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Tent campgrounds near Mullan, Idaho cluster mainly in the neighboring St. Joe National Forest and surrounding wilderness areas, offering primitive sites with minimal development. Lake Elsie Campground, about 8 miles down a narrow dirt road from Interstate 90, provides tent-specific sites around a mountain lake, while Telichpah Campground offers secluded tent camping from May through October in the national forest.
Most tent sites feature only basic fire rings with no designated tent pads. Road access varies significantly, with Lake Elsie requiring navigation of "narrow, windy, and steep" dirt roads unsuitable for trailers. Several campgrounds offer vault toilets, but campers should pack in all water and supplies as drinking water is rarely available. Seasonal considerations significantly impact tent camping, with some areas inaccessible until mid-June due to snow. According to one visitor, "If you are not into ATV and dirt bike riding, I would not recommend [Lake Elsie]. Other campers were riding their bikes all day and night making it very loud, especially with the echos off the lake."
Walk-in tent sites provide additional backcountry camping options throughout the area. Breakwater Campground offers primitive tent camping with creek access, though vehicle access is limited to most spots. The surrounding national forest lands permit dispersed tent camping with proper distancing from water sources and roadways. Sites near lakes provide good opportunities for kayaking and fishing. A camper noted that these backcountry sites "would not be nice to travel to in the snow though due to the gravel roads." Wildlife encounters are common, particularly at Lake Elsie where multiple bears have been reported moving through the campground during evening and early morning hours, requiring proper food storage. Most tent sites lack cell service, making them suitable for those seeking digital disconnection in a pristine forest setting.
"Easy to drive up to. Any vehicle will do. Dirt road to the top where you will find a lovely little lake with 4-5 camp spots surrounding it."
"You’ll want to bring good cars because the road gets pretty primitive. Awesome lake for kayaking and paddle boarding."
"We wanted a place to tent camp as close to the Pearson, Idaho end of the Hiawatha Bike Trail as possible. This little (5 camping sites) primitive campground suited our needs perfectly."
"The campgrounds have few trees which lead to me only scouting it out and hiking the trails nearby."
"Camp here for a real north Idaho camping experience."
"The Marble Creek Campground has a few sites and one outhouse facility nearby. Just miles from the camp, there is an old man-built cave that makes its way through the entire mountain."
"great trail for hiking and exploring. this camp is not heavily used so you could possibly get the place to yourself. lots of shade great place to go get away"
"Great tent camping. Also, it's a great starting point to some really good dirt bike trails. Be prepared for no cell service. 0 amenities. it's just a place to pitch a tent and have a fire."
"This campground stretches along a tributary of the CdA river, and there is great tent camping and fly fishing. Downside is that there is limited vehicle access to most spots."
"Takes a while to drive in, but well worth it once you are there!"
TravelerCampground is close to boat ramp, paved, big rig friendly, no host in July, no trash service and no water available. Dogs are OK on leash, bear boxes provided. Quiet and beautiful camp. Close to Trout Creek store if you need supplies.
ScoutThis used to be a great place to camp, especially at the Pavilion. However, two recent camping trips were not so great. There is no water, even though there are cisterns everywhere. There is no trash pickup. Restrooms are visited and "cleaned", but there is no evidence that anything was done. There are still tons of bugs and webs. I think they just replace the TP. Last visit was at the Pavilion with a men's campout with around 20 individuals. No trash containers, no bear boxes, and no water. We brought 250 gallons of water with us and pulled up to where the fire pit was, so it would be close to the fire for safety and convenience. The day after we left the site, a ranger called and accused us of "off-roading" and not placing our food in the non-existent bear boxes. We weren't "cited," but the temperament of the management is that they want you to pay the same price for camping without a host, water, trash, bear boxes, or clean restrooms. If you wish to dry camp, there are plenty of spaces, but it is definitely dry camping. Beautiful campground with severe management issues, all blamed on"lack of funding".
