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Best Equestrian Camping near Salmon, ID

19 Reviews

Camp Creek BLM Camping offers primitive riverside campsites along the Salmon River where horses are permitted. The site consists of three private camping spots with ample space for horse trailers and access to the river for watering horses. The camping area is situated in a canyon with 360-degree mountain views and provides natural shade from cottonwood trees. Each spot includes a fire ring, though campers must bring their own water as there are no potable water sources. The sites can accommodate larger rigs including horse trailers, with one visitor noting their 23-foot camper van fit easily.

Sam Billings Memorial Campground provides horse-specific camping facilities across from its main camping area. Four dedicated equestrian sites include fire rings, tables, and multiple tie-out options for horses, including three metal structures with chains and horizontal tie bars. Additional horse trailer parking is available at the nearby trailhead with more tie-out areas. The campground connects directly to trail systems suitable for horseback riding. Horse owners need to be bear aware in season. The campground operates seasonally with a $10 nightly fee during peak season (typically late May through October), reduced to $5 with Golden or Access passes, and free camping during off-season months.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Salmon, Idaho (7)

    1. Camp Creek BLM Camping

    5 Reviews
    Salmon, ID
    14 miles

    "Amazing drive-in BLM campsite right on the Salmon River. Primitive site; no water/bathroom. Great stargazing."

    "Water: 1 minute walk to the river from all sites. No faucet for potable water, bring your own or filter from the river. "

    2. May Creek

    1 Review
    Gibbonsville, ID
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 689-3243

    "It’s not that far from the highway which is nice if your looking to explore the area. It’s peaceful and quiet, and not busy."

    3. Watts Bridge Campground

    4 Reviews
    Challis, ID
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (208) 756-2271

    "Less than a dozen sites along a pretty bend in the Salmon River. The sites have picnic tables and grills and rock fire pits under a nice shady stand of cottonwoods."

    "We walked to the other side of the bridge and let our dogs jump in where the water was calmer. Overall really clean and well maintained space."

    4. Hogan Cabin

    1 Review
    Sula, MT
    37 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 689-3243

    $45 / night

    "I loved the isolation of the location. Up at 7200ft you get a little winded hiking around, but the incredible scenery is worth it."

    5. Mussigbrod

    4 Reviews
    Wisdom, MT
    45 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 689-3243

    "Lovely view you can camp close to the lake down the road or on the lake side streams for fishing 🎣 bring big spay lots of mosquitoes"

    "The lake is beautiful and not too cold. You can definitely bring a non-motorized boat to go around the lake in. The drive there is also gorgeous!"

    6. Sam Billings Memorial Campground

    4 Reviews
    Conner, MT
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 821-3269

    "Toilets are located across from site 3, between 5/6, across from 12. #7 is low ground camping you walk down to with minimal shade and perfect for hot weather days."

    7. Horse Prairie Cabin

    Be the first to review!
    Leadore, ID
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (406) 683-3900

    $55 / night

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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Salmon, ID

19 Reviews of 7 Salmon Campgrounds

  • Sadie P.
    Feb. 23, 2025

    Sam Billings Memorial Campground

    The best in SW Montana

    12 sites with good tables and fire rings. This is a well maintained NFS campground. 3 vault toilets that are kept clean. Sites #1 & #2 get the most sun, are the largest, and can accommodate any size RV. The remaining sites vary in size. #2 can easily hold 5 full size trucks side by side, or three medium size trailers/5th wheels with their tow vehicles. It also has 3 large tables, plenty of open ground for tents, and is ideal for large groups and families. Toilets are located across from site 3, between 5/6, across from 12. #7 is low ground camping you walk down to with minimal shade and perfect for hot weather days.

    The exit is at site 12, one way travel thru the campground. Across the street from the exit is the entry to sites 1-4 horse camping. Small sites with table, fire ring, and enough room for a small tent. There are 3 large metal structures with 3 chains each for horses and 2 horizontal tie out bars. No room to park horse trailers on that pull thru. One trailer spot across from site 4 by the “stock water trail” sign, the rest can park 50 yards down the road at the trail head/turn around. There are 2 additional tie out areas here for horses and plenty of room for horse trailers and several other vehicles.

    Be sure to read the notice above the envelope box before you pay. From weather dependent dates chosen by the Rangers there is no cost from late Oct to late May. Otherwise it is $10 per night, $5 with golden or access passes.

