Best Cabin Camping near Porthill, ID
Looking to cabin camp near Porthill and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? Finding a place to cabin camp near Porthill is easier than ever. Search nearby cabins or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Looking to cabin camp near Porthill and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? Finding a place to cabin camp near Porthill is easier than ever. Search nearby cabins or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Priest Lake camping features 151 campsites, and 5 cabins. Priest Lake State Park lies just 30 miles from the Canadian Border, nestled deep below the crest of the Selkirk Mountains. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Idaho and mile-high mountains, Priest Lake State Park sits along the eastern shores of Priest Lake, a 19-mile long, over 300 foot deep lake. Amenities include showers, flush toilets, dump stations, full service park store with gasoline. Activities include hiking mountain biking, cycling, fishing, boating, swimming, horseshoeing, water sports, volleyball, disc gold
Your favorite North Idaho destination. Conveniently located in the heart of North Idaho, 22 miles north of Sandpoint and 5 miles south of Bonners Ferry. From our lake to nearby trails and waterfalls, outdoor activities abound.
When you get back from a long day of exploring beautiful North Idaho, unwind on our wine deck and enjoy a huckleberry Mimosa, a glass of wine or a local beer.
RVs - Cabins - Tents No matter how you like to camp, from big rig to cyclist to family tenting, we've got what you're looking for.
Fish, swim or kayak in our natural, 3 acre, 100 ft. deep lake. Rent one of our Kayaks, SUPs or Pedal boats. Or book a private, sauna for you and your friends!
$20 - $55 / night
North Haven campground is located in Bonners Ferry, Idaho and features 21 RV sites, 5 log cabins, 2 covered Conestoga glamping wagons, glamping tipis (coming summer 2024) and The Outpost camp store. Our office, laundry room and bathhouse facilities are located in the same building as the camp store. North Haven is located in a safe wooded area and is also conveniently located a few miles north of downtown Bonners Ferry, the Kootenai River and a wide variety of outdoor activities within the area.
THE AREA
North Haven is located just a few minutes north of the town of Bonners Ferry, close to the intersection of HWY 95 and HWY 2. The campground is surrounded by trees and there is a 3/4 mile nature walking trail loop that goes around both North Haven and the Log Inn across the street.
We are located just a couple miles from the Kootenai River and kayaks and paddle boards can be rented at Far North Outfitters in town. Other outdoor activities include ATV riding, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking and motorcycle riding. There are some great water fall trails in the area which include Myrtle Falls, Snow Creek Falls, Copper Creek Falls and Kootenai Falls.
POINTS OF INTEREST
- Kootenai Wildlife Refuge 10 minute drive southwest
- Mirror Lake Golf Course 10 minute drive south
- Kootenai River Casino and Spa 5 minute drive south
- Schweitzer Ski Resort 50-60 minute drive south
- Lake Pend Orielle and City Beach in Sandpoint 45 minute drive south
- Coeur dAlene 90 minute drive south
- Glacier National Park 3 hour drive east
- US Canadian Border 30 minute drive north
- Banff National Park 4 hour drive north, in Canada
INDOOR ACTIVITIES
- Antiquing Thrifting
- CQB Underground airsoft gun arena
- Movie Theaters in Sandpoint and Coeur dAlene areas
- Walmart, Home Depot, North 40 in Sandpoint
- Malls, Costco, Target in Coeur dAlene
GROCERY STORES
- Super 1 open 24 hours a day
- Safeway
- Grocery Outlet
- Mountain Mikes Health Food
- The Gathering Place
Services in town: Laundromat, Hospital, Library, ATM, Police, Sheriff, Fire
Restaurants: Mi Pueblo, Mugsys Tavern and Grill, Rusty Moose, Kootenai River Brewing Company, Badgers Den, Chicknchop, Under the Sun and more.
