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Best Tent Camping near Mesa, ID

455 Reviews

Public lands surrounding Mesa, Idaho offer tent campers several established and dispersed camping options in the Payette National Forest and nearby BLM areas. Justrite Campground near Weiser provides tent-only sites year-round with tall trees creating natural privacy between campsites. Paradise Campground, also near Weiser, features both drive-in and walk-in tent sites with fire rings permitted and pet-friendly policies. Brundage Reservoir Camping Area offers primitive tent camping with boat-in, drive-in, and hike-in access options for those seeking more remote experiences.

Most tent campgrounds in the region feature minimal amenities on natural surfaces. Rapid Creek Dispersed Camping Area provides basic vault toilets and fire rings but no drinking water or hookups. Dirt roads leading to many backcountry tent sites require high-clearance vehicles, particularly after rain or early in the season when snowmelt can make access challenging. Northwest Passage Campground in Ponderosa State Park offers more developed tent campsites with picnic tables, fire rings, and a central water pump, though sites lack individual water hookups. Campers should prepare for temperature fluctuations, as one visitor noted temperatures at Rapid Creek dropped into the upper 30s even in August.

Tent campers frequently report the sound of nearby creeks and rivers enhancing their camping experience. According to reviews, Rapid Creek Dispersed Camping Area provides excellent seclusion where "the white noise from the creek matched with occasional bird sounds" creates a peaceful atmosphere. At Brundage Reservoir, campers describe finding spots "right next to the water" after navigating pot-holed dirt roads. Sites at Paradise Campground are described as "right off the fire roads" with more private options available on the east side of the road. Wildlife sightings are common, with bears present in some areas, requiring proper food storage for tent campers. Most primitive tent sites enforce a 10-day stay limit and operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

Best Tent Sites Near Mesa, Idaho (54)

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23 Photos of 54 Mesa Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Mesa, ID

455 Reviews of 54 Mesa Campgrounds

  • E
    Aug. 4, 2019

    Rainbow Point

    Open and grassy campsites

    Nice grassy sites, water right there, vault toilets, fire rings and picnic tables, tent camping or RVs. Not a lot of shade but cools down nice at night. Lots to do nearby!

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 11, 2025

    Hazard Creek Dispersed Camping

    Nice spot off the beaten path

    Nice flat spot with a stone fire ring. Hazard creek nearby isn't too loud and sounds great. Not much firewood is around as its all been picked already.

  • K
    Aug. 20, 2019

    Horse Thief Campground

    Gorgeous waterfront

    Fish and game property, but managed under YMCA. $15 with no discount for anyone. Picnic table and fire ring. Pit toilet that is in desperate need of a simple fly strip! I had to wipe live flies off the toilet seat to sit down. Haul your garbage out. No electricity. Bear sites in campground but no notifications! No potable water. Seemed a bit pricey ! Perfect for canoes. Boat launch area.

    Hawks, ducks, gorgeous waterfront!

  • C
    Oct. 31, 2019

    Summit Lake Campground

    Quiet spot

    This is a pretty quiet place! It about an hour drive/17 miles from Cascade on a paved road. True to it's name, the lake and campsite are right on a summit! The lake is pretty small and a little muddy, but a fun dip nevertheless. It's about a 5 minute hike from the campsites. There are 3 campsites at the campground and they are all first come first serve! Dispersed camping is allowed in the area as well. Managed to find 2 empty spots here on Labor Day weekend, which was a real treat! The sites all have fire rings and picnic tables and share a vault toilet. The sites are well spaced and there little noise carries around the area. The campground is a little close the to highway (Warm Lake Rd) but traffic at night is pretty low, so the noise isn't bad. There is a wilderness airstrip not too far off, so some plane noise as well! Otherwise, a nice spot with some great views of the night sky.

  • Amanda C.
    Aug. 24, 2021

    Amanita

    Good camping close to Town

    This is a typical campground with Vault toilets, no showers, no water or electric hookups. However, it is just a couple miles from nice dining, mountain biking, and hiking.

  • T
    Jul. 27, 2020

    Sugarloaf Campground — Lake Cascade State Park

    Middle of the road

    We have high expectations since we’ve been at so many places, so please bear that in mind when reading this.

