Mackay is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Mackay is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Find the best campgrounds near Mackay, ID. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
The Lava Flow Campground is a 42-site campground accessible by automobile from May through November depending on snow conditions. All sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some sites will accommodate large RVs, but no hookups are available.
$25 / night
Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads.
When you reserve a camping spot it is for your licensed vehicle only! Camping is allowed in designated areas only - identified by a white sign with a black number. Each spot has a fire ring and a picnic table. the fire ring and table are not to be moved. Digging fire pits/building rock fire rings is prohibited. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash at all times and not left unattended. To ensure that you would not have to move during your stay, it is recommended that you reserve your camp spot by using this webpage. Reservation can be made for two (2) days and two (2) nights. Park is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday for maintenance and watering NO EXCEPTIONS. NO fee is charged for the camp site, However, a $40.00 fee is charged for using the webpage to make the reservation, posting reserved signs, and maintenance.
$40 / night
Welcome to the Wagon Wheel Motel & RV Park
Are you looking for a pet-friendly, family-ready escape from your work week? We would love to share our little slice of heaven with you. Come for a day, a weekend, or a whole week. In Mackay Idaho, you will find outdoor adventures to entertain your whole family and four-legged friends.
Stay in our motel, or set up camp at the RV Park. We offer full-service kitchens if you want to dine in after spending the day hiking Mt Borah or fishing at Mackay Reservoir. If camping in your RV is what your plans are, all of our sites are full hookup, and bathhouse available for your use. There is also coin-operated laundry on-site in case you decide you need more time to explore.
$40 - $140 / night
This secluded camping area at Craters of the Moon National Monument is the perfect spot for organized groups. It is available by reservation only for groups of up to 30 people (May-September) for tent camping only.
The Visitor Center and scenic 7-mile Loop Drive are located 1.5 miles from the group campground on the south side of U.S. Highway 20/26/93. Climbing Sunset Cone is a strenuous activity but the views from the top are outstanding. Obtain an additional day-use permit for venturing north of the campground on Goodale's Cutoff. This historic trail was an alternative route used by pioneers travelling to the Oregon Territory. This dirt and gravel double-track road is a great place for riding a mountain bike. Obtain a map at the Visitor Center.
The group campground accommodates up to 30 people for tent camping only. The site has picnic tables, one large campfire ring, drinking water and a vault restroom. A large barbecue is also onsite for grilling with briquettes. The parking area will accommodate eight vehicles maximum (no RVs or trailers).
Please be aware the campground has an accessible picnic table and vault toilet, but paths to these are not accessible.
Craters of the Moon is known for its extensive lava flows and well-preserved volcanic features. The group campground is located on the north side of U.S. Highway 20/26/93 at the base of Sunset Cone, a 12,000 year old cinder cone. A grove of Douglas fir trees grows on the shady north side of the volcano surrounding the group campground.
The Peaks to Craters Scenic Byway links the high peaks of the Lost River Range to the volcanic craters of Craters of the Moon. Restaurants, groceries and supplies are available in nearby Arco, Idaho (18 miles east).
$15 - $30 / night
The Joseph T. Fallini Campground, situated on the banks of the Mackay Reservoir, is the only recreational site in Challis Field Office that offers full RV hookups and features a diversity of other facilities. This scenic area has a gorgeous view of the Lost River Range and offers recreational opportunities such as boating in the summer and ice fishing in late winter. Mackay Reservoir offers a boat ramp providing access to the reservoir for jet skiing, water skiing and sailing . Other boat launches along the reservoir (and one downstream of the dam) are also available.
Vistiors can engage in a variety of recreation opportunities including (ice) fishing, camping, picnicking, wildlife viewing, nature walking, boating, and star-gazing.
This site resides on the banks on Mackay Reservoir surrounded by the Lost River Range to the east and Knob Mountains to the west.
Mackay Mine Hill Historical Self-Guided Tour Borah Peak Wilderness Study Area Borah Peak Trailhead Big Lost River Chilly Slough Wildlife Conservation Area Lost River Museum Craters of the Moon National Monument_ Lower Cedar Creek Waterfall
For facility specific information, please call (208) 879-6200.
$25 / night
Welcome to Moose Crossing RV Park, a peaceful retreat nestled amidst stunning natural scenery. With 33 spacious RV sites and two dry cabins, we provide a perfect getaway for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts alike. Our park features clean, on-site bathrooms, showers and laundry to ensure a comfortable stay. For your convenience, we have a small store stocked with essentials and treats. Adventure awaits just beyond your doorstep with direct access to ATV trails that weave through the picturesque landscape. Whether you're here to explore or simply unwind, Whispering Pines offers a peaceful escape with all the comforts you need.
