We're here to help you find where to go horse camping in Kaniksu National Forest. Camping with your horse in Kaniksu National Forest just got easier. You're sure to find the perfect site for your Idaho horse camping excursion.
$12 - $29 / night
$25 / night
$49 - $55 / night
Priest Lake camping features 151 campsites, and 5 cabins. Priest Lake State Park lies just 30 miles from the Canadian Border, nestled deep below the crest of the Selkirk Mountains. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Idaho and mile-high mountains, Priest Lake State Park sits along the eastern shores of Priest Lake, a 19-mile long, over 300 foot deep lake. Amenities include showers, flush toilets, dump stations, full service park store with gasoline. Activities include hiking mountain biking, cycling, fishing, boating, swimming, horseshoeing, water sports, volleyball, disc gold
The Bull River Guard Station was built in 1908 as the Ranger's house and office. This structure was a primary ranger station from 1908 to 1920, surviving the legendary 1910 fires that swept through the area. The cabin was home to Granville "Granny" Gordon (District Ranger), his wife and three daughters. Full vehicle access to the cabin depends on weather conditions. The road is normally plowed within 1 mile of the cabin during winter months.
The Bull River is 24.7 miles long from its headwaters to where it meets the Cabinet Gorge Reservoir. Fish species include westslope cutthroat trout, large scale sucker and mountain whitefish. Visit the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website for fishing regulations and hunting seasons and permits. Hikers might be interested in two excellent day hiking options located near the guard station: the Pilick Ridge Trail #1036 and the Berray Mountain Trail #967. Both lead to lookouts with impressive views of the Cabinet Mountains. The Berray Mountain Lookout tower, built in the 1930's, is listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. For those interested in horseback riding, there is plenty of opportunity to explore the surrounding land. Stock animals are not allowed in the cabin area, but visitors may tie up across the road or 50 yards behind the station. As always, certified weed free hay is required on all Forest Service lands.
The Bull River Guard Station is located in the Cabinet Mountain Range near the East Fork of the Bull River in the Kootenai National Forest. The Cabinet Mountains were named by early French settlers who thought the mountains had a cabinet-like appearance when viewed from the valley floor. The cabin is located minutes from from the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness area which is home to a large range of wildlife from the high rocks of the mountain goat, mountain sheep, pika and golden eagle, to the lower slopes and brushy canyon bottoms of the beaver, woodrat, and beautiful Western Tanager. Fall foliage in this area is truly stunning with a wonderful assortment of Mountain Maple scarlets, Mountain Ash reds, Alder browns, and the Larch golden yellows.
$75 / night
Photo of the thorofare which connects Upper Priest Lake to Priest Lake and provides access to Upper Priest Lake campgrounds.Plowboy Campground is loacted on the southwest shores of Upper Priest Lake, with majestic views of the Selkirk Crest. Five campsites are furnished with fire rings, picnic tables, and bear-proof storage boxes. Plowboy is easily accessed by boat or by the Navigation Trail. Please note that this campground has a Pack It In, Pack It Out policy on all garbage.
Traveler
Great tent camping. Also, it's a great starting point to some really good dirt bike trails. Be prepared for no cell service. 0 amenities. it's just a place to pitch a tent and have a fire. And it cost nothing.
Ranger
I recently spent a few days at this campground, and overall, it was a pleasant experience. The highlight of the trip was definitely the beautiful lake, which provided a serene backdrop for the entire stay. The surroundings are peaceful abd there is a lovely trail around the lake and an extensive set of trails heading up into the mountain behind the lake as well as a trail to a pond with a dam which is quite peaceful.
The swimming area is nice with kind of sandy beach, but there is a bit of seaweed in the swimming area. There are also two docks perfect for fishing. I had a great time casting off from them and even caught a couple of crappies and trout which was a nice bonus. However, one downside was some road noise, which occasionally disrupted the peaceful atmosphere, especially in the evenings. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was noticeable enough to mention. Additionally, the campground and swim area can get very busy during peak summer weekends. If you're looking for a quieter experience, it might be best to visit during the off-season or on weekdays. All in all, the campground is a solid choice for anyone looking to enjoy nature, fish, or swim in a beautiful lake. Just be prepared for a little road noise and crowds if you visit during popular times.
