We all love roasting marshmallows over a campfire—and you can often still do that while cabin camping in Salmon-Challis National Forest. Finding a place to cabin camp in Idaho is easier than ever. You're sure to find the perfect cabin rental for your Idaho camping adventure.
Glacier View Campground is located next to beautiful Redfish Lake, beneath the Sawtooth Mountain Range, at an elevation of 6,500 feet.
Glacier View is in the heart of the beautiful Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. Redfish Lake offers excellent boating, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and fishing for rainbow trout and Kokanee salmon. Little Redfish Lake is just down the road, offering additional fishing and canoeing. The Redfish Lake Visitor Center is within 1/4-mile, offering interpretive activities, evening programs and wildlife, geology and historical exhibits.
Summer wildflowers are plentiful, lodgepole pines provide partial shade and Fishhook Creek is nearby. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities; an estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains. Alpine Way, Fishhook Creek, Redfish Lake Creek and Bench Lakes Trails all offer trailheads in the immediate area. The Idaho Centennial Trail passes nearby. The Salmon River offers excellent fishing for rainbow trout, Westslope cutthroat trout and occasional hybrid cutbows and bull trout. Popular area events include an Arts and Crafts Fair in July, and Wagon Days, Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair, and Fireman's Ball in September.
$40 / night
$50 - $70 / night
Deadman Hole has 5 first come, first served primitive campsites adjacent to the scenic Upper Salmon River. Anglers have access to great fishing opportunities. Amenities include restrooms, picnic shelters, drinking water, ample parking, and a boat ramp. This site has limited cell service.
Yellowjacket Guard Station is a historic Forest Service Ranger Station and Work Center. Originally constructed in 1925 and remodeled in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the structure is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hikers, horseback riders, mountain bikers and off-road enthusiasts will find many trails in the surrounding area. Hunting is also a popular activity. Click here for an Idaho OHV safety message
The guard station sits in the Yellowjacket Mountains within the Salmon-Challis National Forest in Idaho. The sizable front porch awards views of the scenic mountain meadow surrounding the station. A dense conifer forest covers the mountains and a few aspens dot the landscape. Beagle Creek flows nearby.
Bighorn Crags, Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area and Panther Creek.
$40 / night
Point Campground is located next to beautiful Redfish Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range at an elevation of 6,500 feet.
Point Campground is in the heart of the beautiful Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. Redfish Lake offers excellent boating, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and fishing for rainbow trout and Kokanee salmon. Little Redfish Lake is just down the road, offering additional fishing and canoeing. A designated swimming beach and dock are located at the adjacent public day-use area. Sandy Beach Boat Ramp is across the lake, about a mile away.
Summer wildflowers are plentiful, lodgepole pines provide partial shade and Fishhook Creek is nearby. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities, and an estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains. In the immediate area are trailheads for the Alpine Way, Fishhook Creek, Redfish Lake Creek and Bench Lakes Trails. The Idaho Centennial Trail passes nearby. Redfish Lake Lodge is nearby with a restaurant, general store, boat and kayak rentals, mooring services, lake tours and a lake shuttle. Popular area events include an Arts and Crafts Fair in July, and Wagon Days, Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair and Fireman's Ball in September.
$26 / night
We are an OHV & ATV friendly RV Park located in a remote part of the Salmon River country of central Idaho, in the heart of one of the best trail networks in the country. This area is second-to-none in terms of sportsman's and OHV recreational activities. We offer the following amenities:
$30 / night
This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature. If this option is available, you will need to__first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival__as some remote areas have limited or no cellular service.
Warm Lake Campground is near the eastern shore of beautiful Warm Lake, at an elevation of 5,300 feet. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, hiking and viewing local wildlife.
Warm Lake offers great fishing opportunities for cutthroat, rainbow, lake and bull trout. Boating, canoeing and swimming are popular activities. A developed swim beach is available less than a quarter-mile away, at Warm Lake Lodge. Billy Rice Swim Beach is just over a mile from the campground, on the north side of the lake. The area offers a day-use site for picnicking and swimming. A boat ramp is located at nearby Shoreline Campground. The surrounding area offers great hiking, mountain biking, horseback and off-road vehicle riding, and hunting. The WeWuKiye (Wa Wu Kia) Trail No. 252 was recently built and can be accessed at Shoreline Campground. It is popular for hiking and mountain biking. For off-road vehicle enthusiasts, Telephone Ridge Trail No. 112 offers 20 miles of trails for all riding levels, with staging areas within the campground and up the road at Shoreline Campground.
