Searching for the best camping near Kingston, ID? Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Kingston campgrounds just for you. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Kingston, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
Mica Bay Boater Park Camping
36 min away
Marble Creek Campground
1 hr 44 min away
"Easy to drive up to. Any vehicle will do. Dirt road to the top where you will find a lovely little lake with 4-5 camp spots surrounding it."
"You’ll want to bring good cars because the road gets pretty primitive. Awesome lake for kayaking and paddle boarding."
"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."
"This 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."
"It has restroom access. It would not be nice to travel here in the snow though due to the gravel roads.
I did see some campground nearby but they were really small and did not look very nice."
"There are several sites near here and it’s remote enough to sight in your guns and do a little practice."
$50 - $70 / night
"it is a very nice place to camp, since there probably won’t be any people outside your own group. the owner was very responsive to texts and was helpful with all of my questions. "
"Camp here for a real north Idaho camping experience."
"The Marble Creek Campground has a few sites and one outhouse facility nearby. Just miles from the camp, there is an old man-built cave that makes its way through the entire mountain."
TravelerWhat a gem! Small state park campground at about a 3000 ft elevation with only 8 sites. Dry Camping only, no dump station, but clean flushable toilets(no showers) and potable water available. Two beautiful trails are accessible from the campground and lots more are within a 10 minute drive with plenty of parking at trailheads. Local foliage is wonderful, views are fantastic from the trails. Quiet hours are enforced and observed- very quiet and relaxing. The camp host, Linda, does such a wonderful job of keeping everything neat and tidy and checking in with campers to see if they have what they need. Sites are small- only one was a pull through. I wouldn't attempt with anything longer than 23 feet. Each site has a bear box, really nice and large picnic table, firepit and tent pads that are nicely cushioned with pea gravel. Our site,#3, was centrally located without a ton of privacy, but it was still a nice site and folks were respectful and quiet. Decent cell service in the campground. I am absolutely coming back.
TravelerWe stayed at Chatcolet campground for two nights in late June. The campground is really nice with lovely hosts and clean flushable toilets. We booked site 128 and didn’t realise it was a tent only site with a short walk from where you park to the picnic table, fire ring and tent pad. We have a rooftop tent so we parked and set up our tent and then just carried our chairs, food and wood down to the picnic table. Privacy on these sites isn’t the best, I would recommend booking this site along with 129 as a group site to give yourself good privacy.
Overall this campground was great, the toilets were clean, they are porcelain, flushing toilets inside a hut. There was drinking water and some nice walks to the lake, if you have bicycles there is a really nice cycle that you can do. The reason for rating this 3 out of 5 is that there was very noisy and intrusive maintenance going on from 7am to 5pm in the sites next to us which was very disruptive. No warning had been given about maintenance in the campground, notice was only given regarding roadworks leading into the campground.
RangerTalk about a hike! This is a pretty steep trek, with rewarding views at the top. Be sure to read trail reports and weather reports before heading out. North Idaho weather can be pretty finicky, especially at high elevations. Make sure to be aware of wildlife as well! Scotchman's is known for mountain goat sightings, but as they become more accustomed to people they can be a little aggressive. Keep a safe distance!
TravelerCoeur d’Alene River Road has SO many places to boondocks and camp, I wouldn’t waste our money on this campground again. The pit toilets were clean and the fire rings and picnic tables were in good shape, hence the two stars. Lots of wasps. No water. Nothing to do within walking distance. Find a boondock spot and save the $28.00
Guide2020 cost is $16 + $8 extra car, half off with Federal parks pass, & it's average for a Forest Service pay campground. There's water, & you can fill a holding tank, but no power or dump. The lower loops are very close together & less shade. The upper loop has more shade, bigger sites, but sound rises from below. You can hear the conversations and generators of your lower neighbors. Our site was next to a vault toilet - we could smell it. There was lots of noise, e.g., road, train, barking dogs, etc. The 2020 camp hosts were very intrusive. They stopped us in the middle of the road while they inspected our front license plate (we aren't required to have one), then interrogated us, without masks, about where we were from, what we were doing & how many dogs we had. We have a nice RV and look like average middle class folks. Maybe it was because we were in a Class B Van, but our van cost more than most class As. This is a self-pay campground so unless I need firewood I don't need to be forced to stop & be questioned by a volunteer. While we drove through looking at sites one host tailed us on foot through the CG. Five minutes after we began to set up they showed up, not wearing masks, wanting money. I didn't think volunteers were supposed to handle any money. We'd already paid at the iron ranger pay station & they seemed disappointed to not get the money directly from us. Then, within a minute, they returned, not wearing masks, & fussed because we hadn't gotten the tag on our campsite post yet - we were still setting up & hadn't had time yet. They weren't social distancing & we thought they were very peculiar and intimidating.
TravelerWe’ve stayed here a couple times now. It is a nice place. It is a little run down though. The car, tent camping is great. You have your own plot under trees. If you tent camp is the rest of the camp ground you will need a pad under your tent. I ground is pretty course gravel with up to 1.25” sharp stones. Firewood is free though.
