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Best Tent Camping near Mackay, ID

258 Reviews

Tent campgrounds in the Mackay, Idaho area range from established sites near trailheads to free dispersed locations scattered throughout the surrounding mountains. Mt. Borah Trailhead and Camping Area offers tent sites at 7,200 feet elevation with picnic tables and fire rings for $5 per night, serving as the primary basecamp for hikers attempting Idaho's highest peak. Iron Bog Campground provides tent camping with vault toilets in a secluded setting within Challis National Forest.

Most tent sites around Mackay operate on a first-come, first-served basis with minimal amenities. Campers should bring all necessary water supplies, as even campgrounds listing drinking water may have seasonal shutoffs. Vault toilets are available at established sites including Broad Canyon Campground and Mt. Borah, but dispersed camping areas like Uncle Johns Gulch require visitors to dig catholes. Fire restrictions frequently apply during summer months. Gravel roads access most camping areas, with some requiring high-clearance vehicles. Sites typically feature level spaces for tents with fire rings, though not all have picnic tables or shade structures.

The camping terrain varies significantly with elevation, transitioning from sagebrush at lower elevations to juniper and pine forests higher up. Most tent areas offer easy access to hiking trails, fishing streams, or mountain views. Sites near creeks provide natural white noise and easier water access for filtering. The area around Iron Bog Campground features "ample trails kicking off straight from the campground into the wilderness, for hiking, walking, snowmobiling, mountain biking." Uncle Johns Gulch offers more secluded walk-in tent sites along a stream valley with adjacent hiking and mountain biking trails. According to one camper, "There are designated camp spots with a bathroom and fire pits towards the end of the road, but before the campground there are a lot of spots on the way where there are fire pits that feel more secluded so you are not on top of everybody."

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Detours Nearby

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Uncle Johns Gulch on Corral Creek Road

Uncle Johns Gulch on Corral Creek Road

1 hr 6 min away

Hyndman Campground

Hyndman Campground

1 hr 56 min away

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Best Tent Sites Near Mackay, Idaho (25)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Mackay, ID

4 Photos of 25 Mackay Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Mackay, ID

258 Reviews of 25 Mackay Campgrounds

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 18, 2022

    Prairie Creek Camping

    Beautiful Free Spot

     There are about 6 designated spots here in this free little campground.  Camping is allowed in designated sites only and there is a 10 day stay limit.

    Site #1 is all by itself to the right at the fork, and it was the best site, in our opinion. 

    Each site has a fire pit (no fires allowed at this time!). There is no picnic bench. There is one vault toilet and no garbage collection and no water.  There are no bear boxes but proper bear proof food storage is required.

    A small creek runs along this campground and the views are incredible. Nice shade cover and trees. This area is fine dirt and so-so in terms of flat spots. Campground is right on the road so you hear the cars but considering how beautiful and free the campground it, the cars aren’t bothersome. Plus it quiets down at night. 

    Zero cell service.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 18, 2022

    Prairie Creek Camping

    Beautiful Free Spot

     There are about 6 designated spots here in this free little campground.  Camping is allowed in designated sites only and there is a 10 day stay limit.

    Site #1 is all by itself to the right at the fork, and it was the best site, in our opinion. 

    Each site has a fire pit (no fires allowed at this time!). There is no picnic bench. There is one vault toilet and no garbage collection and no water.  There are no bear boxes but proper bear-proof food storage is required.

    A small creek runs along this campground and the views are incredible. Nice shade cover and trees. This area is fine dirt and so-so in terms of flat spots. Campground is right on the road so you hear the cars but considering how beautiful and free the campground it, the cars aren’t bothersome. Plus it quiets down at night. 

    Zero cell service.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 26, 2019

    Caribou Campground

    Small but pleasant

    This is a tent only campground(there is nowhere for RVs to turn around, and backing out would be a horrific proposition) with only seven sites. The best sites are the four that are on the creek side of the camp road. There is a vault toilet(not especially clean) and a bear proof dumpster, and lots of signs about bears, but no bear boxes for food storage. The campsites are nicely shaded, but not especially private(you can see most of the sites from each other). This campground is$2 cheaper than the next closest campground(I drove to the other site to check it out and returned here because except for the price, they were about the same). There is a pretty cool avalanche/rock slide up the road that is impressive in size and there are some pretty cool beaver dams and lodges in the creek/marshy area that feeds into the river. Be careful picking a site along the creek as it runs pretty close to the edge of two sites and I suspect the sites get flooded during big rains(due to the beaver dams). Showers are not terribly far away at Redfish Lake Park.

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 23, 2019

    Mt. Borah Trailhead and Camping Area

    Wonderful Views @ a Semi-Primitive CG

    Wow!  Absolutely the best spot to set up camp if you're looking at doing an alpine attempt on the roof of Idaho, Mt. Borah!  The campground sits right around 7200'  which is a decent bit cooler than the Big Lost River Valley to the west.  There is also a good bit of shade despite there being few large trees.  Its kind of a transition between the sage brush and juniper climate zones.  There are picnic tables and metal fire rings @ each site but there is absolutely no running water so be sure to fill your water bottles and camelbaks in Mackey which is the closest town.  There are vault toilets but no other amenities.  The perk of being fairly primitive is that the sites are only $5 a night!