Warm Lake offers great fishing opportunities for cutthroat, rainbow, lake and bull trout. Boating, canoeing and swimming are popular activities. A developed swim beach is available less than a quarter-mile away, at Warm Lake Lodge. Billy Rice Swim Beach is just over a mile from the campground, on the north side of the lake. The area offers a day-use site for picnicking and swimming. A boat ramp is located at nearby Shoreline Campground. The surrounding area offers great hiking, mountain biking, horseback and off-road vehicle riding, and hunting. The WeWuKiye (Wa Wu Kia) Trail No. 252 was recently built and can be accessed at Shoreline Campground. It is popular for hiking and mountain biking. For off-road vehicle enthusiasts, Telephone Ridge Trail No. 112 offers 20 miles of trails for all riding levels, with staging areas within the campground and up the road at Shoreline Campground.
The campground is situated in a scenic forest of towering, old-growth ponderosa pine, which provides partial shade in the campground. Chipmunk Creek runs alongside the campground. Summer wildflowers are abundant. A variety of wildlife including bears, deer, elk, fox, grouse, eagles, osprey, grosbeaks, whooping cranes and otters, lives around the lake.
Warm Lake Lodge is located across the road from the campground and has a restaurant and small store with camping and fishing essentials.
$34 / night
Shoreline Campground is located just across the road from beautiful Warm Lake, at an elevation of 5,300 feet. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, hiking and viewing local wildlife.
Warm Lake offers great fishing opportunities for cutthroat, rainbow, lake and bull trout. Boating, canoeing and swimming are popular activities. Billy Rice Swim Beach is nearby, offering a day-use site for picnicking and swimming. A boat ramp is located just across the road from the campground. The surrounding area offers great hiking, mountain biking, horseback and off-road vehicle riding, and hunting. The WeWuKiye (Wa Wu Kia) Trail No. 252 is popular among hikers and mountain bikers. It was recently built and can be accessed at the campground's entrance. For off-road vehicle enthusiasts, Telephone Ridge Trail No. 112 offers 20 miles of trails for all riding levels, with staging areas within the campground and at Warm Lake Campground just down the road.
Warm Lake offers great fishing opportunities for cutthroat, rainbow, lake and bull trout. Boating, canoeing and swimming are popular activities. Billy Rice Swim Beach is nearby, offering a day-use site for picnicking and swimming. A boat ramp is located just across the road from the campground. The surrounding area offers great hiking, mountain biking, horseback and off-road vehicle riding, and hunting. The WeWuKiye (Wa Wu Kia) Trail No. 252 is popular among hikers and mountain bikers. It was recently built and can be accessed at the campground's entrance. For off-road vehicle enthusiasts, Telephone Ridge Trail No. 112 offers 20 miles of trails for all riding levels, with staging areas within the campground and at Warm Lake Campground just down the road.
The campground is situated in a mixed-growth lodgepole pine forest, which offers partial shade. Summer wildflowers are abundant in the area. A variety of wildlife including bears, deer, elk, fox, grouse, eagles, osprey, grosbeaks, whooping cranes and otters, lives around the lake.
$50 / night
Guide
Stayed here for two nights. The first night I have the whole area to myself. The second night there was two other campers. Doesn't seem to be super popular or high in demand. So finding a spot shouldn't be a problem. There was about six or more parking/camping areas. No Wi-Fi or Verizon signal. There is a toilet available. Access to the river as well.
Guide
Clean bathrooms and showers, good space. Didn't see a store of any kind. Tiny view of mountains. They charge an extra amount for choosing your spot, but it makes no difference really as the place is quite small.
Ranger
It was the perfect location close to Stanley. It was a bit dusty. Bathroom was clean. Showers were good. The food at the restaurant was amazing. We have AT&T and no cell service. There is no trees for shade. Had to walk the dogs a little further to do their business.