$42 - $50 / night
$25 / night
Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads.
When you reserve a camping spot it is for your licensed vehicle only! Camping is allowed in designated areas only - identified by a white sign with a black number. Each spot has a fire ring and a picnic table. the fire ring and table are not to be moved. Digging fire pits/building rock fire rings is prohibited. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash at all times and not left unattended. To ensure that you would not have to move during your stay, it is recommended that you reserve your camp spot by using this webpage. Reservation can be made for two (2) days and two (2) nights. Park is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday for maintenance and watering NO EXCEPTIONS. NO fee is charged for the camp site, However, a $40.00 fee is charged for using the webpage to make the reservation, posting reserved signs, and maintenance.
$40 / night
Welcome to the Wagon Wheel Motel & RV Park
Are you looking for a pet-friendly, family-ready escape from your work week? We would love to share our little slice of heaven with you. Come for a day, a weekend, or a whole week. In Mackay Idaho, you will find outdoor adventures to entertain your whole family and four-legged friends.
Stay in our motel, or set up camp at the RV Park. We offer full-service kitchens if you want to dine in after spending the day hiking Mt Borah or fishing at Mackay Reservoir. If camping in your RV is what your plans are, all of our sites are full hookup, and bathhouse available for your use. There is also coin-operated laundry on-site in case you decide you need more time to explore.
$40 - $140 / night
Legend
Free designated dispersed campsite along Sawtooth Nation Forest Road 137. Camped here at the end of September 2024. Very large designated dispersed site set downhill from the forest road; no issues with dust from this road. The area is level. May be able to park 3 rigs. Tent camping is possible back from the parking area toward the metal firering. This area can accommodate 3 or 4 tents, or one big hot tent. Corral Creek is just down a short path from the campsite. The sound of the creek can be heard at the site. Very quiet area. Mountains on either side of the site. The parking area is dirt and gravel. The "tent" area is grass and dirt. Don't see opportunities for hammock camping. No cell service. No shade; solar recharging and Starlink possible. 3 day limit. Hiking trailheads and vault toilet at the end of the forest road.
Legend
$10 (paid $5 with senior pass). First come, first served. Camped at site #10 in late September 2024. This primitive national forest campground was not busy during my visit. Copper Basin Loop Road accessing this campground, which has a gravel surface, was in good condition; there was some washboarding in a few places. The campground has a lower loop and an upper loop. The campground has a mix of pull-through and back-in sites; some leveling may be reuired in some sites. Site #10 is a short gravel pull-thru in the upper loop, good fit for my campervan, although very close to the campground road. There is a short path from the site driveway down to a picnic table and metal fire ring. The ground is a little chewed up from voles and cow hooves. Tent and hammock camping are possible. This site has partial shade; others in the loop are open. Little privacy between sites. Depending on the site, you can get a view of Copper Basin from the upper loop. The upper loop has two clean vault toilet facilities; I didn't use the vault toilet in the lower loop, but assume that it is clean. There is a hand water pump in both loops but shut down for the season during our visit. Trout fishing in nearby Star Hope Creek was pretty good; it's about a 1/4 mile walk from my campsite. No T-Mobile or AT&T cell service. Overall, a pretty campground; mostly wooded. I would camp here again. Boondocking is also possible along the Copper Basin Loop Rd.
Legend
$10 ($5 with interagency pass). First-come, first-served. Camped one night in site #13 on Sept 24, 2024. Gravel road to this out-of-the-way campground was in good condition. Pretty part of the Challis National Forest. Nothing remarkable about the campground itself. Looks like some of the sites have not been maintained in a while; overgrown with weeds, grass and sagebrush. Sites have tables and fire rings; some had shade-awnings over the tables. The vault toilets were clean. The hand water pump did not pump water; water was probably turned off for the season. No payment envelopes were provided - maybe because it was the end of the season. No hiking trails. Most sites are in the open with no shade; a few were shaded near the creek. Gravel campground road and site driveways. Site sizes varied. No privacy between sites. Tent camping possible. Solar recharging possible at my site. Great views of the mountains around the campground. Very quiet, peaceful evening; only one other site was occupied during my visit. No T-Mobile and AT&T cell service. There were several boondocking sites on the way to the campground.