    1. Only vault toilets and water spigots placed randomly around.
    2. No electric/water hook ups, flushing toilets, or showers
    3. Outside of one vault toilet building some animal made a nest above out of dirt where they continually poop out of that looks like it hasn’t been touched in months so when you go to use the restroom you walk by a giant pile of poop.
    4. Pea gravel pads where they encourage you put your tent, not bad if you have a blow up mattress. It is nicely raked upon arrival.
    5. Campsite was clean.
    6. Most sites had trees, but not all so definitely check site pictures online if you need shade.
    7. Most sites have a view of the lake, since it’s almost like a peninsula campground.
    8. Nice boat ramps and lots of parking for boaters to leave trucks and trailers.
    9. Bugs would get a bit crazy at random times of day depending on weather.
    10. 20 minutes south of McCall if you wanted to get out and see a quaint little town.
    11. Cows on opposite side of water from campground; you can hear them, but not smell them.
  • K
    Aug. 13, 2023

    Rapid Creek Dispersed Camping Area

    Great secluded spot

    The fir trees stand tall and still. I can’t figure out if they are waiting for something to happen or if they simply don’t care.

    If you’re looking for sone sort of gorgeous panorama, this might not be the place for you. It’s really just a small meadow in the mountains that the BLM put a vault toilet and a couple of fire rings in. That being said, this place is beautiful.

    You can’t see rapid creek from the campground but you can hear it. And that’s really just as good. The white noise from the creek matched with the occasional bird or other nature sound is one of the most relaxing things on the planet.

    It’s high enough in elevation that this place gets nippy at night. I stayed in early August and the temps dropped into the upper 30s at night.

    The campground is well maintained and the vault toilet was reasonably clean when I arrived. It became Kevin clean shortly after I set up camp.

    There are trails from both sites near the vault toilet that lead down to Rapid Creek.

    I never saw any bear scat but signs on the property warn of them so be smart with your food.

    All in all, Rapid Creek dispersed camping is excellent if you just want a quiet place where no one is around. It’s amazing but not for the reasons people usually like in my opinion. ◦

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2024

    Herrick Reservoir Access

    Just ok

    Camping is free, limit of 10 days. Not really any designated sites and surrounded by private land with aggressive signage. Not all roads around the reservoir are public, so be prepared to turn around and back up at dead ends. We came to an orange gate that said "private property", and stopped. While trying to turn around, we noticed a white truck sitting behind us. When we turned around and passed him, he motioned to roll down the window, and then berated us and called us idiots, even though we had not even entered the private land, nor did we want to. We felt threatened. In the end we chose a site on the upper road of the reservoir. The view was nice but not close to the pit toilet. No fire ring. No table. A no frills place. Like many lakes in Idaho, the reservoir is mostly dry. Not a huge deal but not the prettiest to look at. There is only one single pit toilet for the whole reservoir and someone was set up right next to it like it was their own. People ride off-road vehicles here. In an area with slim pickings for free camping, I guess you have to take what you can get.

  • Lisa M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 20, 2025

    Secesh Campground — Payette National Forest

    Remote Camping on a flowing river

    This campground is right off Lick Creek road along the Secesh River. There are only 5 spots. First come first served $10 fee. There are picnic tables, fire rings and a clean vault toilet. Our site was Site 1 and we backed up to the river. This was a quick overnight stop for us. It was beautiful to listen to the river all night. There are horse hitching posts in this campground. We were the only campers but the camps are pretty spread out.

Guide to Mesa

Tent camping near Mesa, Idaho provides access to multiple wilderness areas within Payette National Forest and surrounding public lands. Campsites range from 3,000 to 7,000 feet elevation with temperatures fluctuating dramatically between seasons. Summer reservations can fill quickly at established campgrounds, while dispersed areas often remain available with proper preparation for primitive conditions.

What to do

Kayaking and paddleboarding: Brundage Reservoir offers calm waters perfect for paddle sports. Campers can find spots "right next to the water" after navigating the access road, creating convenient launch points for morning paddling sessions before temperatures rise.