Guide
This was a great spot! The camp hosts, Dan and Steve, were very friendly. We loved how large the sites and overall area was, so we could back our rig in easily (40ft long x 13.5ft tall.) There were a lot of open sites, even during the holiday weekend, and even with people on either side, we didn’t feel like we were on top of anyone else. A really great central place to hang so we could check out the surrounding area.
As some others mentioned:
Legend
This is our 3rd visit to Liberty Lake Regional Park. It’s a small campground on Liberty Lake just east of Spokane WA. It’s a little hard to get to, and not suitable for large Class A motorhomes!
There are 16 regular RV sites with water & electric, and they have added 3 sites on top of the hill with full hookups. Also 12 tent sites. Close to Spokane. Hiking and horse trails.
RangerGreat little campground on a meadow behind Liberty Lake. Bathrooms, showers, and a sink for dishes available. Sites aren't super private, but have adequate space. Felt very safe for solo camping. Great halfway between Rainier and Glacier.
Scout
I’ve been camping at Priest for 30 years now and can honestly say this is the grungiest, stinkiest spot i’ve ever seen at this lake. The sites are super close together, it looks like someone hack-job attempted to do some clear cutting with zero attempt to cleanup and it literally smells as though the last camper dumped a weeks worth of black water all over our site. I’ll never book this spot again
Legend
It’s Saturday and no one is here but me. Picnic tables, metal fire rings with grills, vault toilets. Big pretty pine trees! I get one bar of Verizon service but it’s not very useful.
TravelerLocation and tent sites are Nice. Bathroom is fine and they also sell ice.
LegendNoted, they have planted trees but it is going to be a while for them to mature before they provide shade. 90+ degrees was brutal in this tar paved. All else was excellent: sites are large, well laid out, grassy areas, hookups are all new, location is convenient to everything as this is a pretty small town, areas to walk dogs in the fairgrounds. Dog friendly in general. Breweries within walking distance.
ScoutReally nice and clean campground perfectly situated to explore Coeur d'Alene and the area. The camphost was super friendly and always happy to help. We were staying on a tent place but in a van. If you're planning to sleep in a tent just be aware that tents have to be placed on a gravel pad. But other than that we would really recommend this place.
ScoutThis park is only 5 years old and gets better every year. Bathrooms and shower house are open. Free WiFi added in 2023. Previous host has been replaced with two new hosts who are very freindly. One host has lived in the area for many years and is very helpful with tips about things to do and see, including where to get 25 cent ice cream cones! The roads and sites are all paved. The price is reasonable for an RV park in the center of a busy resort area.
TravelerBeautiful & clean campground with friendly staff. Quiet area and not over crowded. Pet friendly. Lots of trail hiking and a pretty lake for kayaking, swimming, etc. My only complaint was not enough grassy areas and all campgrounds were just dirt. So keeping RV clean was difficult with myself and dogs going in and out despite having mats to wipe off feet/shoes.
TravelerThere were a lot of people there. Even on some of the rougher hiking trails there were always people around, so if your looking for seclusion, round lake might not be for you. The fishing was amazing though, and the view is beautiful. There are lots of hiking trails nearby, and there are some cool features, like beavers dams and little ponds filled with fish. The bugs weren’t bad either, there were almost no mosquitoes or spiders.