Legend
Coordinartes: 44.16547,-112.90392. Beautiful views. Large dirt and gravel site, right along side to Skull Canyon Road, about a mile from ID Hwy 28. Canyon walls on each side. Rough narrow rocky track to the site from the highway; recommend high clearance. High humps on this track. Small rock fire ring. Grass and sagebrush all around site. Some leveling may be required. Tent camping possible. Very peaceful; can hardly hear road noise from highway. The only vehicle that drove by was a national forest truck. No cell service. There are several boondocking sites, some with vault toilets nearby, along Hwy 28 in the Birch Creek Recreation Area.
Traveler
We stayed here 1 night in mid-October, 2024. Bulletin board directed us to our reserved site. never saw any of the staff and received our welcome email at 9 a.m. the next day as we were departing. Poor trees are half dead. Stay was OK except for the racket from a neighboring property with massive loudspeakers blasting reveille in the a.m. and an annoying, caterwauling rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at sunset. Nutty Arco.
Ranger
We came to Craters of the Moon early, ended up being there most of the day. Instead of going on and trying to find dispersed camping, we treated ourselves to a site in the park.
Sites are $15, and you must have the American the Beautiful Pass or pay park entry fee.
The sites are dry camping with toilet facilities and water (no dump station).
The sites are right in amongst lava field and is quite unique.
Campground was very quiet at night and very dark. Could see the sky and stars wonderfully.
Definitely a great park and place to stay.
Ranger
We stopped as a overnight prior to Craters of the Moon.
Off Hwy 20 enough that there is no road noise.
Gravel parking areas that are mostly level.
Pit toilet on site.
Fire rings in most sites.
Have ok Verizon coverage and super fast Starlink.
Definitely worth a stay.
Guide
Stayed here for two nights. The first night I have the whole area to myself. The second night there was two other campers. Doesn't seem to be super popular or high in demand. So finding a spot shouldn't be a problem. There was about six or more parking/camping areas. No Wi-Fi or Verizon signal. There is a toilet available. Access to the river as well.
Scout
The campground is clean $20 a night with some highway noise. There is a bear in the area at this time.
Scout
Delightful creekside free campsites! Turn at the BLM sign and take a little gravel road to several free creekside spots! There are at least two pit toilets, one at a spot with two picnic tables, each has a great shade, fire pit, and a place for a camp stove! One has a flat raised gravel spot for a tent, which was good because we actually saw a couple mice. The second pit toilet was further down the road at a more separated spot, it looked like it was ADA accessible and also had a picnic table, etc. Close enough to Carey to get gas/ice. Only giving it 4 stars because of the mice (pack out your own trash guys! It isn’t hard!) and the complete lack of trees, the covers over the picnic tables did proved shade, but it still got crazy hot.
Scout
This is a decent spot if you need a place to stop in between Idaho Falls and salmon. Nice and quiet middle of nowhere spot for a middle of nowhere drive. There are a ton of other campsites and sleeping opportunities along the highway north of here that are part of the birch recreation zone.
GuideWe arrived with a reservation for a rental RV, smooth and friendly check-in. But then... Small site, no shade at all. Nicely flat though. Firepit/BBQ filled with cigarettes, non-usable. Pool was as small as can be, 10 pax= overcrowded. Toilets and showers outdated, broken and terribly dirty. The neighbour will play a loud national anthem at 9 p.m. and an even louder reveille at 9 a.m. One can see as far as possible, but the scenery consists of old trailers and mess.
Pro's: The showers were for free and nicely warm. 4 washing machines ($1,75 half an hour) 4 dryers ($1,50 half an hour) Free wafles and coffee between 9a.m. and 10 a.m. Friendly staff.
Overall: nearly good enough for a one night stay. Never saw something like this before.
ScoutFor our family's first vacation in our new travel trailer, we foolishly chose to visit the KOA campground in Arco, Idaho. We had informed them of our late arrival around 11 PM. Upon arrival, they handed us a map and pointed to a campsite number. None of the spots were properly marked, but surrounded by other trailers, we assumed we were in the right place. The next morning, we discovered the bathrooms were absolutely revolting, clearly not cleaned for days, despite a sign claiming daily cleaning. Mud on the floors, mold and mildew in the showers, overflowing trash, and toilet paper strewn about—it was utterly disgusting. When we returned later that day, a staff member immediately confronted us, accusing us of lacking a reservation. We provided the requested documentation, and they disappeared. Then the owner or manager approached us aggressively, violently pointing out our supposed error on the map and ordering us to move everything to the correct spot—right behind where we had parked, already occupied by another family they had mistakenly placed. In a menacing tone, he begrudgingly decided to relocate the incoming family to our original spot. This whole scene unfolded in front of numerous families at the KOA, with no regard for our embarrassment or the other campers' discomfort. After this disgraceful ordeal, we decided to just pack up and leave, not even bothering to request a refund. As we were packing, the manager approached, still not apologizing, but handed me a receipt for a refund that I never asked for nor wanted. I informed him firmly that this was not about money but about their appalling mismanagement. I intend to dispute the refund because this KOA should not be associated with such incompetence and filth and I will not accept hush money.
