Salmon-Challis National Forest, ID is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Salmon-Challis National Forest and user-submitted reviews.
"Near the lake. No water, has vault toilets. Roads can be slick."
"I did it with my Tacoma pulling a tiny camper but when I arrived at the lake, there were much larger vehicles than mine already there."
"This place was recommended by our camp host in lower Idaho. We made the drive up in our F-350 diesel and it felt sketchy in a few places. Took about 45 min."
$29 - $43 / night
"Sure there are a bazillion to choose from along the highway, but I wanted to soak in the highly reviewed waters. I was NOT disappointed!!!"
"; showers; camp store with ice; WiFi; wildlife(two mountain goats lead me in on the road); walking trail; shade trees(no hammocks allowed). And it is next to the Snake river. Seriously??"
"My top sites of choice are sites 2 and 3 because of the shade and proximity to the creek. Site 3 is closer to the vault toilet and the working water pump."
$18 - $36 / night
"Campground was right on the Salmon River and right off of the highway. Great location just a few minutes outside of Stanley,ID."
"Could be better- but hard to beat location. Local hot spring nearby. Salmon river flowing alongside."
"On a motorcycle trip through Idaho and this place met my needs. It is close to town but no noise from the highway. It was walking distance to grocery store and gas station."
"Stopped here on my road trip around Idaho. Very clean very open great views of the mountains around the valley. Clean restrooms nice showers."
$24 - $48 / night
"One of our luckiest experiences on scoring a walk up site."
"What a beautiful campground with the views of the lake and mountains. Our site was perfect for our 23’ travel trailer and well maintained."
$5 / night
"We were hauling across Idaho and Stanley was BUSY! Campgrounds were loaded with people RV’s. Stanley looked like a great little town, but we had to get away from the crowds."
"About 20 minutes away from the "hussle and bustle" of tiny mountain town, Stanley, Blind Creek is situated in the Yankee fork of the Salmon River."
RangerThis 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.
ScoutWe set up our daughter in our Super C here for 2 months while she worked in nearby Salmon during the busy season. We were so happy with the beautiful scenery, quiet grounds, and excellent service from the owner. If she ever needed anything, they were happy to help. There is a clean laundry room, showers, and bathrooms onsite, and more than enough space for a 40 foot RV. There are shade trees, some grass sites, some landscape rock sites, picnic tables, a gas firepit, and an onsite mini-store if you need. The owner waited for us until we arrived, helped us get our bearings, and then grew to be a friend. If you are needing to camp(even in a tent!) anywhere near Salmon, Idaho, you need to go and see Stewart at Elk Bend RV Park. Say hi to the deer that roam the area, too, or walk across the street and listen to the Salmon River. Just a beautiful area! Sites with full hookups and not. Would not hesitate to recommend Elk Bend RV Park.
Pet Friendly!
TravelerThis site was right along a river that was very beautiful but the campground was on higher ground so most people walked down to the entrance where you could get to the river or some people stood on the bridge to fish. Not all spots have trees, so be careful if you have pets. They did have three campsites for people with horses to camp. Not our cup of tea but if you are low maintenance or bring it all with you then this may be your pace. No other amenities. Right up the road from Stanley.
TravelerGood for dogs! Beautiful place and good access to water. Can walk around and trailheads close by. Hiked Elk Meadow Trail in burned area but still really good hike and interesting to see new growth coming up. Great sites to pick from and they keep the bathrooms very clean. Host was friendly.
ScoutOn a motorcycle trip through Idaho and this place met my needs. It is close to town but no noise from the highway. It was walking distance to grocery store and gas station. Check in was fast and rates are reasonable for tent site. I had a site with power and water. It was close to the bath house. Overall, a great place for a nights stay on the road.
RangerSituated next to Pettit Lake this campground served as a base camp while we explored the nearby hikes (Alice & Farley). Helpful host. Clean pit toilet. Water accessible in an adjacent trailhead (Tin Cup) parking lot. Campsites are well spaced. All sites are FF. $18/night. No cell coverage.
Only concern we had was that our site #13 was buggy given its proximity to the lake. Next time we will pick a site farther from the lake.
LegendRedfish lake was all reserved, so we ended up camping across the highway here. Great campground with the Salmon River running along right next to the site. Little trails leading down to river. Sites were spacious and had picnic tables and fire pits (no fires allowed when we visited).
Got day-use access to Redfish lake, which had a great "dog beach" for us to stop at.
TravelerWe found this National Forest dispersed campsite 1/2 mile North of Sunny Gulch campground on Highway 75 outside of Stanley, Idaho. We fit 3 campers down here no problem but the biggest camper was 21’ long and we don’t recommend much bigger. We also had to use 4–wheel drive to get over the bull rock down to the site. Can’t ask for a better spot next to the river though!
ScoutWhat a nice campground! We had very low expectations staying at a campground that is almost always booked solid (we figured it would be crowded and loud) and is in one of the most popular parts of Idaho. However, the camping spots are large and are nicely spaced. Even though almost every spot was taken, the campground was quiet and peaceful. We prefer dry camping, so liked the spots not having hook-ups and drains. Paved roads made for fun riding of bikes, the flushing toilets in the clean bathrooms were a plus, the fresh drinking water was clean and tasted great, there were trash bins close by and our host "Wally" was so kind. With a short walk, you are on the North shore or Dog Beach and a little further is Redfish Lodge, beach and restaurants. The food was so good and priced well, next time I will likely take less camping food and just eat at the lodge! (Easy!) The water in the lake is the cleanest you'll ever see....LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY PEOPLE! Unfortunately, this campground is booked out almost the entire summer, so while we want to go back - it may have to wait until next year.
Experience the beauty of the Salmon-Challis National Forest while enjoying a camping trip with your furry friends. There are several pet-friendly campgrounds in the area that cater to both you and your pets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Salmon-Challis National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Salmon-Challis National Forest is Indian Springs with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Salmon-Challis National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 63 dog-friendly camping locations near Salmon-Challis National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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