Best Campgrounds near Mesa, ID

The mountainous region surrounding Mesa, Idaho features a diverse range of camping opportunities centered around Lake Cascade State Park and nearby wilderness areas. Within a 30-mile radius, campers find established campgrounds like Sugarloaf and Buttercup at Lake Cascade, offering boat-in access and basic amenities. Ponderosa State Park near McCall provides more developed facilities with electric hookups, showers, and cabin options. For those seeking more primitive experiences, French Creek Campground remains open year-round with minimal facilities. The area balances waterfront camping with forested sites, accommodating both tent campers and RVs, with several campgrounds providing boat launch access for water recreation.

Seasonal considerations significantly impact camping availability in the Mesa region. Most Lake Cascade campgrounds operate from May through December, while Ponderosa State Park's Peninsula Campground runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Summer temperatures can reach the high 90s, with occasional wildfire smoke affecting air quality. As one camper noted, "There was a constant haze in the sky from the wildfires in the area." Winter brings heavy snowfall, limiting access to year-round sites. Many campgrounds require reservations, particularly for summer weekends. Peninsula Campground at Ponderosa State Park is especially popular, with one visitor advising: "Make sure you reserve 9 months in advance. This place fills up."

Water access remains the primary draw for many campers in the region. Horsethief Reservoir, located at 5,000 feet elevation east of Cascade, offers "great fishing and kayaking" according to visitor reviews. Lake Cascade campgrounds provide beach access, though some require short walks from campsites. Privacy varies considerably between locations, with Ponderosa State Park described as having sites "right next to one another" despite its popularity. Campers frequently mention wildlife viewing opportunities, including deer sightings and huckleberry picking in late summer. The proximity to small towns like Donnelly provides convenient access to supplies, with one camper noting it was "minutes from Donnelly for the things you forgot."

Best Camping Sites Near Mesa, Idaho (204)

    1. Sugarloaf Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    20 Reviews
    Cascade, ID
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-6544

    "Beautiful lake, nice campground, little beach spots nearby. The lake is very large. Boat ramp is close by. You can swim, kayak, canoe, paddle board, boat, fish. Camping spots are large."

    "We chose Lake Cascade because we had heard that the lake winds were great for sailing and that is true. We stayed at Blue Heron campground."

    2. Peninsula Campground — Ponderosa State Park

    36 Reviews
    McCall, ID
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 634-2164

    $15 - $40 / night

    "Ponderosa is in beautiful McCall, Idaho. Close to downtown and the lake. Great hiking trails. Good park for a family. The campsites are right next to one another, so not much privacy there."

    "Great walking path around and down to the lake as well! Quick 10min ride into town for a nice lake side dinner."

    3. Amanita

    6 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-7400

    $15 / night

    "The campsites were large and there was access to the lake. The only space left for us was the one right in the front near the entrance but it was great!"

    "This small lakeside campground captured our hearts. Who could resist it, with wide open lakefront views like these? A easy launch for kayaks by day, and a sunset view from the campfire by night."

    4. Poison Creek Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    5 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-6544

    $28 - $39 / night

    "Minutes from Donnelly Idaho for “the things you forgot”. Great views coming back again for sure."

    "Right on Lake Cascade so you have lake views on one side and mountain views on the other, seriously beautiful. Shows off Idaho in a good way!"

    5. Frontier Motel and RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Mesa, ID
    12 miles
    +1 (208) 257-4000

    "Frontier Motel and RV Park is more of a motel than an RV park, with only ten spaces behind the motel and in between a public, local road."

    "The RV parking is in back of the motel so its not very scenic right there, but the surrounding area makes up for it."

    6. Rainbow Point

    5 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-7400

    $15 - $30 / night

    "The beach at the lake is lovely. Site #7 backs up to a large beach area. The campground is convenient to Donnelly and McCall, and quite close to Tamarack Resort (7 minutes), if you are riding there."

    "Close to the water, very chilly at the end of the season. Glad to have toilets and water."

    7. Superior Street RV Retreat LLC

    1 Review
    Mesa, ID
    12 miles
    +1 (208) 739-0377

    $20 - $60 / night

    8. French Creek Campground

    6 Reviews
    Cascade, ID
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-7400

    $15 / night

    "Short walk to the lake beautiful views, so many little critters. Right next to the road though so a lot of cars kick up dust on the way by."

    "The lake side has a boat ramp, but no beach area. Some sites can be reserved on recreation.gov."

    9. West Mountain Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    3 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 382-6544

    $12 - $56 / night

    "The camp sites were clean, quiet and very close to the water. We are planning to come back in the summer and bring friends for a nice trip of kayaking and fishing right off the beach."

    "I’ve always wanted to stay in this stretch of Lake Cascade. Camp ground was fairly small with only one loop, made it very cozy. Sites had plenty of room and an ok amount of trees."

    10. Chalet RV Park

    5 Reviews
    Donnelly, ID
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 325-8223
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Recent Reviews near Mesa, ID

490 Reviews of 204 Mesa Campgrounds


  • Cable A.
    Oct. 20, 2025

    Spring Recreation Site

    Great off grid camping spot

    Water and trash available. Boat and fishing access. Fish cleaning station. Not great for dog walking. Great views and climate in April & October. Gets very hot during the summer. Nice spot!

  • Cable A.
    Oct. 20, 2025

    Farewell Bend State Recreation Area Campground

    Good overall

    Nice campground, good dog walking areas. Toilets, showers, water, power, trash available. Boating and fishing access. Loaded with snakes in the spring.

