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Top Glamping near Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests

21 Reviews

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, ID is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

Map showing campgrounds near Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Idaho

Best Glamping Sites Near Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, ID (2)

    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park
    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park

    1. Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park

    9 Reviews
    •13 Photos•
    53 Saves

    Freeman Creek Campground is a camper’s paradise with standard and serviced campsites, camper cabins, tent campsites overlooking the reservoir, reservable boat slips, and small group camps. Some of the recreational activities include archery, a playground, volleyball courts, and horseshoes.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Electric Hookups
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground

    2. Powell Campground

    10 Reviews
    •34 Photos•
    96 Saves

    Overview

    Powell Campground provides direct access to the Lochsa Wild and Scenic River, one of Idaho's most scenic waterways. The Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness lies on the opposite side of the river. The campground is within walking distance of a small general store, fuel, lodging and a restaurant. The Powell Ranger Station is nearby as well, but all visitor services have moved to Lolo Pass Visitor Center.

    Recreation

    The Lochsa River provides visitors with opportunities for fishing and other water-related recreation. Cutthroat and rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and steelhead swim in the clear waters. The Lochsa is world-famous for its exciting whitewater rafting opportunities. A permit is not necessary to float the river, but technical expertise is a must. A variety of hiking and horseback riding trails are available in the wilderness area. The 1.5-mile Powell Complex Trail begins near the campground and leads west through cool, shady cedar and larch trees, making for a relaxing day trip. Hunting is also a popular activity in the rugged and primitive landscape. Highway 12, also known as the Lewis and Clark Highway, winds along the narrow river canyon through evergreen trees and past large rock outcroppings. Visitors enjoy the scenic drive and historic sites along the way.

    Facilities

    The Lochsa River provides visitors with opportunities for fishing and other water-related recreation. Cutthroat and rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and steelhead swim in the clear waters. The Lochsa is world-famous for its exciting whitewater rafting opportunities. A permit is not necessary to float the river, but technical expertise is a must. A variety of hiking and horseback riding trails are available in the wilderness area. The 1.5-mile Powell Complex Trail begins near the campground and leads west through cool, shady cedar and larch trees, making for a relaxing day trip. Hunting is also a popular activity in the rugged and primitive landscape. Highway 12, also known as the Lewis and Clark Highway, winds along the narrow river canyon through evergreen trees and past large rock outcroppings. Visitors enjoy the scenic drive and historic sites along the way.

    Natural Features

    Lochsa is a Nez Perce word meaning "rough water." The 70-mile river and its tributaries have no dams and the flow is unregulated from its headwaters near the Powell Ranger Station in the Bitterroots, to Lowell, where it joins the Selway River to form the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River. The Lochsa is one of the world's best for continuous whitewater. The campground is situated in a dense forest in north-central Idaho at an elevation of 3,400 feet. It is across the river from the border of the 1.5-million acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Famed explorers Lewis and Clark passed through on their way to the Pacific Ocean in September of 1805. Elk, deer, moose, bear, cougar and mountain goats make the steep canyon country their home.

    contact_info

    For facility specific information, please call (208) 942-3113.

    Nearby Attractions

    A variety of services are available in the rustic resort area near the campground including a general store, lodging, food and fuel. Fishing licenses are also available for purchase. The nearest free dump station is 40 miles west on Highway 12, at the Wilderness Gateway Campground.

    • Electric Hookups
    • Reservable
    • RVs
    • Tents
    • Group
    • Cabins

    $20 / night

Recent Glamping Reviews In Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests

21 Reviews of 2 Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Campgrounds

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    September 7, 2022

    Powell Campground

    Nice quiet USFS campground

    This campground is right on the Lochsa River behind Lochsa Lodge. Some sites are reservable and some are FCFS. The river there is gorgeous. If you have a side by side there are lots of places to explore nearby. And if you don’t feel like cooking, you can run up to the Lochsa Lodge restaurant for a meal.

  • Agnes B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park
    August 9, 2021

    Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park

    5th wheel traveling with big family and multi age group kids

    To start, what a gorgeous area! Quiet, calm, nice. 

    At first when we rolled into our spot I thought I was going to be in huge trouble- drive through spot with a wicked drop off on the right side (camper door side) with the fire pit and picnic table at the bottom. I pictured kids falling, food mishaps, general non fun trudging up and down. Well, it actually turned out ok: we moved our 5th wheel as far from the edge as possible which allowed for a decent platform and we ended up having a birds eye view of what all the kids were doing. If that's still a problem, be mindful of what site you are signing up for, meadow ones are available. 

