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Sublett Campground allows pets at free dispersed sites near Malta, Idaho, with picnic tables, fire rings, and primitive camping during the June-November season. Campers can access tent and RV sites via a drive-in route, though the unpaved access road requires about 11 miles of travel on gravel from Interstate 84. The campground features beautiful scenery with hills that display striking colors at sunset. No drinking water is available on site, so visitors must bring their own supplies. Cattle frequently graze in the surrounding area and can sometimes be heard at night.
Thompson Flat Campground and Lake Cleveland East Campground provide additional pet-friendly options in the region, both offering tent and RV camping with basic amenities. Thompson Flat features numerous shaded sites with picnic tables, BBQ grills, and fire rings scattered among the trees. The campground sits at high elevation, providing a cool escape from summer valley heat. Vault toilets are available, though no running water is provided. Nearby Lake Cleveland offers fishing opportunities with crystal clear water where trout can be easily spotted from shore. Most campgrounds in the area maintain a pack-in, pack-out trash policy, and cell service varies by location with Verizon generally more reliable than other carriers. The road leading to these higher elevation sites is paved until turning off toward the campgrounds.
"We had a fantastic time and our dogs loved it too. We were one of 3 campsites in use during out stay in the last half of September."
"Our site was not too close to any others except the other one we booked with friends. Decent bathrooms. Close to Lake Cleveland. Great birding in the actual campground."
from $8 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Located about a 7-mile drive/walk to the entrance of City of Rocks, Smoky Mountain Campground is situated above the valley providing a wonderful view from many sites including space #19 where I parked"
"Wasn't able to get the guidebook due to the visitor center closure (just as the COVID-19 stuff started) but was able to take a nice lap around the main spire and on-sight a few routes for us. "
"We found this site on the Dyrt in looking for a stopover between Park city Utah and Boise Idaho. Wow, Bennet Springs is a hidden gem!"
"Our favorite site has a little creek right next to it. Great for kids to play in. There's also a trail that goes along the creek which starts at the bottom most campsite."
"Access to the Snake River. Pet friendly with poop bag stations throughout the grounds. Food delivery to your site from the onsite restaurant. Will definitely be back."
"Right off the highway this is a very nice and tidy park with river access. Dog friendly with plenty of room. Hosts are very nice and helpful."
"Driving up to Lake Cleveland I realized that this was the same road we traveled in the winter to get to one of our local ski mountains. "
"This is a beautiful Campsite right on Lake Cleveland. The East side is great for RV's while the West end is better for Tents."
from $10 / night
Check Availability"This is another great campsite on the road that heads up to Lake Cleveland and Mt Harrison. "
"Just a short walk away brings you to incredible views and cool rock formations. There is an outhouse but no running water and it’s a trash in/trash out campsite."
from $5 / night
"This beautiful state park is located right off of the freeway about 7 miles outside of American Falls, Idaho."
"You definitely want a lower loop site to get away from the freeway noise, plus you will have more shade during peak summer heat."
"We ended up finding this spot to when we were looking at camping near Independence Lakes. It is a dispersed camping. The site was big enough for 3-4 trailers and had a picnic table and a fire ring."
"Really long gravel from highway to site. So far off the highway that it is complete quiet and serenity. Had firewood there and a fire ring to build a fire. Also a picnic table. Beautiful views."
"Cows are friendly around here. Lot of flies but no mosquitoes! No access to water so be prepared. We camped at a designated site on the north side of the reservoir."
"Surrounding hills at sunset were beautiful!"
"Electric and water taps are on even numbered sites and shared with the adjacent odd numbered site, so if your cord or hose is on the short side choose an even numbered site."
"Walking distance to the ranger station and town. Close to the entrance of the City of Rocks. Onsite informal manager and owner both stopped by to ensure we did not need anything. A great experience."
from $15 - $30 / night
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GuideSignificant traffic noise, but to be expected when so convenient to the freeway. The only non-electric sites are parking on the side of the road as no vehicles are allowed on the grass in the tent area. Not ideal for me in a truck camper. But still a nice stop over for one night.
LegendNew place so the trees are small but it is by far the closest camping with services to both the national monument and the state park hiking area. They seem to have added some services since the last reviews and now have an outdoor shower, 3 pit toilets along with the electric and water services. All in, the camping rate is extremely reasonable as compared to the state park rates and the access to hiking and climbing couldn't be better.
LegendI have really enjoyed my one night stop here. Go to the lower campground so that you stay away from the noise of the road. But if you're a trail person and a view person, this is by far the nicest state park so far. Unfortunately I camped in the upper campground. The water was on, but the bathrooms were closed. The lower bathrooms were still open. But they're old and not well maintained.
LegendGreat dispersed site with views of the snow dusted hills, stars and a beautiful sunrise. We were the only camper the night we spent in our way through the area. This is definitely worth a repeat should we find ourselves in the area again. It was a bit confusing entering the area. Road 1250 off of Highway 81 is probably not going to work if towing due to a somewhat tight turn at the second cattle guard but more of a concern is the big dip right after that guard The entrance is quite narrow as well. The first road in off Highway 77 has you opening and closing a couple gates and is a bit rough until you get to the main road. There is mention of a second entrance off 77 but we didn’t check that one out. The vault toilet was very clean but was out of TP. Pack it in-pack it out
LegendI'm camping at the milliner historic park. And it is very very nice. The camp spots are basic pit. Toilet sometimes trash down. Little gravel roads right next to the water. The park is pretty huge, though. And they have just paved the incoming road. Typical BLM except it has lots and lots of stuff to see and paths to walk so fun place to visit. Day passes $5 and camping is 15, so I believe you owe a total of 20 I. Couldn't find a way online to actually pay for the camping. So I think you have to use the entrance fees area.