  • Cable A.
    Oct. 20, 2025

    Horse Thief Campground

    Beautiful and peaceful

    Nice place to camp, fish and relax. Very family friendly. Toilets, water and trash. No other amenitiesz

  • Cable A.
    Oct. 20, 2025

    Hells Canyon Park

    Nice campground, run and maintained

    Nice campground, maintained by Idaho Power. Hot in the summer, there is shade. Water, trash & toilets. Good fishing and views.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 6, 2025

    Roystone Hot Springs RV and Camping

    Hot Springs

    Well maintained gravel campground. Only 10 RV spots. You must make a reservation. Grounds are well kept. 20 min drive to Emmett, ID. Reservations required to use the Hot Springs pool/tub.

  • D
    Oct. 1, 2025

    Riverlife RVing

    Clean, convenient and welcoming

    First, your hosts - just wonderful people engaged in making your stay comfortable and enjoyable.  Their kindness and consideration are enough reason to return.  Nice setting adjacent to the Payette River adds to the aesthetic with spots along the shore to drop a line and try your luck.  It is a smaller park and the maintenance is spectacular.  Check your Google maps for access alternatives or call host.  He'll guide you in.


Guide to Mesa

Camping near Mesa, Idaho offers options ranging from lakeside sites to forested retreats at elevations between 4,700 and 5,000 feet. The region receives approximately 25 inches of precipitation annually with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during the day and dropping to 40-50°F at night. Seasonal camping patterns shift dramatically from peak summer crowds to quiet winter solitude with road closures affecting access to many sites.

What to do

Fishing at Horsethief Reservoir: French Creek Campground provides direct access to water recreation. As one camper notes, "This was the perfect getaway...with a little boat launch," making it ideal for fishing enthusiasts.

Huckleberry picking: Late summer brings huckleberry season to the forest areas around Ponderosa State Park. Visit in July-August when berries ripen. "In the summer you will find vast amounts of huckleberries...and many deer," according to one regular visitor.

Winter recreation: Unlike many seasonal campgrounds, some areas offer year-round access. Ponderosa State Park transforms in winter: "In the winter, the park offers great snowshoe trails, and groomed trails for cross-country skiing and skate skiing."

What campers like

Lakefront access: Amanita Campground receives praise for its water access. One camper appreciated "direct beach access for our kids to play while we were up at the campsite. The beach is extensive and fairly clean."

Wildlife viewing: The region offers frequent wildlife encounters. At Sugarloaf Campground, one visitor reported, "We even had 3 baby foxes visit our camp one evening. I could see it getting crowded on weekends, but I had this all to myself on a Monday and Tuesday."

Cleanliness of facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-kept amenities. At Poison Creek Campground, a camper noted, "Campground is well kept. Showers and facilities clean. Minutes from Donnelly Idaho for 'the things you forgot'."

Bird watching opportunities: The Mesa area attracts diverse bird species. At Sugarloaf Campground, a camper observed, "The birds we saw here were absolutely amazing. We saw multiple ospreys, pelicans, and mountain bluebirds."

What you should know

Reservation requirements: Most popular sites fill quickly, especially in summer. For West Mountain Campground, planning ahead is essential, though its smaller size makes it "fairly small with only one loop, made it very cozy."

Privacy varies widely: Site spacing differs significantly between campgrounds. At Amanita Campground, "There is very little privacy between sites. Site 9 has direct beach access but be prepared for others to walk through your camp to access it."

Road noise: Some seemingly remote locations experience traffic noise. West Mountain Campground sits "right off of west mountain rd. And there is quite a bit of noise from traffic even at night."

Environmental concerns: Summer algae blooms can affect water recreation. A camper at Amanita warned, "Beware that in the summer the lake gets toxic algae and may be unusable for swimming."

Tips for camping with families

Beach-front sites: Rainbow Point Campground offers water access for kids. "Site #7 backs up to a large beach area. The beach at the lake is lovely," according to one family.

Wildlife encounters: Prepare children for possible wildlife sightings, both welcome and unwelcome. One camper at Rainbow Point reported, "We had a skunk walk right through our camp!"

Spacious sites for play: Some campgrounds provide ample room for children. Rainbow Point features "sites are spaced far apart and very spacious," making them ideal for families needing room to spread out.

Winter camping options: For families seeking off-season adventures, French Creek Campground operates "All year," giving families flexibility for school breaks and holidays.

Tips from RVers

Utilities and hookups: Chalet RV Park in Donnelly provides full services. As one RVer noted, "Full Hookup sites, some tent sites, trash, showers, laundry, toilets all accessible with site rent."

Connectivity: Remote work is possible at some locations. Chalet RV Park offers "AT&T 3bars LTE service as well as free wifi make communication and planning easy."

Site conditions: Most RV sites are basic but functional. At West Mountain Campground, expect "Sites had plenty of room and an ok amount of trees," though hookups are limited.

Seasonal access: Weather dictates when larger RVs can access certain areas. Most RV-friendly campgrounds operate May through October, with Chalet RV Park specifically open "May 1 to Oct 1."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Mesa, ID?

According to TheDyrt.com, Mesa, ID offers a wide range of camping options, with 204 campgrounds and RV parks near Mesa, ID and 25 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Mesa, ID?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mesa, ID is Sugarloaf Campground — Lake Cascade State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 20 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Mesa, ID?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 25 free dispersed camping spots near Mesa, ID.