    • Bathrooms and showers were ok, though the standard, push the button every 30 seconds to have water flow in your shower is a little annoying (maybe i'm just a princess). 
    • Sweet little nature trails were pretty and easy for smaller children to walk through. 
    • Easy lake access is only in the park/play area. The rest of the lake access is a pretty blunt drop off from forest to water (read: no wadding in the sand). But the play area was pleasant. I heard that this year (2021) is was a bit more run down than usual so maybe next year it'll improve??? We still enjoyed the water and had a ton of fun finding tadpoles. 
    • You can rent SUPs and canoes and have a little explore around the lake. Very enjoyable.
    • NO CELL SERVICE. You just have to be present with one another. 
    • Important for our family- when we went in June, there were next to no mosquitos! My poor teenager usually gets eaten alive anywhere we go and he left unscathed! 
    • THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP::::: Even though we loved the location, we won't be returning simply because of the road to get there. Google maps wrecked us- I selected "quickest route" and had NO warnings that we would be driving up the narrowest gravel road with a 11% incline!!!! We have a diesel F350 but towing a big 5th wheel made it horrifying. Please be smarter than me and do your research. Once we started the decline it was mercifully paved but signage posted stated "2 road lane can be used as single lane" as it becomes the Lombard St for recreational vehicles! I saw some class A's that had boats towed behind them and I'm not entirely sure they didn't use witchcraft to make it work.
  • Jennifer R.
    Camper-submitted photo from Old Camp 10
    July 12, 2021

    Old Camp 10

    Great spot to enjoy peace.

    It was a fond memory as a child. Going to the water pump and enjoying natural mineral water. It's nestled a little ways back so it can be missed easily if you are not paying attention but well worth the trip.

  • B
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    July 12, 2021

    Powell Campground

    Shady, spacious, private. Access to river, trails.

    The RV sites are level and have lots of shade and privacy. This is the kind of campground you want to stay a few days to relax in. There are communal water spigots, but they are not threaded so you can’t screw on a hose to refill your tanks. The pit toilets actually smell good, provided people follow directions to leave the lid shut.

  • Megan K.
    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park
    October 31, 2020

    Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park

    Great for day use

    I came here to hang out during a logging sports event and I really enjoyed the doc area where I sat with my feet in the water. We did not swim (except my dog), but we enjoyed the landscape and the lush green grass they were growing.

    I do want to camp in this park but we were camping at another location with the logger sports team.

  • Julian P.
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    October 8, 2020

    Powell Campground

    Well spaced out, private spots

    We stayed here for one night in early October and the campground was 1/3 filled. We were lucky enough to still find an open spot close to the river. The campground has 30+ sites, but they are well separated and it feels very private. The first loop has electricity, the second doesn’t. River access isn’t great, but it’s nice to hang out on the ridge above the river.

  • G
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    October 5, 2020

    Powell Campground

    Electric sites at a FS campground

    Great sites next to river. Bathroom and water had already been closed for season. We had site 18.

  • Annell N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    August 22, 2020

    Powell Campground

    Powell Campground - National Forest

    July 8-9, 2019 Beautiful campground. Smells like Christmas. Lochsa Lodge is within walking distance and very good. Site A016 had electric. There is water at the Rangers Station to fill fresh water tank. $10 per night with lifetime senior pass. There were flush and vault toilets. Pay showers $5 were available at the Lochsa Lodge. The dump station was 35 miles away. No cellular service. Lodge does have wifi.

  • Johnathan I.
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    July 23, 2020

    Powell Campground

    Nice little campground

    Good spots that aren’t to close to each other. $14.00 without electricity. $20 with power. The lochsa lodge has brekkie and a small general store with gasoline.

  • J
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    June 29, 2020

    Powell Campground

    Well maintained site near the river

    After passing through a few other sites in MT that were full and lackluster we came across this site and pulled in late in the evening.

    The site was large, contained a picnic table and fire pit with cooking grate, and had plenty of trees for hammocking. The campground is bordered on one side by the Lochsa River and the other side by the Powell Ranger station and Lochsa Lodge.

    $14/day to camp and I think $20 if you need an RV hookup. This campsite also has a dumpster which is helpful as the sites we were using for the prior week did not.

  • Dawn G.
    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park
    November 28, 2019

    Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park

    You need good brakes!!

    It is not the easiest to get to, and the road is a test for your engine and brakes, but once you arrive it is a quiet peaceful park with great water access. We originally had a reservation for a view site with no hook ups, but upon arrival they had a hookup site(#104) available, and the temps were nearly 100 degrees, so we took it! The park is large and thus the areas seem nicely spaced apart, never felt crowded, even though there are over 100 sites. There is lots of shoreline and plenty of water for everyone. We launched the kayaks and enjoyed the water ourselves- paddled to the opposite shore and found a remote unoccupied camp.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    June 28, 2019

    Powell Campground

    Amazing best kept secret

    Ummm...where do I start. We stayed here June 2019 with a creek rushing nearby that made for amazing sleep. Quiet during the weekend, we stopped by here one night for camping. I would recommend picking up groceries or wood in Lolo, MT if needed because not much on hwy 12 on the way there. The camp host kept the area clean and was available if needed. Definitely recommend this campsite if driving in.