TravelerClean bathrooms and showers, good space. Didn't see a store of any kind. Tiny view of mountains. They charge an extra amount for choosing your spot, but it makes no difference really as the place is quite small.
RangerThis place was great. Great view. Friendly staff. Had hot showers. Bathroom and laundry. The night sky was beautiful.
Legend
We stayed at the campsites at Mountain Village Resort after backpacking the Alice-Toxaway Loop. The staff was amazing but the campsites are not individual/numbered you just find a spot on the grass. There were multiple weddings happening and it was very loud (yelling, music) until about 1:30 am. The hot spring tub was a highlight and the views were amazing! The resort bar had delicious food and the bakery in town was amazing. I would have rated this site higher if it wasn’t so loud. It also would have been nice to have fire pits.
LegendThough this campground sits along the highway it is easier to tolerate noise when its free!
The campground loop is gravel and has “pull next to” (bump out?) type sites with covered picnic table and a fire pit. There are also pit toilets and a hand pump water spigot. There is also a boat ramp and a day use area.
The river is very shallow and the bank is quite muddy -- our little dog sank up to her belly.
No privacy here and lots of road noise but you get to see the river and the meandering cows across the river.
Did not see any wildlife unless you count the swarms of tiny bugs of the variety that squeeze their little bug bodies through your screens.
Zero cell reception ATT, verizon or TMobile. The WeBoost was able to give us bars of LTE but still was not very usable.
Good for an overnight but not much around to keep us occupied for anything longer.
TravelerSuch an awesome little campsite. The owners are very attentive and nice. Bathrooms, showers and laundry room are pristine for a campground! Hot water was no issue and they have a great little store if you’re out of anything. 10/10
Ranger
Incredibly beautiful tent only camping sites. Wife and I did lots of swimming and hiking here. Hiked up to the bench lakes about an 8 mile round trip.
Ranger
Come prepared for cold nights even in the summer. Water will be just as cold unless its August but it's refreshing and extremely clear. Clean campground with fire ring. Camp hosts were very nice.
Legend
Located on one of the most beloved and popular lakes in the Sawtooth. Redfish Lake. And with good reason. It has, orgeous views sny kind of water sports you crave. Backpacking destination trails. Short or long hiking. Biking. The lodge next door offers live music on the lawn. A restaurant with really good food, full bar, ice cream stand, camp store, sandy beach, boat/kayak/SUP rentals. Boat shuttle. All this and close to Stanley to boot. It reminds me of the lake retreat in Dirty Dancing. There are pay showers $3, laundry and dump station on the main road. Very limited, ok just say no, AT&T cell, but you can get wifi at the lodge.
Seeing is believing
LegendThis place is not a dream.... this campground was full. So we stayed down the street at Mtn View. Regardless. We went to investigate in order to report with first hand knowledge
On one of the most beloved and popular lakes in the Sawtooth. Redfish Lake. Gorgeous views. Any kind of water sports you crave. Backpacking destination trails. Short or long hiking. Biking. The lodge next door offers live music on the lawn. A restaurant with really good food, full bar, ice cream stand, camp store, sandy beach, boat/kayak/SUP rentals. Boat shuttle. All this and close to Stanley to boot. It reminds me of the lake retreat in Dirty Dancing. There are pay showers $3, laundry and dump station on the main road. Very limited, ok just say no AT&T cell, but you can get wifi at the lodge.
GuideWe could not imagine a more picture perfect setting to camp and relax.
The view are spectacular and watching sunset from our campsite over the sawtooth's were nothing short of magical. Next time we might stay for the maximum of 10 days.
Wish it had power on the sites was the only shortcoming. Otherwise, it was awesome
LegendPros: *Views for miles *Steps from the Salmon River *Boat launch for rafting,kayaking,fishing *Covered picnic table *Generous spacing between sites *Serious star gazing opportunities
Cons: *No shade *Close to road, so some road noise.
Pros out weigh the cons for us. 2 thumbs up.
