The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near New Meadows. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near New Meadows, ID. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
"Driving down a pot-holed, dirt road for quite awhile, we found ourselves concerned that we may not find something. We then spotted a beautiful lake through the trees. "
"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, and the ski lift up, it was such an enjoyable stay,"
"There is a water pump at the entrance of the camp site that you get your water from. There are no hook ups or running water at sites. There are established fire rings and a picnic table."
"awesome place for rent camping and hiking lots of trails to explore but not a great place if you need a RV to go camping"
"A CTX toilet and fire rings. Lick lake is a 3 mile hike into the wilderness and is gorgeous! No fee."
"A very cold lake bring water or filter."
"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."
"After 45 minutes drive on dirt road we reached this rustic campground and had it all to our selves the first night. There are pit toilets, no trash, no water."
"Plan to take your time driving up 17 Mile road (takes about an hour to get here from Riggins!). The views are spectacular and easy to find."
GuideNice 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!
TravelerNice 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.
RangerThis 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.
GuideFish 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!
GuideThis 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.
TravelerWe have high expectations since we’ve been at so many places, so please bear that in mind when reading this.
GuideThe 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. ◦
TravelerCamping 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.
GuideBeautiful area, incredibly scenic and photographable, but a few things to be aware of.
There is a heck of a drive to get into this place, there’s a very winding and steep road to get there and it took us about an hour from White Bird. That being said, it was a very lovely and scenic drive, and based on the number of trailers and boats that were down there it doesn’t seem to deter many people. Just be aware you’ll want to come prepared with whatever you’ll need while you’re there because it’s not a quick ride back into town to get supplies (and make sure you have enough gas in your tank)
Also, word of warning to any dog owners; I discovered as soon as we unloaded from the vehicle that there are sticky burs absolutely everywhere on the ground and our furry labradoodle was soon covered with them. The first thing we did when we got back into cell phone range was call and schedule him a grooming appointment to get shaved because they were on every inch of his body and would be impossible to comb out.
The campsites are all pretty close together and since this is a desert area there are very few trees, so you will be able to see your fellow campers and they will be able to see you. Each site has a little canopy thing for both shade and I suspect some wind protection (it got extremely windy one of the nights we were there).
It was $8 a night when I was there in August 2020. There was a burn restriction in place from July 1st to September 15th according to posted signs.
If you do not have a trailer, there are some dispersed camping sites at the “Upper Landing” that are clearly marked. They are walk in only but didn’t appear to be too far to walk and seem that they would afford a bit more privacy if that’s what you’d looking for.
Tent camping near New Meadows, Idaho offers a serene escape into nature, with a variety of options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to pitch a tent and enjoy the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near New Meadows, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near New Meadows, ID is Brundage Reservoir Camping Area with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 63 tent camping locations near New Meadows, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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