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Best Tent Camping near May, ID

128 Reviews

Tent camping options around May, Idaho include both established and primitive sites in the Salmon-Challis National Forest region. The Big Eightmile Trailhead provides designated tent sites with fire pits at the end of the road, while more secluded spots can be found along the approach. Camp Creek BLM camping offers primitive riverside tent camping with several sites spaced along the Salmon River, providing opportunities for fishing and water access.

Most tent sites in the area are primitive with minimal amenities. Timber Creek Campground is one of the few established sites offering drinking water and vault toilets, operating from mid-May through mid-October. The majority of campsites have fire rings but lack running water, requiring campers to either filter from nearby streams or bring their own supply. A recent review noted, "There are no services here, not even a pit toilet," which is typical for many of the dispersed camping areas. High clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing some of the more remote tent sites, particularly those near Waddington Creek.

The tent camping experience near May offers excellent access to surrounding mountain terrain and water features. Sites along the Salmon River provide direct water access for swimming and fishing during summer months. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, many campsites feature good tree coverage for hammocking and shade, with relatively even terrain for tent setup. Campers frequently mention the privacy between sites and opportunities for stargazing. During fall, the changing colors add visual appeal to riverside camps. Several campgrounds become inaccessible due to snow during winter months, with most areas operating best between May and October. Walk-in tent sites tend to offer more seclusion than the drive-in options, though reviewers note that highway noise can occasionally be heard at sites closest to main roads.

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Best Tent Sites Near May, Idaho (48)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near May, ID

5 Photos of 48 May Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near May, ID

128 Reviews of 48 May Campgrounds

  • 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.

  • Dexter I.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 16, 2021

    Shoup Bridge Campground — Salmon Field Office (Blm)

    Small campgound on Salmon river and highway

    Shoup Bridge  Campground is a small Campground surrounding cottonwood trees along the banks of the Salmon River. It is also right along the Highway.  We found this a pleasant campground to stay in, plenty of flat ground for our tents and only $5 a night.  A few sites are quite small, but still room for a tent. This was our Scouts jumping off point for a backpacking trip the next day.  While next to the highway we expected a lot of noise during the night, but that was not our experience, the only real road noise we had was in the early morning with worked out as it helped wake us up.  Each site has a picnic table and metal fire ring.  Water is available and the area has a vault toilet and trash cans.  Campground has a boat launch.

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2024

    Watts Bridge Campground

    Okay site on Salmon River--HOT in July

    Simple campground along Salmon River--beautiful setting, with maybe 5 spaces, not all of which are marked well but do have picnic tables to indicate. Also a vault toilet at loop campground. Buggy, even with river flowing and slight wind. Free, which is nice. Can hear US93 traffic, but not bad considering neighbor ran generator which drowned out some noise.

  • Nancy C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 8, 2021

    Deadman Hole

    A little slice of paradise on the Salmon River

    Pros: *Views for miles *Steps from the Salmon River *Boat launch for rafting,kayaking,fishing *Covered picnic table *Generous spacing between sites *Serious star gazing opportunities

    • Easy drive to Challis for supplies

    Cons: *No shade *Close to road, so some road noise.

    • No services, except a vault toilet, but with views like this, who cares.

    Pros out weigh the cons for us. 2 thumbs up.

  • M
    Jun. 3, 2018

    Blind Creek Campground

    Loved it!

    We visited the Stanley area last year just before the solar eclipse and everything in the area was booked or very busy. We came upon Blind Creek and found a nearly empty campground. It was fabulous. My wife wants to live there. Vault toilets, fire rings and picnic tables. Several good spots for RVs and lots of good tent spots. Can make reservations.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2021

    Custer #1 Campground

    Quiet except for the OHVs

    This small campground is along the Adventure Road going up the pass between Custer and Challis, on the Custer side of the pass. Really cool massive boulders are in and around the campground, and even though it is along the pass and near a beautiful gorge, you really can’t see anything beyond the campground due to the terrain. Sites are on the larger side, but not necessarily level. There are picnic tables and fire rings and a clean vault toilet, but not much else. Shade trees are on the skinny side so it may be difficult to hang a hammock. During the day it can get dusty with OHVs going up and down the road. For a cool experience, check out the ghost town of Custer or go further along the Adventure Road to see the ruins of some of the stagecoach stops.

  • Kristy A.
    Aug. 29, 2021

    Camp Creek BLM Camping

    Coming Back ASAP

    Site: moderately clean and private. Spaced apart about 3 sites alongside the river access. Trees for hammocking and shade. Relatively even for van parking. Not buggy at all. Can see one person's cabin up the road but that's it. 360 views of mountains, placed at the bottom of a canyon.

    Water: 1 minute walk to the river from all sites. No faucet for potable water, bring your own or filter from the river. 

    Noise: A bit of noise from US93, not that busy of a road but close enough to hear what passes except if you're sleeping in a van, ours muted that out nicely. 

    People: saw about 5 people total in an overnight stay. Nobody bugged us. Mostly just turning around. 1 camper next to us the following morning.

    Activities: perfect view of the big dipper between the canyon view made for a beautiful night of star gazing by the fire ring. Plenty of fishing access and space to walk around the river. Beautiful place to adventure and be, would be a great spot for multiple nights. Space for people to bring their family or friends. Far away from cities and towns that it's not too busy. 

  • sThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 20, 2025

    Deadman Hole

    Clean, road noise, walk to river

    This is a nice campground right off the road though so you do get some car noise. A fire ring, shade cover and picnic table are provided for the five campsites as well as a pit toilet. The river is about a four -8 minute walk or so from most campsites. Very clean

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 9, 2021

    Challis Hot Springs

    Everything but the kitchen sink

    This place has it ALLLLL. Tent sites, RV sites w/electric and water, dry sites; boat ramp; playground, volleyball net, clothes lines, hot springs pools(2!); showers; camp store with ice; WiFi; wildlife(two mountain goats lead me in on the road); walking trail; shade trees(no hammocks allowed). And it is next to the Snake river. Seriously?? Ok, so the tent sites are really close to the RV sites, but with electric there aren’t any generators running. And the pools close at 9pm, which seems kinda early when the sun doesn’t set until almost 9:30. But I get it. And you are close to the town of Challis with two grocery stores and two gas stations and a Family Dollar. If you can’t find what you need, you probably don’t need it. Besides, you are going to spend all of your time in the water or playing land games. The bathrooms and showers are open 24hrs a day so you don’t even have to use the porta potties scattered around the property if you don’t want to.

Guide to May

Primitive tent campsites near May, Idaho offer riverside access and mountain views within the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Most dispersed camping areas provide fire rings but lack facilities such as running water or restrooms. Winter conditions limit access to many sites from November through April, with the majority of camping areas accessible via Forest Service roads that may require high-clearance vehicles.

What to do

Fishing access: Camp Creek BLM Camping provides direct access to the Salmon River with multiple fishing spots. According to camper Mandi W., "We were the only ones there, each spot is super private, there aren't many spots. Ours was right on the river and we could easily go down and swim from our site."

Hiking nearby trails: Timber Creek Campground serves as a gateway to surrounding trail systems. Tate W. notes, "Excellent access to the surrounding area and trails/roads. Very few bugs. Water available and vaulted bathrooms. Lots of space between camp grounds."

Star gazing: The remote location offers exceptional night sky viewing at several sites. At Camp Creek BLM, camper Kristy A. observed, "perfect view of the big dipper between the canyon view made for a beautiful night of star gazing by the fire ring. Plenty of fishing access and space to walk around the river."

What campers like

River proximity: Waddington Creek Primitive Campsite offers camping beside the Salmon River. Jibran B. shared, "It's beautiful. And luckily calm and warm for this time of year. And there's 9 bars of service to boot!"

Privacy between sites: Timber Creek provides well-spaced sites with natural buffers. One camper observed, "This campground has 2 streams running on both sides of it so most camp spots have access right into the water. There are 12 or so camp spots. $10 a night. Lots of trees and very flats."

Hammock-friendly trees: Several campsites feature mature trees ideal for hammock camping. Liv M. mentioned about Waddington Creek, "It's a huge site and we were able to take my honda civic down. Super nice being next to a river, road wasn't a problem with loud traffic. Good hammock trees."

What you should know

Limited facilities: Most dispersed sites lack basic amenities. At Waddington Creek Primitive Campsite, Annie C. noted, "No services here, not even a pit toilet. However, go a couple hundred yards north and cross the river on the one lane bridge to come back down river to check out Duggout Dick's hermit house and orchard."

Road access challenges: Some sites require appropriate vehicles. Frank W. warned about Waddington Creek, "Very steep grand off highway to one site. Not recommended if you are pulling any type of camper."

Cell service variability: Connectivity varies significantly between camping areas. Andrea C. mentioned at Camp Creek BLM, "Very little Verizon service. There are three spots to camp here."

Tips for camping with families

Water safety planning: Riverside camping requires extra vigilance. Camp Creek BLM visitor Mandi W. advised, "We could easily go down and swim from our site. Fully dispersed no services, no cell signal (verizon)."

Reservoir activities: Little Bayhorse Lake Campground offers family-friendly lake access. Derek S. recommended, "Great spot in the woods. Near a lake with fishing and hiking opportunities. Campsites are clean with good spacing between them."

Filter water preparation: No potable water exists at most sites. Beth B. noted at Timber Creek Reservoir, "There are vault toilets accross the river, otherwise digging your own holes is your best alternative, no running water other than a river. If you have means to filter water, no problem."

Tips from RVers

Site leveling challenges: Finding level spots can be difficult at riverside locations. At Camp Creek BLM Camping, Andrea C. shared, "We travel in a 23 foot camper van. Plenty of room for our rig. Great views! Very little Verizon service. There are three spots to camp here."

Pull-through accessibility: Some areas offer easier access for smaller rigs. Eric D. cautioned about Camp Creek BLM, "It's just a pull off. Not much for flat spots or anything else. You will need to have everything you need with you."

Seasonal road conditions: Spring snowmelt and fall weather can impact road quality. At Big Eightmile Trailhead, Krystal C. reported, "Also tried Patterson trail, Devils lake, Everson trail, eight mile trail which not able to complete due to snow or fallen trees in the way."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near May, ID is Big Eightmile /Trailhead with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 48 tent camping locations near May, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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