Mountain biking: Brundage Reservoir Camping Area serves as an excellent base for mountain bikers heading to nearby trails. One visitor noted, "We went here for mountain biking (if you go, check out Groupon for the lift) this campground was awesome because it was so close to Brundage resort."

Climbing: Multiple climbing routes exist near Northwest Passage Campground, with one camper mentioning "a climbing crag that has a variety of climbs for different skill levels that is a five minute drive" from the campsite. Routes accommodate beginners through experienced climbers.

River floating: The North Fork Payette River provides floating opportunities near several campgrounds. A reviewer at Northwest Passage mentioned the river is "perfect for paddle boarding kayaking and floating" with "a beach area for the campers that is perfect for kids to play and to relax and watch for floaters."

What campers like

Secluded camping spots: Many dispersed sites offer privacy from neighboring campers. At Rapid Creek Dispersed Camping Area, one camper described it as "excellent if you just want a quiet place where no one is around," noting the campground is "really just a small meadow in the mountains that the BLM put a vault toilet and a couple of fire rings in."

Wildlife viewing: The region supports diverse wildlife populations. Northwest Passage Campground visitors reported that "wild life there is abundant. We saw bald eagles, moose, deer and chipmunks" during their stay.

Natural sound environments: Many campers appreciate the natural soundscape at dispersed sites. At Rapid Creek, a visitor described how "you can't see rapid creek from the campground but you can hear it. The white noise from the creek matched with the occasional bird or other nature sound is one of the most relaxing things on the planet."

Lakeside camping: Herrick Reservoir Access provides waterfront camping with no reservation requirements. While one camper noted it's "a no frills place" with "no fire ring, no table," they appreciated the accessibility for those seeking free camping options.

What you should know

Seasonal water levels: Many reservoirs experience significant drawdown by late summer. At Herrick Reservoir, a camper noted, "Like many lakes in Idaho, the reservoir is mostly dry. Not a huge deal but not the prettiest to look at."

Property boundaries: Some camping areas border private land with limited signage. A Herrick Reservoir visitor cautioned, "Not all roads around the reservoir are public, so be prepared to turn around and back up at dead ends" and noted "aggressive signage" from adjacent private landowners.

Water sources: Few campgrounds provide drinking water. Paradise Campground users should "bring all gear for dispersed camping," as one visitor advised, since no potable water exists on-site.

Stay limits: Most dispersed camping areas enforce maximum stays. Herrick Reservoir Access has a "limit of 10 days" for campers using the free sites.

Road conditions: Access to many sites requires navigating unmaintained roads. A visitor to Brundage Reservoir described "driving down a pot-holed, dirt road for quite awhile" before finding suitable camping locations.

Tips for camping with families

Beach access: Look for campgrounds with designated swimming areas for safer water play. Northwest Passage Campground offers "a beach area for the campers that is perfect for kids to play."

Site selection at Paradise: When camping with children at Paradise Campground, one visitor recommends exploring beyond the roadside sites: "Most of these designated campgrounds are right off the fire roads which can be a bit exposed and tricky if you have children or dogs with you. As you continue to drive there are a few areas on the east side of the road which provide more privacy."

Insect preparation: Mosquitos can be problematic throughout summer months. A Northwest Passage visitor warned they are "large and thirsty" and recommended bringing "lots of mosquito spray and some thermoscell mosquito deterrent."

Water safety: Fast-moving streams can present hazards. A Paradise Campground visitor noted "the creek is fast running, echoing throughout the canyon so fishing or swimming are not an option."

Tips from RVers

Primitive site preparation: Most dispersed areas lack facilities. At Rapid Creek, one camper mentioned the vault toilet was "reasonably clean" but advised bringing supplies to maintain personal standards.

Temperature fluctuations: Pack for cold nights even during summer months. At Rapid Creek Dispersed Camping Area, a visitor in August reported "the temps dropped into the upper 30s at night."

Pricing variations: Out-of-state visitors face higher fees at some locations. A Northwest Passage Campground visitor noted paying "$62. No hooks. No cell. Because I'm out of state."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mesa, ID is Justrite Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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

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