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Best Tent Camping near Payette, ID

301 Reviews

Tent camping options near Payette, Idaho include several established campgrounds and dispersed sites within driving distance. Paradise Campground and Justrite Campground near Weiser offer tent-specific sites with basic amenities, while Shafer Butte provides a more remote tent camping experience about an hour from the area. The Owyhee River below the dam features dispersed camping opportunities for those seeking a more primitive experience.

Most tent sites in the region have fire rings and picnic tables, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Paradise Campground allows pets and campfires but has limited facilities. Shafer Butte's tent-only sites feature tent pads, fire rings, and picnic tables but lack running water, requiring campers to bring their own supplies. The dispersed camping areas along Owyhee River have minimal amenities with some vault toilets available. During summer months, fire restrictions may apply throughout the region, particularly in dispersed camping areas.

The tent camping experience around Payette offers varying levels of seclusion and natural settings. According to one visitor, "Shafer Butte is amazingly beautiful with a great hike right off the campground suitable for kids or adults." Sites at Paradise Campground are described as feeling "hidden away" among tall trees, providing privacy for tent campers. The Owyhee River area attracts fly fishing enthusiasts with one camper noting, "There is dispersed camping all along the river below the dam. It is very rugged, but there are amenities for camping." For those seeking primitive tent camping experiences, the walk-in sites at South Fork Recreation Site provide river access with mountain views, though some visitors mention occasional noise from nearby shooting ranges. Most tent-specific areas remain less crowded than RV parks, especially during weekdays.

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Best Tent Sites Near Payette, Idaho (12)

    1. Catfish Junction RV Park and Campground

    1 Review
    Weiser, OR
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 262-3833

    "Poor cell service, no WiFi. One shower for 40 + sites. Not crowded for the 2nd week of May. I would stop here again if I am in the area."

    2. Caldwell Campground and RV Park

    9 Reviews
    Caldwell, ID
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 454-0279

    $28 - $43 / night

    "Approx, 10-12 Grassy Tent sites, with shady trees, on a small 6 acre lake with entertaining ducks that do not beg for food. Lol. Lots of RV sites with full hook ups, including, 105 long term users."

    "Clean facilities.. , need a code to use them, Roads are dusty, if people would drive slow it would e nicer, Busy place, this is a flat rate place."

    3. Owyhee River - Below Dam - Owyhee Dam Park

    4 Reviews
    Adrian, OR
    34 miles

    "Just follow Owyhee Lake Rd along the river and you will find spaces to set up your tent or RV. It is a bit deserty, so beware of snakes. You will find quite a few places before the tunnel."

    "If you want the site in the pictures, which was fairly quiet other than a few people checking if it was open, take the first right after the bridge and follow the trail down."

    4. Justrite Campground

    1 Review
    Richland, ID
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 549-4200

    "Surrounded by tall amazing trees and the bridge across the river is so wonderful you easily feel hidden away"

    5. Paradise Campground

    1 Review
    Richland, ID
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 549-4200

    "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."

    6. Steck Park

    Be the first to review!
    Huntington, ID
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 384-3300

    7. Shafer Butte

    4 Reviews
    Horseshoe Bend, ID
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 587-7961

    $10 - $75 / night

    "Tent only, but nicely maintained tent pads, fire rings and picnic tables. Perfect place to teach young ones the joy of camping; campground is open, mostly flat and easy to keep your eyes the tykes."

    "It was a no frills place and we were dirtier than usual since there was no running water. it also had no firewood for sale, so we hauled ours up. We knew all this going in, so it didn’t matter."

    8. Banks

    2 Reviews
    Banks, ID
    40 miles
    Website

    9. Kiwanis Campground

    Be the first to review!
    Weiser, ID
    30 miles
    Website

    10. South Fork Recreation Site

    3 Reviews
    Garden Valley, ID
    49 miles
    Website

    "Long runway, above a big field for camping and plenty of trees to set up a hammock. Right along the river, all we heard was the sound of running water. Very big mountains around, plenty for hiking."

    "This is beyond the Payette River campground, if you follow the South Fork road down a ways, you will see a few turn outs, likely with several filled. This is US Forestry or BLM or both land."

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Payette, ID

4 Photos of 12 Payette Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Payette, ID

301 Reviews of 12 Payette Campgrounds

  • Jeff M.
    May. 10, 2018

    Shafer Butte

    One of my favorites

    Less than an hour from downtown Boise. Beautiful, scenic views, off the main road so it's mostly quiet. Tent only, but nicely maintained tent pads, fire rings and picnic tables. Perfect place to teach young ones the joy of camping; campground is open, mostly flat and easy to keep your eyes the tykes. One of the most enjoyable drives, ever.

  • B
    Jul. 8, 2018

    Rivers Edge RV Park

    Best little Campgound in the area!

    Best little Campgound in the area! Sits right on the Snake River, large grassy area with lots of shade, Cabins, tent sites, limited full hookups, electric, covered picnic tables, small boat dock, 2 horseshoe pits excellent catfishing, supplied fire rings (you can buy wood there), they just added a TeePee! The host, Turk, and his wife, Meghan, are absolutely, by far the best camp hosts we've ever dealt with. Dogs are allowed. BEST SUNSETS EVER!

