Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Sawtooth National Forest, ID has a lot to offer. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Sawtooth National Forest, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Find the best campgrounds near Sawtooth National Forest, ID. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
$5 - $42 / night
"This campground is just outside sun valley, Idaho. When we stayed it was very quiet and many different choices of campsites, you can here the road from your site but it was not disruptive."
"This is free dispersed camping on a dirt road loop, just off highway 75. It is located just north of Sun Valley by a few miles on highway 75 as you head towards Galena summit."
"The location is convenient just off the highway, and the sites were clean, easy to get into, and the hookups all worked great."
"We paid $100 a night which is a premium but given the location it felt worth it."
"This forest service land is a quick drive down Lake Creek Rd from Hwy 75 just past the town of Ketchum in the Sawtooth National Forest."
"Lake Creek Rd is a few miles long with about 15 sites along it. Each site is a good distance apart, we never heard our neighbors. The creek is perfect for dogs and kids to wade in."
"Got here on a Friday (8/26) around 7:30 pm. There were already some folks out here, but there were still some spaces. Although, they were a bit close to each other in the main area where you pull in."
"There was road noise from the nearby highway but otherwise it was quiet. I saw people fishing so I assume it's good for that. The river is great for rinsing off as well."
"There seemed to be a ton of options as you drive down Baker Creek (dirt road). Many have established fire pits."
"We were able to find a site at the last minute, after 2 surrounding sites were full. Camp host was friendly and prompt to check us in. Nice big site. Dogs allowed on leash."
"This Forest Road is popular being so close to town, but if you venture 3 to 4 miles in it's very quiet and peaceful. Lots of great hiking at the to trailheads near this campsite."
"We started at Tin Cup Trailhead and did the loop counterclockwise, making Alice Lake our last stop."
$10 - $100 / night
"You’re close to a lake, you c an fish the river, (we also panned for gold,) and there’s even a town close by if you forgot any essentials!"
"Nice little campground with paid on one side and free FF on the other next to S. Fork Boise River. Paid side is paved road/spots. The free side is dirt but easy in/out."
"If you’re looking for a simple stay, close to all, including a gorgeous bike path, this will do the trick."
"The location can't be beat, right off the river and biking trails. The mountains are absolutely gorgeous from your campsite."
"Redfish Lake is one of the most beautiful blue lakes in Idaho. We went there on a weekday in May, and there was hardly anybody there."
"It has great campgrounds nearby but is also a great place to set off into the vast Sawtooth wilderness!"
GuideIn this video we provide a comprehensive review of 3 of the free boondocking(dispersed camping) sites near Stanley, Idaho in the Sawtooth National Forest. Salmon River Designated Spots 1, 2 and 3. All locations are in the Sawtooth National Forest and there is a 10 day stay limit between May 1- September 15th with an unlimited stay limited outside of that time period.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WWH8Vb49Ow&t=531s
RangerNo need for a hotel in Ketchum Idaho. Park and camp here! Several dispersed sites after the Sawtooth National Forest boundary, with creek running by and a hot spring down the road.
The recent burn made the site a little dusty, our dogs needed a towel off.
LegendFree designated dispersed campsite along Sawtooth Nation Forest Road 137. Camped here at the end of September 2024. Very large designated dispersed site set downhill from the forest road; no issues with dust from this road. The area is level. May be able to park 3 rigs. Tent camping is possible back from the parking area toward the metal firering. This area can accommodate 3 or 4 tents, or one big hot tent. Corral Creek is just down a short path from the campsite. The sound of the creek can be heard at the site. Very quiet area. Mountains on either side of the site. The parking area is dirt and gravel. The "tent" area is grass and dirt. Don't see opportunities for hammock camping. No cell service. No shade; solar recharging and Starlink possible. 3 day limit. Hiking trailheads and vault toilet at the end of the forest road.
LegendThis campground is off Hwy 75 in Sawtooth National Forest somewhat in a grove of aspens. The road in has some navigable large pit holes but the campground itself is fairly smooth gravel and dirt loop.