TravelerArrived later than I wanted and was thrilled to find site 1, I believe this was the North entrance, was available. Great spot with a pit toilet and table. Plenty of room to park and level. Loved listening to the creek all night. Wet a fly the next morning and caught a great brown trout. Lots of little dinkers, too.
Ranger
It was the perfect location close to Stanley. It was a bit dusty. Bathroom was clean. Showers were good. The food at the restaurant was amazing. We have AT&T and no cell service. There is no trees for shade. Had to walk the dogs a little further to do their business.
Ranger
Amazing small campground with such simple charm (MUST eat at the restaurant within the campground! Southern smoked BBQ!)
RangerIt’s a quiet place. It is dusty. The camp host was awesome. He was quick to tell us what sites were still available on a holiday weekend. He even alerted the campers that a bear was spotted a few miles down. There is no power and no cell service.
Guide
Free (donation box) camping. I have a hard time imagining this place filling up, plenty of field to park in. Most RVs were under a row of trees. Two vault toilets, on either end of camping. Not the cleanest or freshest I’ve used, but not the worst. Great scenery and birdwatching. Good stop on the way to/from Craters.
RangerGreat sites nestled In The lava rocks. Great hiking or biking the 7mi loop road. We didn't have reservations but got there early (2pm) it looked very full by 6pm. We got our spot, then drove our rv around to the different scenic spots and returned to camp 5 hrs later.
GuideIt was a special camping experience. They just renewed all the roads in the park. Campground is right next to loop around the park with some nice spots. Clean flushing toilets and water. Get there in time! We had one of the last spots at 5pm
Scout
Spent two nights here so we could visit nearby Craters of the Moon. Spaces are long and level at least. Fire pits are shared with 1-2 other spots. Our table was completely leaning over. Neither of the bathroom toilets would flush. The sprinklers came on in the middle of camp and soaked everything with no warning. Okay if you need a quick stop for the night.
TravelerNice sites . Some more suitable for tents, other for vans.
15$ per night, first come first serve. We were there Memorial weekend (Sunday) and there were still spots.
Guide
This site was pretty easy to find. There were a couple of campers camped closer to the road from the turn-off but we managed to find a spot that was secluded and perfect for us right next to the creek. Tons of space, especially since we were by ourselves. Had a real fire pit! This was a cold stay and our tent was covered in frost in the morning, but a good spot to be. Close enough to town, close enough to hiking.
LegendStopped at Craters of the Moon on our trip home from Mt Rainer. It’s not a large campground, and it off the main road. A little hard to find. (Behind Pickle’s Place). Convent to Craters of the Moon !
Guide
Prices are 28$ a night unless you have the America the beautiful pass then it's 4$ they have caves that are free to access but you have to get a permit from the visitor center the spots are small and people get there late sometimes so it was a bit noisy at night we stayed for 4 days the hole attraction is because of lava formations over all a very nice stay
Guide
Quiet, private campsites. Close to Sun Valley. Place to turn around if unable to fine a campsite. No cell coverage. Only 3 day limit.
GuideNice location, close to town. Close to road but not much traffic. Access can be difficult with steep access from main road and tricky spots along the access road. There are three access spots. Would pick the first or second. The road is difficult between the second and third access roads. Would recommend walking down to see if safe for you and your vehicle. There is more dispersed camping farther up the road but you begin to lose cell coverage.
Camping near Mackay, Idaho, offers a unique experience with stunning landscapes and a variety of campgrounds to choose from. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to relax or an adventurous getaway, there’s something for everyone.
Camping near Mackay, Idaho, is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors. With a variety of campgrounds and activities, you’re sure to find the perfect spot for your next adventure!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Mackay, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, Mackay, ID offers a wide range of camping options, with 90 campgrounds and RV parks near Mackay, ID and 23 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Mackay, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mackay, ID is Lava Flow Campground — Craters of the Moon National Monument with a 4.5-star rating from 56 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Mackay, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 23 free dispersed camping spots near Mackay, ID.
What parks are near Mackay, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 parks near Mackay, ID that allow camping, notably Craters of the Moon National Monument and Sawtooth National Forest.
