boise River. There are a TON of ponderosa pines and other various pine trees so the campground looks small because of the dense tree cover. From the main road, the main drive is a fairly narrow paved dirt/gravel road and not bumpy at all so most vehicles shouldn’t have an issue with it.
The camp sites themselves are a little close to each other but you’re not shoulder to shoulder or directly on top of each other. The camp host greeted us upon our arrival, filled us in on the fire restrictions and said to let him know if we needed anything.
We had reserved sites 10 and 11 but in reality, they might as well call it a group site because there is no separation between the two, you even share a"driveway”. There were fire rings, tent pads(at some sites) and picnic tables, along with shepherds hooks for hanging trash off of the ground. There were also metal tables at every site that we think are intended for camp stoves.(The picnic tables are wood)The fire rings were well cared for(none damaged that we saw and they all had adjustable grills)….but our fire ring was very close to the bushes which was a little sketchy.
This campground is nice and quiet and full of trees. But unfortunately, for us, that’s where the appeal ends. In order to get to the actual Dog Creek from the campground, you have to hope that sites 2 and 5 are not occupied and even then, the creek isn’t super exciting. It’s pretty but it’s a climb down into a ravine of sorts and it’s not deep enough to lay in and there aren’t any places to setup chairs to just enjoy it. The water flowing through the creek is clean and it is pretty to look at, but that’s about all it’s good for.
As for other things to do at the campground, there isn’t much. There are no hiking trails as far as we could tell, but if you go across the street to the river, you can actually enjoy your stay, assuming the banks of the river aren’t packed with dispersed campers and their ATV’s.
The campground does have water spigots and the water tasted fine. The restrooms(vault toilets) were impeccable in terms of cleanliness. Some of the nicest Forest Service campground restrooms we’ve used and the camp host does an awesome job of keeping them clean and bug free.
Speaking of bugs, we didn’t see many mosquitoes but we did see a good amount of bees, wasps and yellow jackets and there were traps setup throughout the campground so bring an epi pen if you’re allergic to any of them.
We lost cell service just after the reservoir (T-Mobile) but my satellite communicator worked fairly well at the campground.
There are dumpsters to take your trash just inside the entrance to the campground, which is a little annoying as you have to walk quite a ways to dump it, but there were also no critters hanging around the sites.
Dog Creek campground is the type of campground where you setup your camper or RV and leave for the day to do other things. Whether it’s boating at Anderson Ranch, taking the ATV’s up into the mountains or try to find hiking trails. The campground itself is very pretty BUT it doesn’t offer much in terms of things to do while there. However, if you are looking for some peace and quiet, with very little noise from the outside world, it’s great.
GuideNice lil spot to relax . Really rough road is the only bad part
Traveler
About an hour off the highway, 7 miles of which are washboard-bumpy gravel roads along the lake cliffside (Had to drive under 10mph those last 7 miles). We were in an AWD sprinter van, and the road conditions definitely put a damper on the night. Site is right on the water gorgeous once you’re there. The stars were incredible. Toilet on site but the flies were swarming.
Scout
Found this place after a trip to another spot was not to be. Awesome staff great spot to just relax. Today the views were almost as impressive as the staff. We are going back! dusty 3 mile road and all.
Scout
This campground has potential that is not being exploited. Lovely spot beside the Payette River but that’s about it. Water and 30/50 hookups but too few trees, ery little to do without driving a distance. Close to white water rafting outfitters.
TravelerWe stayed at this campground initially because it was right at the trailhead for the hike to Goat Lake. We got there around 5 and there were still plenty of sites available. It was pretty buggy, but it’s right next to a creek, so that’s what you expect. It was quiet and the sound of the creek made it easy to sleep after a long day.
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
Great spot to escape 55 traffic jams! It has great fishing, and river beach access. Has a bathroom. Picnic tables. Only draw back would be road noise but if that doesn't bother you then 5 stars for a dispersed site!
Traveler
Found this gem few miles off the highway with amazing views all around. Plus the owners were incredibly nice. Would definitely stay again.
ScoutWe were excited about this find, the location was perfect for riding sxs right outside of round valley.
We unfortunately, could not fit our rig in the gate. It was tight and could not make the turn with a long box truck and 30ft camper.
I did not like that the spots were so close together and not very private.
Greg was very nice though and willing to give us a refund. Still haven’t seen the refund come through yet.
Guide
I've been a full-timer for several years now and have stayed in many parks. This is by far the cleanest, nicest park I have ever seen. The sites are wide, spacious and clean. Lush green grass and shady mature trees at every site. All concrete pads. Private bathrooms with showers! The dog park is stunning. The roads are paved and there's not a single piece of gravel in sight! You really have to see this place to believe it. It's like a little neighborhood!
Scout
they have absolutely destroyed what we use to love..they put sand in every camping spot with railroad ties and huge spikes make sure you like sand in your shoes and in your tents and campers.. the placement of the fire pitts make it where you cant sit around the fire ..carry a flashlight at all times so you dont trip over the ties that they have placed …they took family sites big enough for 10 people and made them so close you can actually hear the next site breathing in their sleep..the camp host by the Name of Tod Had a nasty additude towards my wife when we had first woke up at 8:00 am hounding us about money..sorry we got there at 3:00 in the morning we were going to stay for 14 days and left in 3 they made nature into a aparment style camp ground i guess thats what happends when greed takes over..we have never had problems before ..camp hosts were great and now they need blue and red lights on top of their wheelers..now you look out your front window used to see the lake and mountains now you see the top of some ones tents…way to go IFAG..
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.
Traveler
3 sites with tables and a pit toilet. Beautiful secluded spot mostly to ourselves
Scout
I called (no one answered @4:45pm)... then we drove because it was on our way... and there was no one. The restaurant was closed... it is 6:15pm.. maybe they aren't open past 6?
Traveler
Pretty little spot with pretty decent cell service. Lots of space for my dogs to run around. Could see other campers in the distance. Everyone had lots of room to themselves. I could see it becoming a little bit busier on the weekend. No facilities available at all, which is fine by me! Unfortunately people seem to leave trash around. There was a fire pit which I appreciated but greasy tends in the pit. There also trash bags and a few other things around. Overall, this did not majorly detract from the site. I would recommend bringing bug repellent or a thermacell to ward off bugs.
Guide
Quick 1 night stay. Nice river access. Pretty quiet.
Traveler
There are many sites up until the dead-end about 1.5 miles from the pay campground. I camped up on the stream. Great boondocking was here for a week. The road is in great shape. A couple of big rocks here and there. Plenty of places to do a 3-point turnaround with any rig.
No cell coverage. Got ok starlink between trees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Idaho City, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Idaho City, ID is Shafer Butte with a 4.3-star rating from 4 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 57 tent camping locations near Idaho City, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.