RangerA 9 mile drive over paved mostly straight even and the last couple miles on smooth dirt road. Clean vault toilets with scattered sites in the forest. Due to the foliage, the sites feel quite isolated. There is also a boat ramp and bear boxes at each site, along with picnic tables, fire rings, and a number of covered eating areas. You are only a few feet above the lake level, so walking to the lake's edge in the morning is they most calming relaxation. No fees and a 14-day limit make this a most delightful stopover.
TravelerWe stayed at Chatcolet campground for two nights in late June. The campground is really nice with lovely hosts and clean flushable toilets. We booked site 128 and didn’t realise it was a tent only site with a short walk from where you park to the picnic table, fire ring and tent pad. We have a rooftop tent so we parked and set up our tent and then just carried our chairs, food and wood down to the picnic table. Privacy on these sites isn’t the best, I would recommend booking this site along with 129 as a group site to give yourself good privacy.
Overall this campground was great, the toilets were clean, they are porcelain, flushing toilets inside a hut. There was drinking water and some nice walks to the lake, if you have bicycles there is a really nice cycle that you can do. The reason for rating this 3 out of 5 is that there was very noisy and intrusive maintenance going on from 7am to 5pm in the sites next to us which was very disruptive. No warning had been given about maintenance in the campground, notice was only given regarding roadworks leading into the campground.
GuideThis is a free campground. There are five sites with generous spacing. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. There is a privy and one bear box in the middle of the circle. This campground doesn't really accommodate large RVs, but it's great for tent camping. Although it sits along the river, it doesn't really have great river access. The campground is no more than 10 minutes from Thompson falls, so it's easy to get to town if you need to.
GuideSites Right along the river. A few sites are in a cul de sac style and would be great for group camping. The other two are fairly secluded. No water. No garbage. There is a Vaulted toilet. Each site has fire ring and a picnic table.
TravelerCoeur d’Alene River Road has SO many places to boondocks and camp, I wouldn’t waste our money on this campground again. The pit toilets were clean and the fire rings and picnic tables were in good shape, hence the two stars. Lots of wasps. No water. Nothing to do within walking distance. Find a boondock spot and save the $28.00
RangerMore of a primitive type of campground, although there are vault toilets. Plenty of spaces along the river; however there is a river take out that may be used to back trailers up to, so the flat spots across from it may not be ideal.
Guide2020 cost is $16 + $8 extra car, half off with Federal parks pass, & it's average for a Forest Service pay campground. There's water, & you can fill a holding tank, but no power or dump. The lower loops are very close together & less shade. The upper loop has more shade, bigger sites, but sound rises from below. You can hear the conversations and generators of your lower neighbors. Our site was next to a vault toilet - we could smell it. There was lots of noise, e.g., road, train, barking dogs, etc. The 2020 camp hosts were very intrusive. They stopped us in the middle of the road while they inspected our front license plate (we aren't required to have one), then interrogated us, without masks, about where we were from, what we were doing & how many dogs we had. We have a nice RV and look like average middle class folks. Maybe it was because we were in a Class B Van, but our van cost more than most class As. This is a self-pay campground so unless I need firewood I don't need to be forced to stop & be questioned by a volunteer. While we drove through looking at sites one host tailed us on foot through the CG. Five minutes after we began to set up they showed up, not wearing masks, wanting money. I didn't think volunteers were supposed to handle any money. We'd already paid at the iron ranger pay station & they seemed disappointed to not get the money directly from us. Then, within a minute, they returned, not wearing masks, & fussed because we hadn't gotten the tag on our campsite post yet - we were still setting up & hadn't had time yet. They weren't social distancing & we thought they were very peculiar and intimidating.
Tent camping near Mullan, Idaho centers primarily within St. Joe National Forest, at elevations ranging from 2,800 to 4,500 feet. Most sites lack developed facilities, requiring self-sufficiency for water and waste management. The camping season typically runs from late May through September, with many remote locations inaccessible until snowmelt completes in mid-June.
