Lake Pend Oreille is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Lake Pend Oreille is surrounded by family-friendly activities. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Idaho camping adventure.
$15 / night
"There is a single vault toilet, they ask that you bring a bucket and shovel for solid waste. Bring your own way to dispose of trash, and have a way to lock it up, or animals WILL get into it."
"Lightning cutting across the lake was a real spook. We brought our kayaks into the water in the sunny part of the day, other camping spots available by boat if you can get there!"
"Boat and hike in only access. No pump for water source, only lake or creek. Multiple sites. 3 bouy-tethers for boats."
"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!"
"Plenty of wildlife. I have only been one time and not seen mountain goats. Not too many people camp up here however there are spots/ clearings where it’s obvious a camp site would be."
"Remember to leave not trace and pack out your trash!"
$75 - $150 / night
"Located not far from Thompson Falls, and lot of water ways. Fish are not as abundant as other areas, and there are no walking trails within walking distance."
$10 - $15 / night
"First come, first serve sites are your best bet for getting a campsite on Priest Lake during peak season. I was able to snag one of the 10ish first come sites last minute for a weekend."
"Large and private, nice beach, good wind block. Will definitely be back."
"We stayed the night in the campground near the trailhead and did a day-hike to the 3 lakes the next morning. The actual campground has 4 designated sites and a group tent area."
"We really enjoyed the hike to the upper lakes as well."
"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."
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.
ScoutThis used to be a great place to camp, especially at the Pavilion. However, two recent camping trips were not so great. There is no water, even though there are cisterns everywhere. There is no trash pickup. Restrooms are visited and "cleaned", but there is no evidence that anything was done. There are still tons of bugs and webs. I think they just replace the TP. Last visit was at the Pavilion with a men's campout with around 20 individuals. No trash containers, no bear boxes, and no water. We brought 250 gallons of water with us and pulled up to where the fire pit was, so it would be close to the fire for safety and convenience. The day after we left the site, a ranger called and accused us of "off-roading" and not placing our food in the non-existent bear boxes. We weren't "cited," but the temperament of the management is that they want you to pay the same price for camping without a host, water, trash, bear boxes, or clean restrooms. If you wish to dry camp, there are plenty of spaces, but it is definitely dry camping. Beautiful campground with severe management issues, all blamed on"lack of funding".
LegendWent here on a complete whim during peak seasons in the summer and still had spots remaining to pitch a tent. The park itself is massive and plenty of fun options from swimming in Lake Pend O’ Reille to disc golf there at the course in the park. Bathrooms were clean, water was abundant and if you wanted to grab food/beer Bayview is only a few minutes away. Stayed at Whitetail campground at $27 a night for no hookups
GuideThe Gilmore campground was clean and well-managed and we found the camp hosts super friendly and helpful. The campground has vault toilets and a few flush toilets as well as private showers with hot water. Campsites were well spaced from one another. The campground has a big green for frisbee, horseshoes, etc.
Farragut State Park has abundant hiking, water activities and interesting interpretive exhibits. And Lake Pend Oreille is simply breathtaking.
We had limited Verizon connectivity — 2 bars at most.
The village of Bayview, a few minutes’ drive or vigorous bike ride away, has a well-stocked little mercantile that carries all the necessities.
As out-of-staters, we didn’t mind paying twice the in-state rate for our site. Our state income taxes support our own state’s parks — not Idaho’s.
GuideThere are quite a few beautiful spots along this bay of Lake Pend Oreille that can be reached only by boat. This is a great place to feel secluded and away from the hustle and bustle of the lake, without having to drive the boat too far. We put the boat in at the Farragut State park and drove a mere ten minutes across the lake to this beautiful (free) safe haven. Because of where the bank is situated, the camps receive beautiful early morning light and then are shaded enough throughout the rest of the day. We had enough space at our camp to set up two tents, a kitchen, a fireplace, and our own bathroom. Other campers were along the bay, but we still had ample privacy. We all had a great time, and were even able to set up our hammock in the trees to overlook the lake. I loved this bay and hope to return many times in the future.
RangerHello Dyrt campers! Today I check out a great little campground/recreation area on Lake Pend Oreille( locally pronounced Pond Array"). The campground portion has 67 sites that have electrical and water hookups with centrally located flush bathrooms. Each site is spacious and somewhat secluded. They also have a fire ring and picnic table with wood available for purchase at the store/station up front. I did not see any ADA marked sites, but as developed as the campground is I imagine most all of the sites to be fairly accessible. I did see ADA bathrooms and showers.
Other facilities/amenities here included an extensive day use recreation area located next to the camping section. There were beaches amid the many picnic benches and shelters. Large grass fields were adjacent to a nice set of swings and play structures. A nice boat ramp was located at the end of the park area next to a swim beach and a small fishing pier. This park is camper friendly with overnight options and a dump station.
Over all I loved this campground as it somehow gave you the feeling of a small campground yet offering a lot of facilities/amenities. At less than $30 a night, I highly recommend other Dyrt users check it out.
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!
GuideNo car access which makes it much quieter and less used. I was there on a hot July weekday and there were only two parties camping, both which had come by canoe. There is a Vault toilet. There are a few picnic tables, and a few fire rings down on the lakeshore, but lots of sites in addition to the developed sites scattered in the trees. No running water. A beautiful, easy trail to hike in to the campground which took about an hour from the trailhead.
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
Tent camping near Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho offers a unique blend of stunning natural beauty and outdoor adventure, making it a perfect getaway for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Lake Pend Oreille is Green Bay Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED 2024 with a 5-star rating from 12 reviews.
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