    No cell service, only 1 mile to the paved road, Ranger station is only about 1/2 mile down that paved road. The Rangers are proactive in sharing any important information such as severe weather, bear activity, or any other notable activity.

    Details: Ranger station on the main road less than a mike from the entrance. They show up once a week Ravialli county sheriff is who to call on weekends and holidays, they will respond Be bear aware in season Equestrian specific campsites Trailhead next to the CG So much firewood laying around There are some karens that have been “coming here my whole life” and think they own the place; avoid Only three site requires walking access, the rest are drive right in to. Only a few sites so if its great weather or holiday show up mid week or even a week ahead if you can Free stays out of season, otherwise it’s a daily fee, pay at the entrance sign

  • Noah M.
    Sep. 7, 2021

    Camp Creek BLM Camping

    Excellent BLM Campsite

    Amazing drive-in BLM campsite right on the Salmon River. Primitive site; no water/bathroom. Great stargazing.

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2024

    Watts Bridge Campground

    Okay site on Salmon River--HOT in July

    Simple campground along Salmon River--beautiful setting, with maybe 5 spaces, not all of which are marked well but do have picnic tables to indicate. Also a vault toilet at loop campground. Buggy, even with river flowing and slight wind. Free, which is nice. Can hear US93 traffic, but not bad considering neighbor ran generator which drowned out some noise.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 29, 2021

    Watts Bridge Campground

    Salmon river camping

    Less than a dozen sites along a pretty bend in the Salmon River. The sites have picnic tables and grills and rock fire pits under a nice shady stand of cottonwoods. Try and get either the first or last spots as they have easy river access; the rest of the spots have little tunnels through the underbrush to get to the river. Clean vault toilet. Not much more you can ask for for free.

  • Kristy A.
    Aug. 29, 2021

    Camp Creek BLM Camping

    Coming Back ASAP

    Site: moderately clean and private. Spaced apart about 3 sites alongside the river access. Trees for hammocking and shade. Relatively even for van parking. Not buggy at all. Can see one person's cabin up the road but that's it. 360 views of mountains, placed at the bottom of a canyon.

    Water: 1 minute walk to the river from all sites. No faucet for potable water, bring your own or filter from the river. 

    Noise: A bit of noise from US93, not that busy of a road but close enough to hear what passes except if you're sleeping in a van, ours muted that out nicely. 

    People: saw about 5 people total in an overnight stay. Nobody bugged us. Mostly just turning around. 1 camper next to us the following morning.

    Activities: perfect view of the big dipper between the canyon view made for a beautiful night of star gazing by the fire ring. Plenty of fishing access and space to walk around the river. Beautiful place to adventure and be, would be a great spot for multiple nights. Space for people to bring their family or friends. Far away from cities and towns that it's not too busy. 

  • Jade M.
    Jul. 12, 2018

    Mussigbrod

    beautiful with lots of different camping options

    Lovely view you can camp close to the lake down the road or on the lake side streams for fishing 🎣 bring big spay lots of mosquitoes

  • M
    Aug. 14, 2020

    Mussigbrod

    Absolutely stunning!

    This camping spot is a great one. All the campsites are pretty isolated from each other by the pine trees so you can’t really see your neighbors. The lake is beautiful and not too cold. You can definitely bring a non-motorized boat to go around the lake in. The drive there is also gorgeous!

  • Juice B.
    Aug. 8, 2019

    Hogan Cabin

    Amazing remote location. Great wildlife viewing, snowshoeing, hiking, etc..

    Spent 3 nights at Hogan Cabin, MT last summer (Aug 2018). I loved the isolation of the location. Up at 7200ft you get a little winded hiking around, but the incredible scenery is worth it. Found a primitive A-frame structure in the woods about a mile from the cabin. Saw several deer and elk feeding in the field near the cabin, as well as a moose in the marsh along the creek. 

    The cabin itself is nothing to jump up and down about. With only 2 sets of bunk beds, my wife and I put the bedding on the floor and made a full sized bed. There's no running water so be sure to bring plenty. 

    There's an vault toilet in the outhouse. 

    There is also a HUGE fire pit with swinging grill for cooking.

  • Chris J.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 10, 2020

    May Creek

    Great campsite

    May creek is a wonderful campground... it’s in a gorgeous cabin and it’s easy to find. The campsites have fire pits and picnic tables. It’s not that far from the highway which is nice if your looking to explore the area. It’s peaceful and quiet, and not busy.