Fishing opportunities: Lake Elsie Campground offers productive fishing for both rainbow and brook trout. A camper reports, "We always catch lots of brooke and rainbow trout and wild life is everywhere! There is an outhouse bathroom but you are on you're own otherwise!" The high-elevation lake maintains cold water temperatures year-round.
ATV and dirt bike trails: The area surrounding Breakwater Campground provides extensive off-road vehicle trails. According to a recent visitor, "Great tent camping. Also, it's a great starting point to some really good dirt bike trails. Be prepared for no cell service. 0 amenities. it's just a place to pitch a tent and have a fire. And it cost nothing."
Hiking and exploration: Packsaddle Campground offers direct access to numerous hiking trails. A camper notes, "If you hike (or ride) on the local trails you find beautiful scenery." The trails connect to larger networks within St. Joe National Forest, providing opportunities for day hikes or longer backpacking routes.
Solitude and quiet: Gold Rush Campground provides more secluded camping experiences than other nearby options. One visitor observed, "This camp is not heavily used so you could possibly get the place to yourself. Lots of shade great place to go get away." The canyon bottom location helps block noise from nearby roads.
Creek access: Many campers appreciate the proximity to water at Breakwater Campground, where "this campground stretches along a tributary of the CdA river, and there is great tent camping and fly fishing. Downside is that there is limited vehicle access to most spots."
Alpine lake settings: Lake Elsie attracts campers seeking pristine mountain lake environments. A camper shares, "This is one of the most spectacular campsites I have ever been to. It's off I-90, down a long (8ish mile) dirt road. ROAD IS NARROW, WINDY, AND STEEP. not at all trailer or big rig friendly. the site is free, and there are 11 first come first serve sites."
Road conditions vary significantly: Access to Lake Elsie requires navigating challenging terrain. A camper advises, "The road up is rough, potholes, it does get better about halfway up. Expect at least 30 minutes to get up after you hit the gravel, and that's pushing it pretty hard."
Limited amenities: Most tent sites near Mullan have minimal facilities. At Little North Fork Campground, "Not many places to camp, but great fishing for cutthroats and rainbows. Takes a while to drive in, but well worth it once you are there!" Bring everything you need, including drinking water.
Seasonal considerations: Snow impacts accessibility well into spring. For Lake Elsie, "The road sometimes still has a good foot of snow until about Mid-June, so beware." Plan accordingly and check local conditions before departing.
Consider proximity to activities: Telichpah Campground works well for families planning to bike the Hiawatha Trail. A visitor notes, "We wanted a place to tent camp as close to the Pearson, Idaho end of the Hiawatha Bike Trail as possible. This little (5 camping sites) primitive campground suited our needs perfectly."
Be prepared for wildlife encounters: Families should implement proper food storage practices, particularly at Lake Elsie where bear activity is common. "What a place! I saw no trash or broken glass, it was very clean. I got there after dark and left first thing in the morning, wish I had more time to explore."
Pack supplies thoroughly: The primitive nature of tent camping near Mullan requires bringing all essentials. At Telichpah, a camper observed, "It was clean, no frills, had a well-maintained vault toilet, and there was even a small creek for pleasant background sleeping sounds. Filled the bill perfectly for our needs."
Size restrictions limit RV access: Most campgrounds near Mullan accommodate tents and small vehicles only. For Marble Creek Campground, visitors report, "This is by far one of my favorite places to camp in the world. All along Marble Creek, you will find various sites. The Marble Creek Campground has a few sites and one outhouse facility nearby."
Consider dispersed options: RVers often find better parking at dispersed sites along forest roads rather than established campgrounds. Marble Creek offers some alternatives, where "Every camp has great access to the creek where you can search for all kinds of beautiful rocks and even go fishing."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mullan, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mullan, ID is Lake Elsie Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 9 reviews.
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