LegendPretty sure they're managed by the same county organization and use the same website. It's a cute little park out on a spit, surrounded by water. There was no host and it definitely points one at the website for reservations. Water and electric and pit toilets. The sign points to a dump station in nearby Kimberly.
LegendFor a county park, it's cute if small. The issue is getting a reservation requires a myriad of information on a website which is kind of just too much. Seems like the prices are reasonable. The place is cute. The toilets trash electric hookups. I have not seen water or sewer.
LegendThere are about 10 formal spots and more dispersed spots if you have a vehicle to get back there. Bathrooms, fire ring, picnic tables and trash at the park next door around a small but drying out lake. Free as of today still.
GuideWe drove through. Beautiful suites. Super windy in mid October.
Dispersed camping options near Malta, Idaho provide outdoor recreation access in the Sawtooth National Forest. The area sits at elevations between 4,500-7,000 feet with juniper and pine forest terrain. Summer temperatures typically range from 50-85°F with cool nights even during peak season.
Hiking to mountain peaks: The Mount Harrison area offers accessible hiking with exceptional views. "Mt. Harrison Peak is 3.1 miles away and gives beautiful views into the South and West of Idaho. There is a fire watch tower there along with an interpretive area to learn about the plants in the area," notes a visitor to Lake Cleveland East Campground.
Birding in the campgrounds: The pine forests provide excellent bird watching opportunities. A camper at Thompson Flat Campground mentioned, "Great birding in the actual campground. This campground is one of the best places to find the Cassia Crossbill."
Creek exploration: Kids can enjoy wading in the small waterways throughout the area. At Bennett Springs, a reviewer shared that their "favorite site has a little creek right next to it. Great for kids to play in. There's also a trail that goes along the creek which starts at the bottom most campsite."
High elevation escape: The mountains around Malta provide relief from summer heat. "High elevation experience with mountain and lake views. Might even see free range cattle in the area!" explains a camper about their stay at Lake Cleveland East.
Fishing opportunities: Clear mountain lakes offer good trout fishing. "The lake itself was very beautiful and had crystal clear water! We could see fish swimming among the rocks from 20' above on the road!" reported a visitor to Twin Lakes Campground.
Colorful wildflower displays: Early summer brings abundant wildflowers to the mountains. "We went in the beginning of July and the wild flowers were gorgeous, my kids were in heaven!" said one Thompson Flat Campground reviewer.
Road conditions: Most forest roads require careful driving. A camper at Sublett Campground noted, "Took my dodge dart back here, almost 40 minutes on the gravel road from I-84. I think its about 11 miles but in some case there were large rocks that an SUV could easily handle but i need to go slow and move some out of the way."
Cell service variability: Coverage depends on location and carrier. "We were one of 3 campsites in use during out stay in the last half of September. We never saw a camphost anywhere, but the forest service were thinning trees during out stay... You are in direct line with a tower on another mountain peek to the East and we got excellent signal for both cell and tv," reported a Lake Cleveland East camper.
Seasonal timing matters: Many campgrounds have limited seasons due to elevation. "Camped near the end of October and all the other campsites were closed and locked. This one was open and I was the only one there," shared a visitor about Thompson Flat Campground.
Historical education opportunities: Several sites feature historical markers. At Bennett Springs, a visitor mentioned, "There is also a monument dedicated to nine military men that died in a military plane, B-24, that crashed nearby in February 1945."
Look for secluded sites: Some campgrounds offer more privacy than others. One camper at Bennett Springs shared, "We took the site at the eastern end and felt like we had the place to ourselves. Nice trail along the creek and wildflowers everywhere."
Weekend planning essential: Popular campgrounds can get crowded on weekends. "This is one of the last campgrounds you come across before arriving at the turnoff for Lake Cleveland. It has a ton of spots but they are pretty close together so try to camp here during the weekday," advised a Thompson Flat visitor.
Site selection strategy: Choose specific sites for the best experience. At Village of Trees RV Resort, a reviewer recommended: "Sites here are easy pull-thrus with full hookups. A nice little patch of grass spaces out RV's and gives each site its own outdoor space."
Elevation considerations: Higher campgrounds provide cooler temperatures for pet friendly camping near Malta, Idaho. A visitor mentioned, "We loved our stay at Thompson Flat! We had a fantastic time and our dogs loved it too."
Access route planning: Approach forest service campgrounds from specific directions when possible. One camper at Flat Canyon advised, "I recommend anyone coming in with a trailer or Rv to come in from the Elba side opposed to the Oakley Side."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Malta, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Malta, ID is Thompson Flat Campground with a 4-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Malta, ID?
TheDyrt.com has all 39 dog-friendly camping locations near Malta, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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