Cabin camping near Sawtooth National Forest spans rustic and modern options with varying amenity levels. Smiley Creek Lodge features cabin rentals with electricity and heating, while Atlanta Cabin provides pet-friendly options with full hookups. Mountain Village Resort in Stanley offers cabins within walking distance of recreational activities and dining. Point Campground and Mount Heyburn provide cabin options close to Redfish Lake with more rustic accommodations. "We stayed in one of the cabins after backpacking the Alice-Toxaway Loop. The staff was amazing and the hot spring tub was a highlight with amazing views," noted one visitor about Mountain Village Resort.
Rustic cabins require advance planning as availability is limited, particularly during peak summer months from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Most cabin facilities are reservable, with properties like Atlanta Cabin earning perfect ratings for their accommodations. Stanley RV + Camp (formerly Elk Mountain RV Resort) operates from mid-May through mid-October with cabin options alongside their RV sites. The Sawmill Station in Clayton offers cabin rentals with electric hookups, running water, and showers. Pet policies vary by location - Smiley Creek Lodge and Atlanta Cabin welcome pets, while other properties prohibit them. One guest mentioned, "The cabins at Atlanta have lots to do nearby. If you love the mountains this is the place to be with spots to fish, swim, and soak in hot springs."
Most cabins include basic furnishings but visitors should confirm what supplies are provided before arrival. Bedding, towels, and toiletries are often not included in rustic cabins. Kitchen facilities range from full kitchenettes to simple microwaves, with firewood available for purchase at many locations including Mount Heyburn Campground, where the camp host provides bundles for $7. Trinity View Resort (formerly Fort Running Bear) includes trash service and water hookups with their cabins. Markets are available at several properties including Glacier View Campground, Mountain Village Resort, and Point Campground, though selection is limited to basics. Supplies and more extensive grocery options can be found in Stanley, Ketchum and Sun Valley for longer stays.
"It’s a little bit of everything, lodge, yurts, cabins, rv spots, gas station, restaurant. RV spots were reasonable level. Bathrooms were clean. They had horseshoes and bean bags in a common area."
"That did mean there were no picnic tables or fire rings for me but the RV sites did have them. The bathroom/showers were small but clean."
"This is a smaller campground tucked back against the mountains. Good shade trees. Close to hiking, fishing and mountain biking. Campsites have a picnic table, fire ring with grill."
"There are 11 spots each with a picnic table, partial shade, and fire ring. There are two pit toilets and drinking water that is ice cold coming out of the tap."
"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."
"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."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $26 - $52 / night
"Atlanta Idaho was once a huge gold mining booming town! It is now a small town with miles of hiking trails, hot springs just outside of town, and a cute burger and bar joint!"
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $100 / night
"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."
"Great picnic tables and fire pit. We stayed 4 nights, leaving on Friday morning. The campground was full every single night."
"Lovely little campground with many amenities close to Redfish Lake Lodge. Each campsite has a dedicated level pad for tents, a picnic table, a bear box, and fire ring."
"Rredfish Lake is absolutely gorgeous but with that beauty draws pretty big crowds. Be sure to reserve or arrive very early to get a walk in spot anywhere around the lake."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $26 / night
"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."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $65 / night
"Only a mile or so to Redfish lake. Awesome lake. There is a paid shower, laundry and dump available there. Road narrow and is loose gravel."
"Not far from Redfish Lake off of Highway 75 this disperse camp area has easy access for all size rigs, some places alongside Salmon River others inside the forest."
"Stay one night after being off grid for days. Did some cleaning and laundry $2.50 a load. Amazing views from our spot."
"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"
from $50 - $70 / night
GuideThe RV sites may be close and quite rough but adequate and full hookups. Very nice bath house and higher end signage.. incredible walk score the street along the creek. Upper open sites have a partial view of the Sawtooth peaks. About 5 miles from Stanley.
