Best Tent Camping near Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests

Our group stayed in the cabin, but hoping to come back for tent camping in warmer months

We were riding the Idaho BDR (Backcountry Discovery Route) and needed a place to camp near Pierce.  There aren't many options that are accessible for our Support Truck but found Deyo Reservoir as a welcome spot.   The West sites are very open and close to each other and are what you see first.  I kinda stumbled down to the East Campground which is more for Truck/Tent camping and is wooded and cooler (it was 95 degrees when we rode in).  Typical for Idaho the sites were nicely spaced, well maintained (it is hosted) and the Vault Toilet was very clean.

So, I’m not sure why “resort” is in the title, this certainly not a resort in the traditional sense. But, this is a great place to stop if headed up the Lochsa River and has something for everyone.

The “resort” has riverfront cabins, double occupancy motel rooms, A frame cabins, RV spots with hookups and a large tent camping area for motorcyclists, bicyclists and hikers. The mix of campers makes thing interesting. Add to this that the river raft guides take out at this location and this is a busy and fun place to spend a night. It has been very busy every time I have stopped, often full of RV’s with families spending a long weekend.

There is a small market, restaurant and bar, and an outdoor pool and hot tub. The market is well stocked with most of what you might have forgot to pack. They sell firewood as well. The bar offers typical burgers and bar fare and was lively enough even in peak Covid. This is Idaho after all, Covid seems like an afterthought in most of central and North Idaho.

The resort is located along a sweeping bend of the Lochsa river, which the highway follows on the opposite side. With the proximity of the highway, the RV’s in the campground, the cabins, etc, this is not a tranquil wilderness campground. It is however a great spot to spend the night while passing through.

I was on a motorcycle and there were probably 8-10 other riders tent camping. Several fires were going and folks were friendly and outgoing. There was no cell service for AT&T, but the market and bar had WiFi that you could access by sitting outside the front door.

I’ve stayed here 3 times and it will always be on my list when passing through this part of Idaho.

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.

Only 2 slots available seasonally for overnighters with 3 available for boaters, It is up against the highway with minimal sheltering from the road noise but the river is noisier, not a complaint. Site 3 is the best for overnighters with rv's or tents, site 2 is the other overnight spot but up against the hwy. The campground is sheltered with tall fir, cedar and decidiuous growth. It is not a boatramp site but rough access to the river for rafts and kayaks. There is a his/her pit toilet and his/her changing areas. Each site appears to have a good fire pit with cooking grate.

This place has huge spaces that will fit your 40 ft RV or just a small tent river access and much more

Dispersed camping for tents with picnic tables and fire pits with a beach for swimming water might be a bit chilly depending on time of year

Stayed here many times and will go back again it is a great place to go and it's not far to travel to from orofino idaho for an inexpensive camp trip

We stayed in a cabin for two nights in late June 2021 and had an awesome time! Lots of great tent and RV campsites in a nicely maintained park! They have ONE handicapped cabin and 3 regular! Bathrooms are pit style but kept very clean!

36 miles from Grangeville, and its got some elevation and it can get cold at night if in a tent. But the days are gorgeous there are alot of ORVs during the weekend but during the week its quiet. We found a place off the road next to a creek and away from the road. It was amazing.

Camped here over 4th of July weekend. Beautiful, quiet area, camps spots are spacious and well distanced. Dogs allowed, bathrooms were nice and clean, easy access to the river. For how popular it was, it was a nice quiet stay. Easy to reserve a camp spot. We easily fit 4 tents and 3 vehicles in the area. Plenty of space for 3 dogs as well. Firewood was easily found, campfire ring was already there.

A couple of friends and I stayed overnight at Quartz Flat Campground the night before rafting the Clark Fork. Amazing stay overall. The camp hosts had firewood waiting for us when we arrived at no extra charge and they had tons of options for tents or campers/RVs. The price was also unbeatable.

if I ever end up in the area again I won’t hesitate to stay there another night!

The past negative reviews sound more like an angry family to me. I pulled in (camping alone my first time) and had a warm welcoming. Once I got my tent set up I decided I wanted to set up sleeping in my car and my current spot didn’t allow vehicles. I waited around to see if it was filling up for the night and then asked if how much it would be to pull into an RV spot to sleep in the car. She let me switch free of charge! She was amazing.

There aren’t too many campgrounds between Orofino and Kooskia, Idaho except for a few RV parks. We finally found a beautiful campground off highway 12 or the scenic Lolo Highway. It was small but had quite a few open sites so we snagged one close to the river and bathroom. The highway noise was noticeable but not bad at night. Our picnic table had a view of the Clearwater river (yes, it is very clear and has salmon.). There were steps down to the rocky shore of the river. We net a couple from elsewhere in Udaho who always choose this campground.