Guide to Salmon

Equestrian camping near Salmon, Idaho combines rugged wilderness access with specialized facilities for horseback riders. The Salmon River corridor features several campgrounds with horse-friendly amenities at elevations ranging from 3,900 to 7,200 feet. Cottonwood trees provide natural shade at lower elevations while higher campsites offer cooler summer temperatures and mountain valley views.

What to do

Trail riding access: At Sam Billings Memorial Campground, riders can access trailheads directly from camp. "The exit is at site 12, one way travel thru the campground. Across the street from the exit is the entry to sites 1-4 horse camping," notes reviewer Sadie P., who adds there's "plenty of room for horse trailers and several other vehicles" at the nearby trailhead.

River exploration: Camp Creek BLM Camping provides easy river access from primitive sites. "One right in the river (difficult to find a level spot on the river). We had the first pull through spot and was perfect," reports Andrea C., who visited in a 23-foot camper van.

Wildlife viewing: The area's diverse ecosystems support abundant wildlife. At Hogan Cabin, located at 7,200 feet elevation, one visitor reported: "Saw several deer and elk feeding in the field near the cabin, as well as a moose in the marsh along the creek."

What campers like

Private riverside spots: Watts Bridge Campground offers secluded sites along the Salmon River. "Landed the spot on the far right side of the campsite, right on the river. Absolutely beautiful with all the leaves changing. Nothing like falling asleep to the sound of the river," writes Mariana H.

Mountain views: The canyon setting creates panoramic scenery. "Amazing drive-in BLM campsite right on the Salmon River. Primitive site; no water/bathroom. Great stargazing," notes Noah M. about Camp Creek BLM Camping.

Horse-friendly facilities: Sam Billings Memorial Campground receives high marks for its equestrian amenities. According to Sadie P., sites include "3 large metal structures with 3 chains each for horses and 2 horizontal tie out bars" plus additional tie-out areas at the trailhead.

What you should know

Seasonal considerations: Fees and availability vary by season. "From weather dependent dates chosen by the Rangers there is no cost from late Oct to late May. Otherwise it is $10 per night, $5 with golden or access passes," explains Sadie P. about Sam Billings Memorial Campground.

Limited facilities: Most horse-friendly sites near Salmon are primitive. At Camp Creek BLM Camping, Mandi W. reports: "Fully dispersed no services, no cell signal (verizon). Only con is that it is close enough to hwy 93 that you can see and hear cars going by, but it's not a super busy road."

Wildlife safety: Bear awareness is essential for horse campers. "Be bear aware in season," advises Sadie P., while another visitor to Mussigbrod reported: "Saw lots of animals even a video of a Grizzly not but 3 miles from the camp grounds. Another camper had the video of the Grizzly from the night before!"

Tips for camping with families

Space requirements: Select sites that accommodate groups. At Sam Billings Memorial Campground, "Site #2 can easily hold 5 full size trucks side by side, or three medium size trailers/5th wheels with their tow vehicles. It also has 3 large tables, plenty of open ground for tents, and is ideal for large groups and families," according to Sadie P.

River swimming: Some sites offer safe water access for children. At Camp Creek BLM Camping, Mandi W. shares: "We were the only ones there, each spot is super private, there aren't many spots. Ours was right on the river and we could easily go down and swim from our site."

Weather preparation: Mountain weather changes quickly. "The camp grounds were not busy, and no mosquitoes right now. Fishing was slow but we caught fish," notes Scott C. about spring conditions at Mussigbrod.

Tips from RVers

Site selection: Look for level spots that accommodate your rig size. Andrea C. notes about Camp Creek BLM Camping: "We travel in a 23 foot camper van. Plenty of room for our rig. Great views! Very little Verizon service."

River access considerations: At Watts Bridge Campground, site location determines river accessibility. Annie C. advises: "Try and get either the first or last spots as they have easy river access; the rest of the spots have little tunnels through the underbrush to get to the river."

Seasonal debris: Be aware of natural conditions that affect camping comfort. At Watts Bridge, one camper warned: "The only thing that will prevent us from coming back is the cottonwood tree droppings. They're everywhere and very sticky, so if you have long haired dogs, it's a nightmare to get them out."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Salmon, ID?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Salmon, ID is Camp Creek BLM Camping with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Salmon, ID?

TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Salmon, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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