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Idaho has some of our favorite campgrounds in the US. In fact, I could probably spend an entire summer just camping in Idaho and never get bored!
What I love about camping in Idaho is that there are a ton of National Forest lands where you can camp for free or for very cheap as well as great State Parks. Idaho campgrounds are almost always in scenic locations near great hikes, boating, and mountain biking. Even the RV resort campgrounds are typically close to great adventures!
We’ve camped in a lot in Idaho over the past 6 years of Full Time RVing and want to share with you the Idaho Campgrounds that we love the most. For help planning your trip to Idaho, be sure to check out our other Idaho blogs:
- 21 Things To Do in Idaho in Summer
- Idaho Road Trip Itinerary
- Best Hikes Idaho
- Best Hikes in the Sawtooths
- And...Download our Free Camping Pack List and Resource Guide (coming soon)
Best Private + Resort-Like Campgrounds in Idaho
When we travel with Appa, our huge 42′ fifth wheel, we prefer to find campgrounds with full hookups and all the amenities. These are the 4 private campgrounds in Idaho that we love to stay at.
1 | KOA Lava Hot Springs
- $50-80+ per night
- Full hookups
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: 65 ft
- Reserve here
I love beautiful campgrounds surrounded by nature but sometimes I just want a campground that has a lot to do from it and the KOA in Lava Hot Springs is just that. It’s right next to the Lava Hot Spring pool, it’s located in the center of town, and it’s right by the “get out spot” for floating the river.
Note that there are 2 KOA’s in Lava Hot Springs and while both are close to town, the City Center one is more convenient, especially if you have younger kids.
Related Blog: Complete Guide to Planning Your Trip to Lava Hot Springs
2 | Boise Riverside RV Park
- $40-50 per night
- Full hookups
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: big rig friendly
- Reserve here
We don’t go into Boise often but when we do, this is where we prefer to stay because it’s easy. It’s close to a Trader Joes and Costco to restock at, it’s easy to pull into, it has a paved bike path running through it, you can float the river, and the shower and laundry facility are clean.
3 | Wallace RV Park
- $33-38 per night
- Full hookups
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: 40+ ft
- Reserve here
Wallace is famous for being the “Center of the Universe”. The town of Wallace almost was demolished in order to put in the freeway but luckily, the town got together and made it historical by naming it the Center of the Universe.
While the campground itself isn’t anything special, it’s location is amazing. Not only is it walking distance to the center of town, but there is also a brewery/restaurant on site. Be sure to hike the Pulaski Tunnel Trail and Bike The Hiawatha Trail.
Related Blog: 21 Things To Do Idaho
4 | Camp Coeur de Alene
- $40-60 per night
- Full hookups
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: 36 ft
- Reserve here
Let’s keep our priorities straight…the #1 reason to stay here is for the free firewood. Okay, maybe that’s not really the best reason, but it sure is a nice perk! And, they also provide free coffee, cocoa, and tea. Talk about customer service!
This campground is surrounded by big trees and has a really nice tent camping area. They also have canoes by the river which you can use for free and a swimming pool on site. I also like they have a small store in case I forget something (like beer).
It’s only a 10 minute drive from here to the center of Coeur de Alene. The only negative is that it isn’t the easiest campground to get a big rig in.
Best National Forest, BLM, or State Park Campgrounds in Idaho
5 | Henry’s Lake
- $39 per night, Full hookups
- $67 per night, Cabins
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: 90 ft
- Reserve here (campground opens May 27, 2021)
Getting a reservation inside Yellowstone NP can be tough and while the RV parks in West Yellowstone can be a convenient option, I personally don’t like how crowded and touristy West Yellowstone is and so, I prefer camping a half hour south at Henry’s Lake.
I like that Henry’s Lake is a huge campground that is easy to get in and out of with my huge RV. It’s nice to drop the trailer here and then just take the truck in.
Related Blog: One Day in Yellowstone NP
Note: If you want to save money, there is a free camping area near Henry’s Lake however, it doesn’t have any amenities and there isn’t a lot to do at the campground.
Related Blog: Grand Teton to Yellowstone to Glacier National Parks
6 | Joe T Fallini Reservoir
- $38.00 per night
- Full hookups
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: big rig friendly
- First come first serve
This was a hidden gem that we stumbled upon years ago. It overlooks the reservoir and in the late spring it has gorgeous views of the snow capped mountains. In the summer, this is a great lake to play on. If you’re into epic hikes check out nearby Borah Peak. There is also free camping nearby if this campground is full.
7 | Glacier View
- $22 per night
- No hookups
- Flushing Toilets
- Max RV: 60 ft
- Reserve here
This is a great campground to use as a jumping off point to exploring the Sawtooth Mountains. It’s adjacent to Redfish Lake, the Sawtooth visitor center, and many fun trailheads like Bench Lakes.
