Best Equestrian Camping near Riggins, ID

Great little campground, until the fire went through.  Most of it survived, but fire damage is present adjacent to the road and along the trails.

It can sometimes be crowded with ATV and motorbikes, but most the time they are courteous and polite. 

I enjoyed panning in the creeks around the area because there are neat dark red and purple garnet to be had.  Only found a speck or two of gold, so I am glad I was looking for garnet and not gold.

Traveled from N. Idaho and Montana to here multiple times over the year - definitely worth the trip, especially since they paved the road.

Camp is decent with a few spots for smaller RV or campers - pit toilet - trees surround - high clearance vehicle recommended - steep in places

You can explore a few miles on the roads by UTV or by pickup while exploring the Salmon River drainage or the Snake River drainage. Traveling to Pittsburgh Landing and Kirkwood from here is considered a short day ride.

Steep terrain surrounds the area

Unit 18

A lot of cattle ranching in the summer and mostly hunters In the fall.

Forest service maps are recommended for travel since a lot just circle back to start, mostly on road, little access for off road travel.

Arrived late on a Saturday night originally intending to camp at the 7 devils campground but there were no available sites so decided to go back to windy saddle. We were the only campers at windy saddle and were able to get a perfect site at the head of the trail over looking hell’s canyon and Heaven’s gate. Had an absolutely gorgeous view of the devils peaks easy access to trails, devils lake, Heaven’s gate trail. One of the best camping trips I have ever had. There is a vault toilet but no other amenities which was ok for our stay. I am definitely going to be coming back to camp at windy saddle again.

I recommend this section of Wallowa-Whitman NF Rd 46 (4600) between Thomason Meadow Guard Station and Buckhorn Lookout because it is grazed less than surrounding areas, and thus has more plant diversity--i.e. great WILDFLOWER BLOOM in the spring. At 5000 feet, June to early July is a peak bloom time.

This is the top of the Imnaha River breaks, and you can see fully down into the BEAUTIFUL canyonlands of the Imnaha and Snake. Birdwatching was good for us out here too, especially raptors. One of the trailheads to the historic Nez Perce Nee -Me-Poo Trail is near this "Camp-1" dispersed spot.*

*One of our maps calls the marked spot "FSR 46 Camp-1," but the dispersed camp sites are all along NF Rd 46 from here north to Buckhorn.

The drive up to this area is well-maintained gravel, and an SUV with decent tires can do it. (We did it with a truck hauling a toy-hauler trailer). Bring all the water and supplies and tools you need--this area is REMOTE.

Take Crow Creek Rd off of Hwy 82 (btwn Enterprise and Joseph). All is paved until your intersection with Zumwalt Road, where you veer R to stay on Zumwalt (aka Zumwalt-Buckhorn Rd). It's gravel after that intersection.

Follow signs to Zumwalt Prairie or Buckhorn Lookout.

Crossing over Zumwalt Prairie is a GORGEOUS drive. The Nature Conservancy has their Zumwalt Prairie Preserve here, and it's a great side trip from the camp spot.

This section of NF-46 road is extremely quiet. Only the occasional ranch vehicle travels through. In fall this is a popular camp area for hunters.

I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because of zero water, zero data, the ecosystem/soil that has been abused in the past (not wilderness), the 50-minute drive to WiFi/ restaurant/ water refill/ black water dump. But if I was comparing primitive camping to primitive camping, this would be a 5 of 5.

I would go back here (in late spring or early fall) in a heartbeat.