GuideFit my 35, 5th wheel into a beautiful spot 0.8 miles up Murdock Basin Rd. There are many spots thar are close to Provo River. The road i a little rough but not so bad with a 4x4 Truck at a slow pace. Surrounded by pine trees and the sound of a creek.
GuideNot far from Redfish Lake off of Highway 75 this disperse camp area has easy access for all size rigs, some places alongside Salmon River others inside the forest. We stayed two nights amongst the pine trees. It was quiet and enjoyable. Free!!
GuideWe had such a great stay! We came the Monday after 4th of July. We attempted to stay at Sockeye Campground first, but they were already full by 1pm. We came to Mount Heyburn by 1:15pm on a Monday and there were maybe 5 spots open.
We chose site 12 which was a pull through. SO SPACIOUS! Tons of shade. Great picnic tables and fire pit.
We stayed 4 nights, leaving on Friday morning. The campground was full every single night. Only reason I’m giving it 4 stars is because it feels a little risky loading up and heading there unsure whether you’ll get a spot or not. Glad we got lucky!
There are no hookups, but there are 2 separate pit toilets and a few water spigots around the campsite. Dumpsters for trash too. We brought our generator and fired it up for a few hours in the mater afternoon for air conditioning, and to charge phones. We filled up with fresh water before arriving.
There’s a dump station right on the at in/out called Stanley Ranger Station Dump Station. You can fill fresh water before, and dump tanks on the way out. $12 fee for the dump station.
It’s walkable to Redfish lake, or you can drive there in less than 2 minutes. Plenty of free parking at the lake.
Sockeye campground has better views of the lake, but I feel like Mount Heyburn is way more spacious and remote feeling. The sites are well spread out.
Just $24 a night! You can stay up to 10 nights. The camp host was fine. There’s firewood available to purchase. I think it was $10 a bundle? We brought our own firewood.
Will definitely be back! We loved lake days, got dinner in town 1 night, reserved a hot spring at mountain village resort (highly recommend!), brought our SUP to redfish lake, let the kids swim and play in the sand, easy fishing for kids at the lake, got soft serve ice cream at Redfish Lake Lodge at sunset one night (another amazing spot to spend the day!). Enough room at the campsite we could hike above and set up bow and arrow target practice safely away from other campers. We loved walks around the campground after dinner. I wish we would have brought bikes for the kids to ride! Perfect little loop!
ScoutGreat little free campground. 1 clean outhouse and 5 sites all with picnic tables, shade covers, and fire pits. We were the only ones there!
GuideThis is a nice campground right off the road though so you do get some car noise. A fire ring, shade cover and picnic table are provided for the five campsites as well as a pit toilet. The river is about a four -8 minute walk or so from most campsites. Very clean
GuideIf you love the mountains this is the place to be. There are lots of spots to camp, fish, swim, and soak in the hot springs. There are bathrooms as well. Town is about 10 min from camp. The town is very small and the people are very friendly.
ScoutThe staff at Smiley Lodge were super helpful and nice when I asked to check in early, and then needed to check out a couple hours late unexpectedly. The location is convenient just off the highway, and the sites were clean, easy to get into, and the hookups all worked great. With that said, $100 a night felt pretty steep for essentially a grass parking lot off the side of the highway.
ScoutWe stayed here to be close to redfish lake to snatch a spot for camping there in the morning. For that it served its purpose but that is all that is positive about it. We had to pay 114 dollars for an rv site that was not level, did not have a picnic table or a fire ring, or even place to put a table and chairs. The bathroom is very far away, and there is only one, which does not have a door, but a shower curtain. The location is nice, but if possible I would keep driving to find a better place.
Cabin accommodations near Sawtooth National Forest range from basic to fully equipped options across various settings. The area sits at elevations between 5,000-10,000 feet with temperatures dropping significantly at night, even in summer months. Most cabin facilities remain open from late May through mid-October, with some locations closing earlier depending on snowfall and road conditions.