While there is a lot of free camping in the Sawtooths, I like that you can reserve this one ahead of time and not have to worry about not being able to find a free dispersed campsite.
Free Camping Nearby
If you can’t get a campground at Glacier View, there are so many great dispersed camp sites nearby. We love the sites near Stanley Lake and Goat Lake Trailhead.
Related Blog: Best Hikes in the Sawtooths
8 | City of Rocks
- $14 per night
- No hookups
- Pit Toilets
- Max RV: 60 ft
- Reserve here
Most people camp here because of the amazing rock climbing nearby, however, this may be one of the best stargazing campgrounds in the world. You don’t need to be a climber to enjoy this gorgeous destination as just the camping and hiking a one make it a great destination on its own.
Related Blog: Guide to Hiking + Climbing City of Rocks
9 | Ponderosa State Park
- $38.00 per night
- Partial hookups
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: 75 ft
- Reserve here
The cute town of McCall has a lot to offer and camping on the Lake is wonderful. Not only is it easy to go play on the lake but there are also great hiking and mountain biking trails right from the campground. Plus, it’s a short bike ride into town.
10 | Kirkham Hot Springs or Pine Flats
- $38.00 per night
- No hookups
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: 100 ft at Pine Flats + 80 ft at Kirkham
- Reserve Pine Flats here (opens May 21)
Both campgrounds, which are only a few miles from each other, and right next to some natural hot springs. The best part of staying in the campgrounds is that you can use the hot springs early or late and avoid the crowds.
11 | Priest Lake
- $35 per night Full hookups
- $75 per night Cabins
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: 50 ft
- Reserve here
I love how the pine trees here remind me of driving through Canada to Alaska. We had a great site here that had a huge area for the kids to play and the beach, which is a very short walk from the campsites, has a dock to jump off of and our family loved playing beach volleyball here.
12 | Craters of Moon NP
- $15 per night
- No hookups
- Flushing Toilets + shower
- Max RV: 35 ft
- first come-first serve (opens end of May)
As much as I love national parks and monuments, I wouldn’t exactly make Craters of the Moon a destination in itself, however, if you are on a road trip through Idaho, this is a great place to spend one night. The star gazing here is out of this world!
14 | Bear Lake
- $31 per night partial hookups
- Flushing Toilets
- Max RV: 60 ft
- Reserve here
If you’ve never been to Bear Lake, you will be blown away by how turquoise the lake is here. This is a popular summer destination for boaters.
Best Free Camping + Boondocking in Idaho
15 | Darby Canyon
There aren’t a lot of camping options in Driggs and so when full campgrounds near Jackson drove us over the pass in search of a place to sleep, we were so excited to discover Darby Canyon. You have to drive down a dirt road for awhile to find the best camping spots but as long as it hasn’t rained recently, it’s a pretty well maintained road. Unfortunately the first time I didn’t know how good the road was and I tried to take one of the first campsites and got stuck in the mud (check out the video here).
16 | Schweitzer Resort
The resort allows free camping in their parking lots for up to 3 days in the summer. The views of Lake Oreiville and Sandpoint are gorgeous from the parking lot but get even better if you hike up the 2 mile nature trail or take the gondola up to the top.
17 | Near Sandpoint
We wanted to camp as close as we could to the Scotchman’s Peak trailhead and happened to discover this spot on Campendium and we’re so glad we did. The sunset was gorgeous here!
18 | Trail Creek Road
There is a ton of camping along the road when you drive east out of Sun Valley. This particular free camping area is about 13 miles east of Sun Valley and up a long dirt road with a fairly steep grade.
Related Blog: Rock Climbing Trail Creek Road
Idaho Campgrounds on our Bucket List
These last two campgrounds we haven’t been to yet but are hoping to get there this year. Let us know in the comments if there’s an Idaho campground that is your favorite or if you too love one of these.
19 | Palisades Reservoir
Right on the Idaho/Wyoming border and a great place to stop when your traveling between Lava Hot Springs and Grand Teton NP. It has great hiking and boating. There are multiple campgrounds along the lake but if you need one for a big rig, check out Calamity on the north west side. It’s only $12 a night but there are no hook ups here though. Reserve here (opens end of May)
20 | Bruneau Dunes State Park
This too looks like a fun place to chill and play at and is only an hour from Boise. Sites have partial hookups and cost $29 a night. There are also cabins here that cost $65 a night.
And that’s a wrap! Remeber if you need help planning your Idaho vacation, we’ve got many more blogs filled with great tips and inspiration:
- 21 Things To Do in Idaho in Summer
- Idaho Road Trip Itinerary
- Best Hikes Idaho
- Best Hikes in the Sawtooths
- And...Download our Free Camping Pack List and Resource Guide
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