$49 - $300 / night
The Hemlocks is a long standing establishment built along State Route 2 during the 1950’s. Originally, a filling station, motel and cafe, The Hemlocks grew into a full service restaurant whose reputation for great food endeared locals and drew visitors from far and wide. Over the years– through several owners– the RV Park was added. In 2013, Tammy and Will Hedrick purchased The Hemlocks and with great joy have been working to revive the rustic atmosphere of the much beloved restaurant and facilities.Located in the Northern Rockies, nestled between the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountain ranges in North Idaho, The Hemlocks is a perfect lodging point if you are traveling East to Montana, North to British Columbia, Canada and the Selkirk Loop, or South to Couer d’Alene, Idaho and the Spokane Valley.North Idaho is an outdoor enthusiasts playground! Hiking(more then 40 mountain lakes!), rivers for canoeing or floating, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, wildlife watching, we have it all! All activities come in beginner, intermediate and“you did what?” levels! This is a great area to pack a lunch, head out for a drive and just get“lost” in nature.The Hemlocks offers easily accessible Full Hook Up RV spots, a Remodeled Cabin that sleeps up to 6 people, Remodeled Motel Rooms, and multiple Camping spots.
$25 - $129 / night
Deer Ridge Lookout, perched on a 40 foot timber frame, boasts excellent views of the Purcell mountain ranges of Northern Idaho, Canada and Montana. Located 24 miles northeast of Bonners Ferry, guests can enjoy magnificent scenery, hiking and wildlife watching. The lookout can be accessed by car and the gravel road to the lookout is well maintained.
Hiking and viewing the scenery are two well-loved activities at the facility. Hiking trails from the lookout follow along the Deer Ridge and Ruby Ridge. Huckleberry picking is enjoyed from August to September. Fly fishing is available in the Moyie River, where anglers can cast for rainbow and brook trout. Make sure to check all regulations and secure all permits with the local Fish and Wildlife department before heading out.
The Lower Kootenai River Area (Bonners Ferry District) is bordered by the Purcell and Cabinet Ranges and the Montana Line on the east, the rugged Selkirk Range on the west, and the Canadian border to the north. The Kootenai River meanders north and west through the District, and the Moyie River joins it from the north. Peaks are moderate in elevation (6000 - 7000 ft.) but are rugged due to heavy glaciation. They are renowned for their mountaineering challenge. The lookout is perched atop Deer Ridge at an elevation of 4,755 feet. The view from the facility includes the rugged Purcell mountain peaks and the beautiful Moyie River Valley and Moyie Springs. Elk, deer and black bears are among the wildlife in the area. Please be aware of and practice bear safety.
The nearest town for groceries is Bonners Ferry, about 24 miles from the lookout.
$45 / night
The Mount Baldy - Buckhorn Ridge Lookout sits at an elevation of 6,529 feet in the Kootenai National Forest. This location has been used as an observation point for detecting forest fires since 1910. The current lookout tower was built in 1957. The lookout is typically available from late June through late September, and is accessible by car, though high clearance vehicles are recommended for the primitive roads. Some creature comforts are provided, but guests should be prepared to pack in many of their own amenities.
Aside from exploring Mount Baldy, hikers can find a network of trails in the surrounding Yaak Area. The Northwest Peaks Scenic Area, located in the northwest corner of the Yaak Area, offers a variety of hiking trails in beautiful settings. Hunting is also possible nearby. Wild berries grow in the area, inviting berry pickers.
The lookout offers views of the Kaniksu National Forest in Idaho, the Cabinet Mountain Range and Rock Candy Mountain. The panorama features endless mountain peaks and evergreen forest. Guests have an ideal location for watching sunrises and sunsets, or for gazing out over the starry night skies. Kootenai National Forest supports populations of deer, elk, moose, grizzly and black bears, wolves and mountain lions (bear safety). A variety of smaller mammals and birds can also be found.
Yaak Falls is a popular destination just a short drive from the lookout off Yaak Highway 508. Spring and early summer are the best times to visit, when the snowmelt finds its way over the falls.
