Best Tent Camping near King Hill, ID

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.

Spring Break gave us a unique 2019 quiet camping at the military cabins. A bit chilly when the wind picks up so dress warm and remember to pack extra layers and hand warmers. Fishing was great as we were the only people at the cabins. MHAFB rental cabins also rents boats. The cabins are a step above tent camping with wooden platform beds and bunks. Plan to be inside only to sleep as there is not much room. Bathroom is behind the cabins. A metal gate separates military from public facilities. Just beyond is a fish cleaning station and docks. Inside the gate is a flimsy floating pier. Plenty of places to park a chair and cast a line. Except to catch something. You may need to get creative to clean it, so think ahead or throw it back. If you are looking for a break from daily life, bonding or reconnecting as a family this is a cheap way to disconnect. Plan to pack in everything including sleeping bags. No heat or ac so plan for layers in spring because it gets chilly at night. Bring fly paper in late spring through fall. Mosquito repellent is also a must.

The 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.

This campground sits right off of Hwy 20 along the Big Wood River. It is a dispersed campground with varying degrees of levelness and sizes. No real privacy here despite being surrounded by trees, mostly aspens which were starting to change color in September and give the place a little bit of a peaceful atmosphere. There were a few campers there with trailers when we were there that seemed to keep to themselves and only one of the trailers looked a little rundown and sketchy. 

There is river access which is nice and easy. There is road noise as it sits fairly close to the highway. 

There are pit toilets and a few of the “sites” have stone pits but fire restrictions are in effect so no fires at this time. There are no garbage cans or dumpsters so pack in and pack out. Also there were no water spigots that we found, so filter from the river or bring water. Overall this is a dusty fairly noisy stop good for a night. I wouldn’t make it a destination but if you’re tired of driving and need a place to crash it’s free and easily accessed. 

There is a 10 day limit on camping within a 30 day period. Weak Verizon, good ATT and no TMobile cell reception.