GuideWe stayed here when one of the vehicles in our party had engine issues. We were able to camp for the night and see the local mechanic the next morning. This is just an open field behind the lodge, but you are located in Stanley near the restaurants and shops. There is a hot spring you can walk to from the lodge and the camp site. Normally We wouldn't stay in place like this since its just an open field, but it turned out to be a great experience on our multi- destination camping trip. If I remember right the fee to camp is $30/night. There were other people with tents and campers set up.
Guide
We loved this campground! Nice place to bring bikes, very close to beautiful lake, fishing, camp store, swimming etc.
Had concrete pads for tents. Very peaceful place.
RangerA trip into the Sawtooth mountains and a visit to Redfish Lake has been de rigeur for any visit to Grandma’s for as far back as I remember... beginning with a trip in ‘84 when my younger brother heeded the call of the wild spirits and disappeared into the forest for hours, only to be found munching happily on the assorted snack foods of a group of elk hunters he had surprised. This area still retains a wilderness experience despite numerous infrastructure improvements and new campground development. Of note, Redfish lake is within the 1416 square mile Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, the first Gold Tier site in the United States. The result is world class spectacular night sky astronomy unimpeded by light pollution, and makes this area a top pick to do some star gazing or meteor watching.
Fauna is abundant in the surrounding area. Deer, elk, bear, marten, moose, and pronghorn antelope all made appearances during my last rip to the area. Fishing at the beginning and end of season might net you Dolly Varden, Rainbow Trout, and Kokanee. The general store has some basic tackle, but the nearest gear and license is in Stanley.
The lodge, separately owned and seasonally operated under USFS special permit, has been in operation since 1929 and offers day rental bicycles of multiple types, horseback riding, boat/canoe/kayak/SUP rentals, a general store, a restaurant, and minimal WiFi and cell service, staying true to its roots wherever possible.
Pro tip: Enjoy the 17 1/2 mile lake loop hike, but if you’d like to split that distance or have other destinations in mind, the marina operates an on demand boat shuttle for hikers to the trailhead at the far end of the lake during daylight hours. No reservation is required, but you can call to schedule pickup.
Legend
Warm Lake Shoreline Campground is a nice walk in area right on the shore of the lake. You can walk down to fish, swim or kayak/paddle board. This is one of the better areas I think in this campground. Less walk through traffic then other area but access to everything. Good size sites, your neighbors are within shouting distance but it’s still quiet. Your in the trees and off to one side of the lodge so vehicle traffic is not very noticeable either. Worth the drive for the scenery and peacefulness.
LegendWarm Lake is BEAUTIFUL! And the locals know it, talk about a crowd. I think every spot was taken and at max capacity. We walked some of the lakeside trail and there were people all along it fishing.
The lake filled up quickly with kayakers, swimmers and other boats. Even with all that it was still possible to find a somewhat quiet spot along the lakeside. The campground has paved sites that are level and it’s all well maintained. The night sky would be very awesome, unfortunately there is the constant haze from the wild fires which is horrible. Not far up the road they are fighting a good size fire that has put out so much smoke that it overcast the sky counties away.
LegendWarm Lake Is BEAUTIFUL! Peaceful, dark and REMOTE.
Quite a drive to this beautiful lake but apparently it is well liked by locals because it was crowded! People fishing everywhere, people all around the lodge, trail and beach.
The water is crystal clear and fishing is popular. There is a trail that goes completely around the lake but we turned back when a snake crossed our path.
There are several options to include a group camping area, a shoreline primitive area, rental cabins and a Rec vehicle area. The lodge offers pretty much everything you could need, but considering how busy they are I would try to bring what I needed.
LegendWarm Lake Campground
Quite a drive to this beautiful lake but apparently it is well liked by locals because it was crowded!
The water is crystal clear and fishing is popular. There is a trail that goes completely around the lake but we turned back when a snake crossed our path.
There is a tent area, rental cabins and a camper area. I had no signal, bring a map.
The forest fires were further into the forest but the smoke haze was ever present.