$55 / night
Priest Lake was originally called Roothaan Lake by Father Desmet in 1846 in honor of his Jesuit Superior in Rome. One of the prominent peaks in the Selkirk Range still bears the name Roothaan. In 1865, Captain John Mullan designated this same lake as Kaniksu Lake on one of his maps. It is believed that "Kaniksu" was the Indian name of Black Robe, although this has never been authenticated. The name was gradually changed in the early 1900's from Kaniksu Lake to its present name of Priest Lake, which refers to the early-day Jesuit missionary priests who had established a base camp at Kalispell Bay in the 1840's. The lake is one of three largest and most beautiful lakes in the Idaho Panhandle, and a very popular recreation attraction. The world's largest Makinaw trout was caught here in 1963. Dolly Varden, Cutthroat, and Kokanee are also caught in the lake. It is now illegal to fish for Dolly Varden and they are to be returned to the lake when caught. Upper Priest Lake is part of the Upper Priest Lake Scenic Area. There were five small parcels of private land totaling about 420 acres on Upper Priest Lake. The Forest Service purchased these tracts in 1967 with the assistance of Nature Conservancy. The entire shoreline of Upper Priest Lake is now in either the State of Idaho or Federal ownership, and is administered as a scenic area. Upper Priest River, which flows into Upper Priest Lake, is one of the rivers to be studied for inclusion in the Wild and Scenic Rivers system along with the lower Priest River which was famous in the early days as a log-drive stream. The first recorded drive was in 1901 and the last in 1949. The greatest drive took place in 1931 when 50,000 cedar poles and 125,000,000 board feet or logs were herded down the river by the "river pigs".
Come stay with us on the beautiful Kootenai River in northwest Montana. RV site, tent sites and cabins are available in a scenic wooded location along the Kootenai River just two miles west of Troy, Montana on US Hwy 2. Improvements are made each year, including the addition of WiFi and a newly remodeled restroom/shower house in 2015. Some of the upgrades from previous seasons include a new well for greater water pressure, a solar water pre-heater to ensure hot showers, new fire rings and bbq grills, new picnic tables and new towels and linens in the cabins. We will be selling beer, wine, and cigarettes by 4th of July weekend Located in scenic western Montana, the campground is surrounded by the Kootenai National Forest and bounded by the Kootenai River. A wide variety of outdoor recreational activities are available in the Kootenai including fishing, hiking, backpacking, and hunting. The Kootenai is one of Montana's treasures, with extensive beauty and recreation without the crowds found near the national parks. Book your next vacation or come visit friends and family today! We look forward to your visit.
Garver Mountain Lookout is perched on top of Garver Mountain at an elevation of 5,874 feet. The lookout is located in the Yaak area of the Kootenai National Forest, characterized by its minimal services and rugged beauty. This destination is ideal for visitors with an adventurous attitude, looking for a plethora of outdoor activities. Garver Mountain Lookout has been used as an observation point for detecting forest fires since 1929. The first lookout was a one-story log cabin, which is still on the site. The current lookout was built in 1963 and is available for rent for up to four people.
Garver Creek is located near the lookout and offers opportunities for trout fishing. Day hiking is another popular pastime in the area around the lookout. The Lookout is situatied along the Pacific Northwest National Scenic trail, and through hikers may visit you in the lookout.
The Yaak area is home to grizzly bears, wolves, elk, deer and a variety of smaller mammals and birds. The Yaak River and its many tributaries provide habitat for cutthroat, rainbow, brook and bull trout. There are also several lakes scattered at varying elevations for hikers and fisherman to enjoy.
$45 / night
Shorty Peak Lookout, 45 miles northwest of Bonners Ferry, sits atop Shorty Peak with views of the Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges of Northern Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. The rustic dwelling was once used to patrol forest fires, and is now a unique way for overnight guests to escape the city and become enthralled with 360 degree views of area's magnificence. Access requires a moderate to steep 2.5 mile hike with a 1,300 foot elevation gain. The lookout was refurbished in 2005 and is in excellent condition.