    If you're planning on summiting Borah it's a good idea to get an alpine start <6 AM so you don't get baked by the sun as there's no shade the last 2 miles and sparse shade the first 1.5.  It is a brutal hike if you're not prepared.  The trail ascends 5200' of elevation in just over 3.5 miles.  Your legs will probably burn, bring hiking poles for the descent!  If you don't feel like hiking there are plenty of rivers nearby in which to fish and great spots to check out the scarp of the 1980's Mt. Borah earthquake, which you drive across on the way to the campground/trailhead.

  • Jake G.
    May. 28, 2019

    Lava Flow Campground — Craters of the Moon National Monument

    The Earthside of the Moon

    This is what you would expect in the wilderness of Idaho! A unique location, and an experience worth having!

    Please obey posted fire safety warnings as Idaho is plagued by enough man made wildfires each year!

    Have fun and leave no trace!

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 26, 2019

    Lava Flow Campground — Craters of the Moon National Monument

    Camping on the moon

    Holy Cow! It really was like camping on the moon(except the wind) or on a volcano. This is a barren place due to the volcanic nature of the land, but it was very pretty and the campground was set up in an almost ingenious way to provide privacy for most sites. There were essentially two loops, but the loops had lots of twists and turns and ups and downs in order to squeeze in the most number of sites with the most privacy. I ended up with a deep site where I could set my tent up between some lava rocks to get some semblance of a wind break. From inside my tent I could not see any other sites(which was really nice), but I could see my neighbors from my picnic table. No fires are allowed(which I found interesting since we were camped on a lava flow), and there are no showers(someone told me that maybe I could get a shower at the KOA in Arco, but I didn’t bother). In fact, water is somewhat restricted- there were signs stating RV’s could not fill up, but all were welcome to fill personal water jugs. Even the dish washing station was closed at the restrooms. Speaking of which, the restrooms had flush toilets and sinks with cold water and were fairly clean if a bit outdated. Definitely get some hiking in while you are here. There is a nice trail from the campground that connects to the North Crater Flow trail, and if you have some stamina climb the Inferno Cone for great views(watch the ground for cinders that look like glass!). Get a permit at the visitors center to go into the lava tube caves(its free but required). I only hiked in Indian Cave as I wasn’t comfortable with the pitch black dark of Boy Scout and Beauty Caves by myself. Definitely check out the town of Arco, the first in the nation to be powered by nuclear energy. Not far from Arco is the nuclear power plant, decommissioned, where you can take a free tour. Back at the campground there is one last important note- you have to pay the electronic ranger for your campsite, and NO cash is accepted. Only credit cards.

  • Stephanie V.
    Oct. 30, 2020

    Lava Flow Campground — Craters of the Moon National Monument

    Nestled in the lava landscape

    Prepare to have your mind blown as you roll in to Lava Flow Campground. It is nestled in the uniquely lunar landscape caused by, well, lava flow. The grounds sit at the entrance of the scenic 7-mile loop that provides access to trails that take you over, under, and around various volcanic features.

    We went during COVID times, so there was no access to the caves. Still, it was a memorable experience driving the loop and hiking around. In late October, the water was shut off due to frozen pipes, restrooms were closed except for the vault toilets. We found the vaults to be remarkably clean and unstinky. 

    The sites varied drastically in quality and size- probably because they were built around existing landscape that begged to be preserved. Because it was a weekday and off-season, we had the grounds to ourselves and took our time selecting the best site, and made sure to mark our favorites for the next trip. Site 27 was our favorite for sweeping views and size, but we ended up staying in 29, which is nestled on its own in some lava rocks that provide wind protection.

  • C
    Oct. 22, 2020

    Lava Flow Campground — Craters of the Moon National Monument

    Stunning Spot

    An absolutely beautiful place to camp. Black lava rock everywhere. No cell service. No hookups but if you have a generator it’s all good to run it during normal non quiet hours. Vault toilets open in winter. Lots of fun hikes within the park. Sites have grills and can be used for RVs or tents. 15 or 7.50 if you are NPS pass holder or senior

  • Breezy A.
    Jul. 19, 2018

    North Fork Campground - Sawtooth National Forest

    Most excellent!

    Beautiful campground located at the mouth of Sawtooth Natl Forest. Right next to Wood River and surrounded by huge cottonwoods. Vault toilets and well water from spigot available. Pets allowed on leash. Good basecamp for exploring the Sawtooth area and Ketchum! I only knocked it down to 4 stars for highway noise which was rarely bothersome.

Guide to Mackay

Mackay, Idaho, offers a serene escape for tent campers looking to immerse themselves in nature. With a variety of campgrounds nearby, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy stunning landscapes and peaceful surroundings.

Explore Scenic Trails and Natural Beauty

  • The Iron Bog Campground is nestled in the Challis National Forest, providing access to beautiful mountain views and a tranquil atmosphere.
  • At Mt. Borah Trailhead and Camping Area, campers can set up near the base of Idaho's highest peak, perfect for those looking to tackle an alpine adventure.
  • Broad Canyon Campground features a trailhead that leads to stunning high mountain lakes, ideal for hiking and fishing.

Affordable Camping Options

Amenities for a Comfortable Stay

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mackay, ID?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mackay, ID is Mt. Borah Trailhead and Camping Area with a 4.5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Mackay, ID?

TheDyrt.com has all 25 tent camping locations near Mackay, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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