LegendGeneral: 67-site US Army Corps of Engineers campground in two loops along the Pend Oreille River. All sites are water and electric and have gravel driveways.
Site Quality: All sites were nicely wooded, level and spacious. The roads are paved but the sites themselves are gravel. A BBQ grill/fire pit and large picnic table complete each site.
Bath/shower house: There is one ADA-accessible all-in-one bath/shower plus regular restrooms. Clean if a little dated. I don’t take long showers but in the middle of mine, the water turned ice cold for the remainder of my shower, however, hubby did not have the same experience!
Activities/Amenities: Water activities including boating, fishing, and swimming. Non-water activities include paths, including one around the campground that is approximately 1.4 miles, nice for walking, running, or biking. Partially paved and partially gravel. Other activities include two playgrounds (one for younger children, one for older), volleyball, horseshoes, sport court, and a “doggie island” (pet area). Between the restrooms are two dishwashing sinks with hot water, a nice amenity. There is also a dump station.
We were still setting up when the host came by to give us a map, remind us there was a fire ban, and see if we had any questions or concerns. We stay at many CoE campgrounds and this one certainly measures up!
GuideI found this free spot on another free campsites app. It’s right next to a National Forest boat launch, where there are 2 pit toilets. The campgrounds themselves are dispersed, with already human made fire rings. Some sites are next to the water (those were taken), I ended up driving to see what’s open and settled on top of a hill. There was another camper who must have been there for a while, set up a little tarp village, he looked like he was moved in there… and then a bear up pickup truck drove by few times - something about it felt sketchy to me. I explored a bit more the next day - there are several walk-in sites which looked great - but you can’t drive into those - some up on a hill, some at the bottom of a hill past big boulders.
ScoutThe Shadowy St. Joe Campground is a great place to stay. It has 14 sites total. With one taken by the camp hosts, all are paved, with space for 2 vehicles each, have fire pits, and a picnic bench, and electricity. 7 sites to reserve ahead of time on the meadow side that has grass and is spacious. There are 6 first come first serve sites, 2 on the meadow side, and 4 along the river. If looking to reserve a site, the numbers start with #1 closest to the entrance on the meadow side and grow larger in counter clockwise fashion. There is a day use area you can also reserve, with charcoal grills, and multiple picnic benches. There are several vault toilets and all are kept very clean by the 2 wonderful park hosts. There is a boat launch area for day use, with a small fee, but if camping there is no extra charge. There is 2 docks and if staying multiple days you can leave your boat on the dock overnight. It is supposed to be a no wake zone, but the signs have warn down, so we lost a bumper to our boat from crashing into the dock, from passing boat wakes. There is a couple of potable water stations available, with small hose spouts, but no water hookups at the sites. The sites are electric with 50amp, 30amp, and 110 plugs available. No sewer hookup at the sites, but there is a dump station at the fairgrounds in the town of St. Maries about 10 miles away. Phone service is spotty, texting easier and lots of dropped calls, but we like to unplug when camping. Dogs are allowed with no limits, just to stay on leashes at all times. The Lazy St. Joe River is boat passable up to St. Joe City, and all the way to Lake Coeur d'Alene if you want to adventure for a full day in the boat. Great for fishing too. Make sure to have Idaho invasive species tag for the boat if you are from out of state. The Sheriff and Park Rangers patrol daily and check. St. Maries has 2 grocery stores, and sports shop where you can get supplies, and fishing licenses. The town also has great shops, a swimming pool, parks, restaurants, and ATM/banks. This is a great little gem in the Gem State.
Tent camping near Kingston, Idaho offers a chance to immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there family-friendly tent camping options in Kingston?
Yes, the Kingston area offers several family-friendly tent camping options. Telichpah Campground is a small, clean primitive campground with five camping sites and a well-maintained vault toilet. Its proximity to the Hiawatha Bike Trail makes it perfect for families planning cycling adventures. Packsaddle Campground offers riverside sites with nearby hiking trails, though it has limited trees. For families seeking more adventure, some campgrounds provide access to water activities, hiking trails, and natural attractions. Be prepared for primitive facilities at most locations, and always bring adequate supplies for your family's needs.
What amenities are available at Kingston campgrounds?
Kingston area campgrounds typically offer rustic, primitive amenities. Giant White Pine Campground provides spacious sites at $8 per night with vault toilets but no electric hookups. Lake Creek Campground features four developed sites with bear boxes (except site 2) and two toilet facilities. Most campgrounds in the region are primitive with minimal facilities - expect vault toilets and sometimes fire rings, but generally no running water, electricity, or shower facilities. Many sites require you to bring all camping supplies, including water, as services are limited in this beautiful but remote area.
Where are the best tent camping sites in Kingston?
Breakwater Campground offers excellent tent camping spots that stretch along a tributary of the Coeur d'Alene River, providing great fly fishing opportunities. It's free to camp here, though be prepared for no amenities or cell service - just places to pitch a tent and have a fire. Maiden Rock Campground offers a more secluded experience with boat and hike-in only access, featuring multiple sites and boat tethers. For hammock camping enthusiasts, some campgrounds in the area offer suitable tree coverage, though availability varies by site. Note that vehicle access may be limited at some locations.
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