The 2.5 mile hike up to Shorty Peak is part of the fun of staying at the cabin. The trail is also open to horseback riding. While here, landscape photography and wildlife viewing are popular pastimes. Birding is particularly popular and guests may have the chance to look down on some birds of prey. Look for red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, and goshawks soaring over the valleys. Clear nights offer prime stargazing opportunities.
Shorty Peak lookout is located in the Lower Kootenai River Area (Bonners Ferry District) of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. The land is bordered by the Purcell and Cabinet Ranges and the Montana Line on the east, the rugged Selkirk Range on the west, and the Canadian border to the north. The 360-degree unobstructed vista from Shorty Peak Lookout is exceptional, with views of Kootenai Valley, U.S. and Canadian Selkirks, Smith Creek and Cow Creek drainage areas, Red Top Mountain, and the higher Lone Tree Peak a mile to the west. Elk, deer and black bears are among the wildlife in the area. This is bear country, both grizzly and black. The Forest Service recommends that you be able to distinguish between them. Please be aware of and practice bear safety while camping in this area.
The nearest location for a convenience store is the Canadian border. A more cost effective location for groceries and gear is in Bonners Ferry, about 50 miles from the lookout.
$45 / night
We did not stay overnight, but it's a beautiful spot, with 360 degree views. It's quiet and peaceful. The road up to the lookout is pretty rough and wouldn't recommend it in a car. There's a lovely hiking trail from the parking area as well which leads to even more spectacular views. Recommended for a day trip or overnight!
Modern and beautiful campground. Close to all the wonders of Idaho's panhandle. They have several back in and pull through sites with more on the way. Choice of full hookups, or water and electric. Their showers are emaculant and luxurious. Wife refused to use ours. They have luxury cabins and covered wagon glamping. Very family and senior friendly. Reasonably priced, can't loose booking here.
I couldn’t book through Dyrt in app on the date. I called and booked with Munro on busy 4th weekend and got it done. A very nice stay on very loud 4th weekend of fireworks at Bonners Ferry(to be expected). Campsite with fire ring, wooded, picnic table was awesome. Bathhouse and facilities were very clean. Wood, icecream, laundry detergent, and more for sale at office/bathhouse. Definitely, stay again.
Johnie and his staff are over the top to accommodate. We stayed in the cabin and it was clean, warm, comfortable. Located central to sights in Idaho as well as Montana. We will be back next year. Guided fishing tours available as well as great food.
Between having a pond with many activities to do and the wine bar you can go to I have no complaints. Will happily return.
I would have given it 4 stars about 5 years ago when we first stayed as it seemed a lot friendlier staff willing to please their customers but I'm not sure if it was sold since then but I had to give it only 2 stars this time because the negatives outweighed the positives. Pros: Friendly staff that helps you park if you need it. Location is fairly close to the town of Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint so you are never too far from civilization. Although I've never used it, they do have wine in the evenings for their guests...not sure if they charge or not. They also sell wood and when we were there 5 years ago, they delivered it to our site. Also, the site we stayed in that time was not full hook ups and the staff still helped us dump without having to move our rig. Cons: Everything everyone says about the pot holes, dirt road, train noise and turn off from the 95 is spot on. The one thing I didn't hear anyone mention is the noise from the 95 of cars that can be as loud as the constant train passing in the middle of the night. So, quiet and serene is not a good description. The"lake" although which can be fun for small kids fishing and maybe paddle boating, is more of a large pond that is dark and gloomy like and so when you first see it, you might be disappointed at it being called a lake. Although friendly, I didn't find it as hospitable as it used to be when we were first there five years ago and you get the distinct feeling that they are barely surviving as they will not do anything extra to refund or make things whole if you experience is not up to par. Here is why: We were charged half of the amount to reserve the spot we wanted and in order to keep a particular spot you pick, you have to pay a little extra to reserve it or you can still risk having them move you to a different spot if they want to. That's a first. It's true they can't control the weather and I don't really blame them for that, but good vacation industries will go out of their way to keep their customers happy when things are not up to par. We paid for six days and with the stifling heat, along with the fires that were in the area, we were smoked out and weren't told that campfires were restricted per an ordinance they were given before we made the trip there. The entire camping experience was ruined because the only choice we had to not to feel choked out was to stay indoors in the RV. We only stayed one night since this was miserable and decided to leave the next day. When we got home we received an email requesting our input of our stay and we told them a partial refund would have been nice since accommodations were not up to standards. Instead, we were told that in order for them to stay in business and because they have few drop ins, they have to take 50% deposits up front. This seems fair but we paid for the entire week, so it seems to me that in good faith and good customer service, 50% or even some refund at all would have kept us coming back despite the cons. They also claimed that charging 50% is better than some places that want all the money upfront when you book. We have been RVing for years in this area and there are much better places to go that do not do this I'm not really sure why they asked us for our input in the first place. Anyway, as a result we won't be back.