  • Jill T.
    Jul. 8, 2021

    Swinging Bridge

    River & Road

    The Swinging Bridge campground had the pros and cons of being right off of hwy 55. It’s easy to access the site and Payette River but you can hear the traffic.

    Not an ideal site for big rigs. No showers or cell service but there are vault toilets.

  • Erica H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 26, 2020

    Oasis Recreation Site

    Great Overnight Stay!

    I ended up here because the Farewell Bend State Park campground was full. It’s right along the Snake River and borders an established campground to the east. There are two picnic tables/fire rings, one on either side of the boat launch. The spots are right on the water and sunset/sunrise are gorgeous! No potable water, and no trash collection, so you must pack it out. Perfect for an overnight stay when passing through the area. The only downside is the frequent sound of trains. They are in the distance, but definitely noticeable.

  • Brandon K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 12, 2020

    Farewell Bend State Recreation Area Campground

    Riverside desert experience

    Farewell bend is a day use state park and campground located near Huntington Oregon and nestled on the Snake River.

    The park is a dry desert setting with yellowing grasses, tall spiny trees and sand dunes. The snake river is a deep emerald green flowing with foam from the upriver reservoir.

    The campground has three large loops that can accommodate the largest of personal busses down to the classic sleeping bag. There are electric and water connections, a sewer dump and a boat launch. There are a couple of rentable waterfront cabins available on C-loop.

    Many fisherman come here to enjoy the well stocked waters, keep an eye out for the other river wildlife commonly seen, rattle snakes. Other water sports are welcome here, boating and waterskiing happens all day long. The dunes across the river are a popular off-road and motorized fun location.

    The river is pretty much inaccessible from the campgrounds, the day use area allows for access to the rocky beach, but the waters edge is not clean sadly, polluted with litter and river foam.

    The park is a very warm and sunny Oregon escape with little to no cellular service.

  • S
    May. 4, 2017

    Sagehen Creek

    Sagehen

    I love this campground. It is fairly secluded and not many know about it, so it never gets too crowded. The lake is beautiful and only small motor boats are allowed, so the water stays smooth. Great for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. On one side of the reservoir there are some large rocks and a deeper area great for rock jumping. Some cool hikes nearby as well. All that being said, there are no showers or flushing toilets, and everything is pack-out, so beware.

  • L
    Aug. 6, 2018

    Mann Creek Recreation Area

    Fishing and more

    Has designated campsites and primitive large campsites if you are willing to drive in a ways. Its a wonderful place to camp or just spend time fishing the day away.

    No fire rings are in the primitive area so if you want fire and there is a ban your out of luck. Very limited shade

  • Ed E.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 22, 2018

    Farewell Bend State Recreation Area Campground

    Just a Hop Skip and Jump away from Idaho

    Living in Idaho near the border of Idaho, I was looking for a great catfishing spot on the Snake River. I found this campground along the Snake just on the other side of the border - eastern Oregon. The campgrounds are AWESOME!!! The have all the amenities for RV camping. They do have tent camping sites as well. There is some great history of the area and we were appreciative of how the State Park system displayed it. Great fishing for the shore angler as well as boat anglers. I fished from my kayak and caught crappie and catfish as well as some smallmouth bass. I would definitely camp here again. They do have a dump station for RVs as well as restrooms. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table.

  • L
    May. 2, 2021

    Rivers Edge RV Park

    Would not recommend if you want any piece and quiet!

    We arrived for our weekend mid-afternoon on Friday. Parked our trailer in our designated spot in the middle of the grassy area near the horseshoe pits. After unloading, setting up and taking a walk around the park (down to the river, dock, beach area, etc) it became obvious that this was not the place we expected it to be based on other reviews!

    We decided to give it some time and benefit of the doubt. Made dinner and ate outside (weather was perfect). During dinner we were treated to the drunken, LOUD ramblings of other campers - complete with foul language at the highest volume possible! Permanent residents at the back of the park left a lot to be desired. Messy camp sites.

    There are no hiking trails or places to explore. If you don't have a camp spot right on the water, fishing access is horrible - only super shallow, reed-filled openings. Certainly not what we expected from a riverfront park with great reviews. The fishing dock is a joke, the water near and around the dock is a filthy, grime filled, trash collecting mess!

    Tried to get our child to bed before 10pm but was virtually impossible with the level of noise coming from the group area (which was across the park, mind you), not to mention music streaming loudly from several other campers all around. 10pm quiet hour does not seem to matter to the hosts who did nothing to help those of us who expect rules to be followed.

    By first thing in the morning, we had found another camp site to flee to and we couldn't get out of there fast enough!

    Never again will we be back. Never again.

Guide to Payette

Tent camping near Payette, Idaho offers a variety of options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature. With scenic views and accessible amenities, these campgrounds cater to different preferences and budgets.

Affordable Tent Camping Options

Activities for Outdoor Enthusiasts

Unique Features to Enhance Your Stay

  • The Malheur County Fairgrounds is big rig friendly and offers essential amenities like water hookups and sanitary dump stations.
  • Steck Park provides a peaceful setting with drinking water available, perfect for a relaxing camping experience.
  • For those looking for a more rustic experience, Kiwanis Campground offers a secluded atmosphere, ideal for tent camping away from the hustle and bustle.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Payette, ID is Catfish Junction RV Park and Campground with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Payette, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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