GuideWe were very pleased with this RV park! We stayed for two nights so my wife could attend a conference. This facility is located very near the general Fairgrounds and next to the horse park. No horses are allowed at the campground but stables are very near by in the Fairgrounds. The sites are all pretty level with the parking areas paved. Grass and groomed gravel areas too. There are various sized sites most are back in. When checking online, and that's where you must reserve your site, there is a very good map with the site lengths listed. Our number 1 site was over 60 feet long and large for our 34 foot long 5th wheel and our Chevy truck. Most of the sites are full hookup with 30 and 50 amp electric. Water and sewer dump. There is also a sewer dump station with 4 dumps, located just west of this park. There is NO wifi provided in the park, but being pretty centralized in the area, cell service is very good. I had full bars of 4G service on my AT&T 5G phone. There is a building with bathroom and showers available if needed, at the south end of the park. Our site was just along the road and it was pretty noisy but it did calm down at night. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed and picked up after. For a Fairgrounds campground it is a bit pricey compared to the other Fairground Camping we've utilized, this is still a very nice facility and we would and probably will use it again.
GuideNice level car camping spot. Rolled in and took one of the 2 upper road RV sites away from the main campsites below and was treated with a great sweeping view of the lake with a stellar sunset. Good fire ring with grate. Open bbq grill. Picnic table has seen better days. Didn't use the showers. Clean bathrooms. Would stay there again.
ScoutThis is a Spokane County campground about a mile from the Idaho border. It’s located down a country road so use the website to find it. It had two ex-marine hosts when we visited so the potential for yahoos is low. In fact it was neat, tidy, and quiet when we visited for one night. It is a popular place for locals and fills quickly. Warm showers are included. Beware that tent sites 2&3 accommodate one compact vehicle only, this is not clear from website which will accept payment for 2. The other would have to park elsewhere as directed. The park is pleasant with lake access and hiking trails
Scout
All the state (not Federal) parks at both Priest and Lake Pend Oreille (Farragut) have become prohibitively expensive for out of staters. Per the Boise newspaper a state legislator from Hayden. ID was angered that he was unable to camp the state parks in his area at the drop of a hat 'due to the large number of out of state campers'(who had the foresight to make reservations months in advance). He was able to push a punitive bill through the State legislature which effectively more than doubled out of state camp fees in these two parks. Not only is the camp site at least twice as expensive but there is now a daily vehicle fee added. A basic campsite (no utilities) can now cost upwards of $70 per night.
GuideNice campground. Level spaces for the most part. Ample space between sites, pull they'd, picnic tables and fire pits. Large pine trees, so plenty of shade and pine cones, clean restrooms. Would stay again. Price is $40/night with electric and water, dump station.
TravelerThis campground stretches along a tributary of the CdA river, and there is great tent camping and fly fishing. Downside is that there is limited vehicle access to most spots.
GuideExtremely clean, looks very new, and lots of space between sights. Lacks trees, but trees just need time to grow and mature. Centrally located with Costco just a few blocks away.
ScoutNice little campground by the water. Really quiet, nice space in between sites. Bathrooms are okay.
ScoutEasy to find & plenty of short noticed camping sites available.
GuideThe campgrounds are very clean and well maintained. The RV sites are very close together. The road in is not for the faint if you have a trailer or RV over 25 feet. It’s windy and a one lane coming into the park. The lake access is quite a long way away from the campground. Great trail access right out of the campground.
GuideWe love round lake!!! We coMe here all the time. But, we stayed in a different part of the park than we normally do. And it felt like a completely different stay. That is why we are doing another review. This place is the best!
GuideTucked back behind a neighborhood of fairly luxurious homes and sitting near the lake, these sites offer a nice spot to catch a breath while traveling. We stayed at tent site 10 and it has been perfect. $27/night for tent and $38/night for RVs. Pet friendly, great host, facilities, and plenty of space.
GuideLovely little Campground. Access to a crowd beach but it was still nice to get in the water at 95! Nice paths. Sites are a bit tight and there is no dump station
LegendThe campground has lots of grass and trees. Deer graze throughout the campground. 17 RV sites makes it feel very homey. The camp host was very nice. It is a bit of a walk from the camp to the lake and the access road is narrow and many curves. Would definitely recommend this park and would absolutely stay here again.
Horse camping near Kaniksu National Forest in Idaho offers a unique opportunity to explore the stunning landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With several well-reviewed campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Kaniksu National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Kaniksu National Forest is Round Lake State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Kaniksu National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 equestrian camping locations near Kaniksu National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