We came up and found this spot since we needed to plug in. We got a spot beside the lake. Mark at the front desk and wine bar was very nice. Had we arrived sooner we would have had a drink. We paddle boarded and swam the next day.
While there were some positive aspects to the campground, a few drawbacks prevented it from standing out. One of the major downsides was the campsite's unfortunate location between two railway lines. The constant sound of freight trains passing by throughout the day was quite disruptive and detracted from the overall tranquility of the camping experience. If you're a light sleeper or prefer a quieter atmosphere, this aspect might pose a challenge.
On a brighter note, the presence of a lake near the campsite was undoubtedly a highlight. The lake provided a pleasant and picturesque setting, offering campers the opportunity to enjoy various water activities or simply relax by its shores. The natural beauty of the lake was a redeeming quality that added a touch of serenity to the overall camping ambiance.
Ashley here from The Dyrt! It was great to work with Rachel and get this campground added to our platform. Rachel and her family recently purchased this location, and are putting in so much work! Check them out and leave them some love.
Blue Lake is a nice enough campground, but I wouldn’t call it a resort. It has a mix of sites, some full hookup pull through that are all side by side without much space, and some more nicely spaced water and electric sites amongst the trees. We stayed in a tree’d site (J3) which we liked. The bathrooms are ok, there is a wine and beer bar ( which I did not visit) and a small pond for fishing. I would stay here again.
A very nice small campground. About 2/3 of the sites are full hookups. Rest water and electric. Tent sites. Owners are great people. Very helpful for sure. They have a path you can walk down right to the Kootanie river with chairs and picnic tables to sit on. Very nice. Grounds are clean and tidy. Owners care a lot about their customers. Bathrooms are clean. Showers also clean. Would recommend staying here if your in the area.
We called ahead and they had plenty of availability, we got a spot with hookups for our van right by the river. Clean bathrooms, nice showers, dish washing station too. Very friendly people! I got to do yoga by the lake at sunrise, not too buggy and I saw lots of turtles. We were just passing through so stayed for one night, but would have stayed longer if we had time! Nice little shop and beer patio too. We might stay here again on our way back!
Owners were very accommodating and informative. Beautiful campground. Very clean and well kept.
All the state (not Federal) parks at both Priest and Lake Pend Oreille (Farragut) have become prohibitively expensive for out of staters. Per the Boise newspaper a state legislator from Hayden. ID was angered that he was unable to camp the state parks in his area at the drop of a hat 'due to the large number of out of state campers'(who had the foresight to make reservations months in advance). He was able to push a punitive bill through the State legislature which effectively more than doubled out of state camp fees in these two parks. Not only is the camp site at least twice as expensive but there is now a daily vehicle fee added. A basic campsite (no utilities) can now cost upwards of $70 per night.
We enjoyed our time at this camp. Most sites are for RVs, but we got a tent site. Unfortunately, my two year old son didn’t settle for bed easily when camping. I ended up in hotels a couple nights, just because I didn’t want to bother the other campers. The time I did stay there was nice. The hosts are very helpful and kind as well.