Hiking accessible trails: Several cabin properties provide direct access to popular trails. At Murdock Creek Dispersed, campers can find "hiking, fishing and mountain biking" opportunities nearby, with one visitor noting the campground is "close to hiking, fishing and mountain biking. Campsites have a picnic table, fire ring with grill."
Water recreation: Paddle sports and fishing opportunities abound near cabin accommodations. "We took a chance and scouted a right before the 4th of July weekend and we scored big time... Lots of hiking, mountain biking and fishing in the immediate area," reports a Murdock Creek visitor, highlighting the multiple water recreation options.
Stargazing: The Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve covers much of the Sawtooth region, offering exceptional night sky viewing. At Glacier View Campground, one camper described their experience: "The real treat came when we saw the beauty of the night sky unencumbered by city lights; the Milky Way was on full display."
Hot springs access: Multiple cabin locations offer proximity to natural hot springs. "We rode some awesome dirt bike trails. And enjoyed some delicious food," shared one visitor at Smiley Creek Lodge, which provides cabin accommodations with convenient access to nearby recreation.
Spacious cabin layouts: Many properties offer cabins with sufficient room for families. A visitor at Trinity View Resort mentioned the variety of options available: "There are different options for all kinds of campers from, Full hook ups (Big rig friendly) to tent camping. On site RV rentals and cabins are also available."
Wildlife viewing: The area's remote setting creates opportunities for wildlife sightings from cabin porches. "Woke up at sunrise to find 4 deer wondering through. My dogs loved the campground," reported a guest at Trinity View Resort.
Road conditions: Access roads to some cabin properties remain unpaved. At Trinity View Resort, one visitor advised: "Road to park has a 3 mile gravel road, took it slow so it was not bad."
Service limitations: Cell coverage varies significantly between properties. "We have Verizon hot spot that worked perfectly and AT&T cell phones have good signal as well," noted a Trinity View Resort guest, but this isn't universal across all cabin properties.
Reservation requirements: Most cabin facilities require advance booking. At Mount Heyburn Campground, one visitor shared their experience: "Our expectations were that it would be full and would be a bit difficult to find a site as it is first come, but we were wrong. When we arrived on Thursday morning the campground was almost completely empty."
Temperature fluctuations: Prepare for significant day-night temperature changes. "Come prepared for cold nights even in the summer," advised a Mount Heyburn visitor.
Bathroom facilities: Cabin facilities offer varying levels of bathroom access. At Point Campground, one visitor noted: "This campground is great when camping with children, especially with the bathrooms & lack of car traffic on the tent-only side."
Water safety: Lake temperatures remain cold even in summer. "Water will be just as cold unless its August but it's refreshing and extremely clear," reported a Mount Heyburn camper.
Recreational options: Multiple cabin locations offer family-friendly activities. "This campsite is also walk-in, so you will need to use provided wagons to bring your stuff to your site and park your car in the provided parking lot," explained a Point Campground visitor, adding that the location is "within walking distance to Redfish Lake Lodge, which has a bunch of different activities: horseback riding, kayaking, a dog beach, mountain biking, fishing, etc."
Site specifics: Check cabin and RV site details before booking. A Smiley Creek Lodge visitor recommended: "One tip, avoid spot number #17 if possible. The sewer hookup was loose and shared with a long term resident on the other side, also the water spigot was broken so we had to use the spigot for spot #16."
Elevation considerations: Higher elevations affect vehicle performance. "The staff at Smiley Lodge were super helpful and nice when I asked to check in early, and then needed to check out a couple hours late unexpectedly," noted one visitor who appreciated the flexibility when dealing with mountain driving challenges.
Supply planning: Limited grocery options exist near most cabin accommodations. "We had amazing views of the glaciers in the Sawtooth Mountains across the lake," shared a Glacier View Campground visitor, noting that visitors should bring supplies as services are limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Sawtooth National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Sawtooth National Forest is Smiley Creek Lodge with a 3.6-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Sawtooth National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 cabin camping locations near Sawtooth National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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