Sites are dirt and gravel and each had fire pit and picnic table. Semi private to private depending on where you get a site. There were plenty of open spots available when we checked it out in September.
Amazing views so if you are into hiking, biking or photography then this place is great. There is no host on site and this is a self pay campground at $16/night.
This is bear country but no bear boxes are provided here. There are water spigots and dumpsters and pit toilets. Zero cell service. Also nearby there are hot springs across the bridge though we did not check these out. No fires at this time!
LegendAnother campground close to Hwy 75. This campground has paved drive throughout the campground with paved parking pads at the sites. There is also a groomed area at each site for tents, which were nice and flat and clean. There is a host on site at this campground.
Hand pump water, toilets, and dumpsters for trash though no recycling. The host had firewood for sale ($10) but fire restrictions are in effect so no fires at this time. Sites were level and some with shade but over all lots of sun. This place had a very open layout.
Quite a few campers were there compared to the others we’ve stopped at along highway 75 through Sawtooth National Forest along the Salmon River. Each site had the standard picnic table, and fire pit but as mentioned above there also had tent pads. Area was clean and appeared well maintained. This campground is nice and spread out but being right on the highway with minimal trees to block some noise the road noise was constant, at least during midday/midweek.
$18/night
Zero cell reception ATT, Verizon or TMobile
LegendRight off Hwy 75 in the Sawtooth National Forest is this nice campground within a grove of aspens. The road through the campground is gravel and the sites are gravel and dirt. It was quite dusty when we went but the trees were starting to change color which was nice and you can hear the wind shaking the aspen leaves so it made of a relaxing vibe here.
$18/ night, $10 firewood (fire restrictions in effect). Sites are reservable on recreation.gov.
Hiking/biking trails nearby and this campground also sits along the Big Wood River. There were garbage dumpsters and pit toilet bathrooms and water spigots throughout.
Each site had mostly level parking spots with picnic tables and fire pits. Each site was fairly private and offered nice amount of shade. There were plenty of sites open and there are some pull throughs for bigger rigs.
Good for RVs, vans or tents.
Zero cell reception from ATT, Verizon or TMoblie
LegendThis forest service land is a quick drive down Lake Creek Rd from Hwy 75 just past the town of Ketchum in the Sawtooth National Forest. You'll drive through a residential area so mind your speed as there are kids around and lots of cars parked that were crowding into the road a bit as there were construction workers building one of the massive houses along this road.
The paved road comes to an end with a large parking or turn around area then turns to a very washboarded dirt/gravel road that runs behind people’s houses so maybe drive a bit slower to keep the dust down until you pass that point.
There are multiple areas that are large and mostly flat that pull off the side of this main dirt road. The views are amazing and it seemed quiet. We did not stay here as it was too hot at the time, but we would have because you have nice hiking or biking opportunities here. The pullout spaces are large enough for a good sized rig, we had plenty of space for our 26’ class C. A couple of the sites had stone fire pits but fire restrictions are in effect so no fires at this time. There are plenty of sites here and they were almost all free when we visited in September.
There are no amenities here. No garbage or water. You are fully in the sun with no shade.
The camping limit is 3 days only. There is one garbage can at near the large turn around/parking area before the road turns to dirt but it was small so just take your trash with you.
Good ATT and Verizon cell reception.
ScoutBeautiful campground located at the mouth of Sawtooth Natl Forest. Right next to Wood River and surrounded by huge cottonwoods. Vault toilets and well water from spigot available. Pets allowed on leash. Good basecamp for exploring the Sawtooth area and Ketchum! I only knocked it down to 4 stars for highway noise which was rarely bothersome.
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.
If you're looking for a pet-friendly camping experience near Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho, there are several great options that welcome your furry friends. Enjoy the stunning scenery and outdoor adventures while ensuring your pets have a comfortable stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Sawtooth National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Sawtooth National Forest is Prairie Creek Camping with a 4.4-star rating from 7 reviews.
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