Nice RV campsites with water & electric hookups yr round. WiFi & free laundry, bathroom,&showers via coded entry.
Very nice Campground lots of trees for shade. Staff is very helpful. Facilities are clean and well maintained.
Great campground, well kept up. Great help.
Location is good if you want to do outdoor activities.
The little store had what we needed.
It’s not really a fancy place but it’s all the little things that make it great. The bathrooms are kept fantastic, the owners are really friendly and don’t treat you as a bother. They have paddle boats, kayaks, paddle boards and a floating trampoline. The little lake is full of catfish and turtles that you can feed. Their prices are very reasonable and the campsites are designed pretty well. My boys are ready to return and so am I. It’s just one of those peaceful places that I don’t think very many know about.
I been through the area a couple times on quick trips,I always wanted to return and explore the area without knowing much about it and the people were very helpful. Yes they told us how to get to Ross Creek Cedars and Kootenai falls (go early), absolutely stunning! I also found Libby Dam, we sat on the tailgate eating lunch and watched eagles soaring and fishing on the bottom side of the dam. The trail down to the river was great, the boys had a blast riding their bikes on it. The only downside was being right next to the highway but that also made it nice for getting out and exploring too.
We stayed here for two nights for our first “plugged in” camper experience. Owners were super friendly and helpful! At their recommendation visited both the Kootenai Falls and Ross Creek Cedars, both very fun and memorable experiences for us and our toddler. Camp store packed with fun goodies. Also met some new friends while at camp, excited to meet up with them again someday! Will definitely be back!
Ended our tour of Northern Idaho at spot #140. Tons of flat area to put down a tent, mosquito shade (they are pretty bad), and enjoy the amazing view!
Bathrooms with vault toilets, water pump, and grey water dump all just a short walk away
My family and i visit here at least twice a year. We love views and there is always something to do. Wish they had more sites with sewer hook ups but they do have a very easy to use dump station on site.
I’ve been to Priest countless times. Camp in the woods or on the beach. Upper or lower Priest Lake.
To start off, I rarely write reviews. We were in the area in August of 2019 and we stopped here to potentially tent camp. We went inside and asked if there was anything available for the night. We wanted a quiet campground with access to the Kootenay River in which they had both. So one of the owners let us check out the sites and trail to the river. However, we wanted something right on the river and it was a little bit of a walk to gain access to it.
We went back in and said we wanted something along the river and the owner recommended a different campground further down the road. (Which ended up being a great recommendation.) She didn't have to do that. She wasn't greedy whatsoever. That's how businesses should operate. That what makes people want to come back because of little stuff like this. I even offered to buy some firewood because she recommended a different campsite and she told us to get it at the camp in which we were staying.
That's why I'm writing this review because it's hard to find good service like that anymore. Although we didn't stay here, I highly recommend this campground. Great service, very clean, and nice atmosphere.
Had a family reunion at this campground. Loved every second of this place. Started by playing frisbee golf at their awesome new course. Had our puppy with us and he had an absolute blast.
Cute little store that had all kinds of local art and everything you’ll need for camping. We were blessed with a few amazing thunderstorms that put a damper on fishing, but had a great time watching the storms pass.
We did get some fishing in for cutthroat and lake trout. Cutthroat are catch and release so we had to be pretty careful, but the lake trout tasted amazing.
Amazing camp hosts stopped by regularly and were so nice. Bathrooms were clean and showers were hot. All in all, had a great time at this campground and we plan on going back this next spring.
Cute little RV park off the highway. Very quite with a small lake. Families can enjoy fishing, swimming, yard games, fire pit, and very dog friendly with a fenced dog park. We are tent campers and had a nice spot on lake. only a few tent sites. Super clean bathrooms with hot shower.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Porthill, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Porthill, ID is Lionhead Campground — Priest Lake State Park with a 4.2-star rating from 9 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Porthill, ID?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 cabin camping locations near Porthill, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.