  • Cody B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park
    April 11, 2019

    Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park

    A little bit of everything!

    Freeman Creek at Dworshak State park has great opportunity for all levels of camping. Tent sites, RV/Trailer sites, or a few small primitive cabins (no bathrooms or kitchens in the cabins). There is also access to the reservoir for boating, fishing or to mini-camp sites all along the reservoir. Kokanee fishing is great from March to about late July. The spawn begins in August, so the fish move up the reservoir as the season progresses. Smallmouth bass fishing is great! The Idaho state Smallmouth record was caught in this lake. Day use parking is available for a small fee. For Idaho residents with the State Parks pass reduces the fee. A lot of wildlife viewing too! If you are lucky you may see a black bear feeding on blackberries, deer are numerous, elk frequent the lake, and one of my favorites is to watch Osprey dive in the lake for fish.

    I have been at this park in every month of the calendar, but only camped from April thru October.

  • Christopher R.
    Camper-submitted photo from Old Camp 10
    June 25, 2018

    Old Camp 10

    old potlatch logging camp

    very beautiful place lots of places to go fishing not far from camp and lots of area to hunt

  • Debbie C.
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    June 8, 2018

    Powell Campground

    Beautiful Campground

    Powell Campground is a beautiful campground just over the Montana border on Hwy 12 right alongside the Lochsa River. There are two loops of campsites tent and RV pull in or back in camping with electricity that can accommodate up to a 45 ft camper. An amphitheater, large group campsite, picnic area, beautiful walking trails and most of all the beautiful Lochsa Lodge. A market with the friendliest people, cabins to rent and of course the beautiful Lochsa River. Lewis and Clark camped along the Lochsa and walked right through the campground.Deer, Elk and Bear sightings are common.

  • Gretchen B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Campground
    June 27, 2017

    Powell Campground

    Beautiful campground adjacent to blue ribbon fishing

    Great 34 site campground with electric and non-electric sites. Some are reservable, while others are first come, first served. The spaces are large and have many huge trees so a sense of privacy exists; some sites are right on the Lochsa River. The bathrooms are fancy; there are flush toilets and sinks. There are even logs at each site to split for campfires. Really a nice spot. Highly recommended.

Guide to Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests

Camping near Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Idaho, offers a mix of stunning scenery and outdoor adventures. Whether you're into fishing, hiking, or just soaking up nature, this area has something for everyone.

What to do:

  • Fishing: The waters around Deyo Reservoir are great for catching bluegill and trout. One camper mentioned, "We caught lots of bluegill, trout but no bass!"
  • Hiking: Explore the trails at Wilderness Gateway, where one visitor said, "There are lots of trees and plenty of water for everyone."
  • Boating: If you have a boat, Dent Acres is perfect for you. A reviewer noted, "This campground is for people with boats!"

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of restrooms. One review for Freeman Creek Campground stated, "The restrooms are very clean with only 2 showers!"
  • Spacious Sites: Many campgrounds, like Ohara Bar Campground, offer roomy spots. A visitor shared, "Camps spots are spacious and well distanced."
  • Quiet Atmosphere: Campers enjoy the peacefulness of places like Canyon Creek. One camper said, "Super quiet, you feel like you’re alone from the rest of the world."

What you should know:

  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, such as Aquarius Campground, lack electric hookups and showers. A reviewer mentioned, "Do not recommend large rigs in here."
  • Road Conditions: Accessing places like Elk Creek Service Camps can be tricky. One camper warned, "The road is a test for your engine and brakes."
  • Reservations Recommended: Popular spots like Wilderness Gateway can fill up quickly. A visitor advised, "I recommend reserving a spot ahead of time."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with play areas, like Freeman Creek Campground. One family enjoyed the "sweet little nature trails that were pretty and easy for smaller children to walk through."
  • Safety First: Be cautious of wildlife. A camper at Ohara Bar Campground reminded others, "The wildlife includes black bears and rattlesnakes, so remember to be cautious."
  • Pack Snacks: Some campgrounds don’t have markets nearby. A visitor at Deyo Reservoir noted, "There is very little cell service and reservations are required."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Hookups: Make sure your campground has the right hookups for your RV. A reviewer at Dent Acres mentioned, "All campsites are pull through, and have RV hookups."
  • Plan for Crowds: Popular spots can get busy, especially on weekends. One RV traveler at Canyon Creek said, "There was only 1 other couple there the whole time."
  • Explore Nearby: If your campground is full, check out nearby options. A camper at Elk Creek Service Camps suggested, "If we have known that before we paid we would have stayed in one of those instead."

Camping near Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Idaho, is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors. With a little planning and the right spot, you can have a memorable experience!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests is Freeman Creek Campground — Dworshak State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 9 reviews.