GuideWe found this little gem while planning a stop over from Missoula to Sun Valley. It served us well for the night. It was very spacious, accessible roads, very friendly and accommodating staff. Our site had plenty of space for our trailer and truck and then some. It has recently opened so a work in progress. The gravel is a bit sharp at the sites, but it didn't do any harm for us and didn't seem to be affecting any others in the park. You are nestled up against the beautiful foothills and apparently is a good spot for those with ATVs. We didn't have a picnic table or fire pit- not needed since we were only staying for a night. This area is very remote and we didn't have any AT&T cell service the entire time. We also logged into their wifi but it never worked for us. I was able to send an imessage, but that was it. It was kind of nice to be forced to shut technology down for a night, although I wouldn't recommend this place during a work week if you work remote. You might be completely out of luck. They even have a cafe and patio in the office where you check in that has delicious food, milkshakes, cocktails, etc. They accept Good Sam membership. I'm giving them a 4 out 5 because their friendly staff, the cafe, the unique setting, the spacious site all made up for an overnight with no cell service or wifi. If they could get their wifi up to speed for the entire park, they'd be golden!
TravelerNice spots, big, flat, clean and paved. Good privacy between sites. Beautiful lake with swimming area and lots of fishing. Lake isn’t too rough.. good for paddle boarding.
TravelerI decided to stay here for one night. Spots were open but were reserved for a few days later. Other folks came in and are doing the same. A gentleman with a golf cart will come up to your site and collect the fee and give you a parking pass. I have a car and a tent, 3 people, and it was $20/night.
There is running water and bathrooms available. The sites have fire pit, picnic table and area to place tent.
We walk easily to the lake to fish in the morning or later in the evening.
Travelerattentive new owners. Excellent and clean bathrooms; hot water was plentiful and they are free. Great base camp for family week of hiking, rafting, and visiting the Sunbeam hot springs. I would recommend getting groceries before you arrive bc local store is pitiful. We had a beautiful view of the Sawtooth Mountain range from our campsite. Only comment is that the sites are rocky; hopefully in the next few years they can be paved.
Ranger
This is one of the coolest places that I have ever stayed. I stayed here for a couple of nights before venturing into the Frank Church. Although this spot isn't quite in the wilderness, it sure feels like it! Driving up to Yellowjacket and through the abandoned mine sites feels like a step into the past. The "ghost town" looks more like several abandoned mines, but is still so interesting to see. The guard station sits in a little meadow beside a creek in a small canyon. The first night that I stayed here, the loudest thunder that I have ever heard rolled through the area! This is truly a wild, unpredictable, beautiful place. The guard station is a lovely building. Depending on the time of year, there is available water, as well as water from the creek. There is a fire ring surrounded by stump seating in the field. There is a pit toilet a little ways from the guard station that oddly smells like pipe tobacco. There are also corrals for horses, and it seems like a great place to go riding. There aren't official tent sites, but there is lots of flat, grassy spaces that several tents can be comfortably set up in. I was in this area for about 2 weeks and didn't see anyone I didn't plan to! A refreshing breath of solitude. It is a pretty far trek to drive out, make sure to have directions ready ahead of time. In mid-May, this place was seemed like ground-zero for ticks. Watch out and check often! Other wildlife seen included rattlesnakes and deer, and I wouldn't be surprised if Bigfoot was hanging out here somewhere. This is a really unique place to experience and a great starting point to explore the Frank Church Wilderness and Salmon-Challis National forest. I would absolutely recommend visiting this spot.
LegendI got lucky with this campsite. Most of the campground was filled, but this site (#36) had a “see the host” sign on it. Turned out it was only available for that one night, which was perfect for me. Most of the sites had been reserved in advance and I happened to catch it on the one between night. I had amazing views of the glaciers in the Sawtooth Mountains across the lake. The campground is a series of loops, with the best sites in my loop where you have uninterrupted views of the glaciers and mountains. The trade off for the view is that you don’t have any trees on your site, so no shade and no hammock. But the tent pad was nice. The bathrooms are nice and clean, if a bit outdated. When you need a shower you do have to drive to the horse corrals to use the pay showers ($2 for 6 minutes, wait a full minute before getting in unless you like really cold water), but that is a small price to pay. Hiking in the park is amazing! And the only place you will have phone service is at the visitor’s center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Salmon-Challis National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Salmon-Challis National Forest is Glacier View Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Salmon-Challis National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 cabin camping locations near Salmon-Challis National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
