Crater Lake
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
RV travelers who enjoy fresh mountain air will love visiting Crater Lake, a Bureau of Land Management campground in the Widow Mountain Wilderness Study Area in western Idaho. Known for its remote setting; small, secluded campground; several nearby creeks; and rustic forested atmosphere, this getaway is great for hiking and wildlife viewing. The first-come, first-served Crater Lake site offers primitive backcountry camping with no hookups or drinking water, and you don’t need a reservation or permit to stay there. Dispersed camping is also permitted in the surrounding wilderness area.
Quick Facts About RVing in Crater Lake
• RV Friendly: Limited • Max RV Length: None listed; small to mid-size rigs recommended • Camping Type: Primitive developed campgrounds and dispersed camping • Reservations: No • Hookups: None • Dump Station: None • Potable Water: Bring your own • Cell Service: None • Pets: Not allowed • Roads: A 24-mile drive over unpaved Forest Road 301 to reach the camp • Best Season: Summer
Why RV Travelers Love This BLM Area
• Beautiful, scenic surroundings • Isolated, solitary camping • Clear night skies • Great for boondockers with dispersed solitary camping • Wildlife watching opportunities • Lovely views of Grandmother Mountain • Accessible from State Highway 3 and Forest Road 301 • Les than an hour's drive from small-town civilization
What to See and Do
Hiking and Biking
Giant Cedar Grove Trail
The Giant Cedar Grove Trail is a paved hiking trail that is wheelchair accessible and features the Champion Tree of Idaho, an 18-foot-diameter cedar tree.
Length: 0.5 miles
Intensity: Easy
Hobo Historical Trail
This trail takes hikers past a historical logging dam and camp with leftover logging equipment, like an intact steam donkey. It is a short walk but includes steep inclinations and is not open for bike or motorized vehicle use.
Length: 0.5 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Feather Creek Long Loop Trail
The Feather Creek Long Loop Trail is a popular mountain biking trail outside of Bovill, Idaho. It features scenic valleys and forests.
Length: 11.5 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Fishing and Boating
Non-motorized boating is possible in some of the creeks surrounding Crater Lake campground, though no boat launch areas are available. However, visitors can fish on the water or shore for bull trout, Chinook salmon, lake trout, mountain whitefish, rainbow trout, red side shiners, and westslope cutthroat trout. The creeks in the area include Hobo Creek, Placer Creek, Freezeout Creek, and Floodwood Creek.
Climbing
Grandmother Mountain and Marks Butte are two popular climbing destinations near Crater Lake in Idaho. Grandmother Mountain is a 5,500-plus foot peak and features views of the St. Marie River Valley and the St. Joe Drainage of Marble Creek. The best time to hike the mountain is in the spring and early summer when the valley is covered in wildflowers. The mountain is subject to heavy snowfall in the winter.
Wildlife Viewing
As part of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests area, Crater Lake campground sees a lot of animals, ranging from woodland caribou, grizzly bears, and bald eagles to Coeur d'Alene salamanders, calliope hummingbirds, and pygmy shrews. Also sometimes spotted in the area are the endangered Canadian Lynx and the recently restored gray wolf. If you spot any wildlife around the Crater Lake campground, be sure to keep your distance and do not leave food out for them because this can disrupt their natural habitats.
Picnicking
While you may have a picnic at Crater Lake or the other nearby primitive campsite, you can also spend an afternoon at Scott Park in St. Maries. This park includes an on-site picnic area with BBQ pits and plenty of tables, plus you can access the St. Joe River from here. You may also like spending some time at Aqua Park in St. Maries for picnicking along the shore of the same river. This park also features a docking area.
Bureau of Land Management Camping
RV Camping 
While you can camp at Crater Lake, the lake is not easily accessible to RVs. For RV camping, consider staying at Misty Meadows RV Park in St. Maries. This campground has water and sewage hookups plus 30-amp electrical hookups and long-stay availability. The RV park is also located near grocery stores and has level campsites. Another campground you can check out is St. Joe Landing, which is situated on the St. Joe River and has full hookups. This campground is a great choice for anglers who want to fish right outside their campers or hikers who wish to access trails along the water.
Developed Campgrounds
Crater Lake is a primitive campground with vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits. There are no RV hookups, potable water sources, or dump stations available. While you can technically bring any RV, large RVs may have difficulty navigating the narrow forest road and could get stuck in the tight turnaround spaces. If you’re traveling in winter or spring, you may need a 4WD, high-clearance vehicle to get around easily. Driving in rainy or snowy weather can also be difficult. Camping is first-come, first-served. Check the official BLM recreation page for current fees and seasonal updates. Travelers looking for RV amenities will find full-service campgrounds in Arco, ID, less than two hours away from Crater Lake.
Dispersed Camping
Free dispersed camping is allowed in the Widow Mountain Wilderness Study Area. The stay limit is 14 days within any 28-consecutive-day period. Forest Road 301 can be steep and rocky in spots, and driving a high-clearance, 4WD vehicle is recommended if you’re boondocking outside the main campground. There is no access to food, fuel, water, supplies, or cell phone service at Crater Lake campground or the surrounding wilderness area. Be sure to bring emergency gear and extra fuel, food, and drinking water. Remember to “leave no trace” when you depart. For more boondocking tips, take a look at our guide on RV water fill and dump stations. Seasonal BLM fire restrictions are in effect every year from May 10 through Oct. 20.
Is This BLM Area Good for Your RV?
When you’re visiting Crater Lake, smaller RV classes will offer the best balance of comfort and drivability. If you drive carefully, you should be able to reach the campground in a 2WD vehicle in summer, but 4WD, high-clearance vehicles may be a better bet if you plan to explore the wilderness area or come in during the off-season. Steep grades, washboards, loose gravel, and protruding rocks can make driving difficult and damage your vehicle. Camper Vans: A camper van is an ideal choice for visiting the campground, especially if it has off-road capabilities. Travel Trailers: A travel trailer can be a good choice for experienced RVers who bring a smaller model with high clearance and tow it with a 4WD vehicle. Fifth Wheels: A fifth wheel is not a good choice for traveling to Crater Lake because it is too large to maneuver easily around the forest road and campsite. Class A Motorhomes: Class A motorhomes are not well-suited to the rough roads near Crater Lake and could be easily damaged while traveling. Class B Motorhomes: Class B motorhomes can be a good choice for visiting the campground if they are compact. 2WD models can usually handle the trip, but high-clearance 4WD models may offer greater versatility and a lower chance of getting stuck. Class C Motorhomes: Class C motorhomes with low clearance and 2WD are not recommended for driving to Crater Lake because they are at high risk of getting stranded or damaged.
Free Camping 
The Crater Lake campground is a Bureau of Land Management free camping option near the lake along Forest Road 301. This Bureau of Land Management campgrounds offers a picnic table, fire pit, and a vault toilet in a remote location. There are two other primitive campgrounds along Forest Road 301: Orphan Point Saddle and Crater Peak. For more options in the area, search for "BLM camping near me."
RV Rentals Near Crater Lake Plan your next adventure
Planning your Crater Lake BLM trip
After you've found an option for BLM camping, start packing for your trip appropriately. BLM campsites usually do not offer water or electrical hookups, so you will need to bring a supply of drinking and washing water plus things like battery- or solar-powered camp equipment. If you plan on spending some time around the creeks nearby Crater Lake campground, you may also want to bring insect repellent and waterproof shoes since the ground may be muddy.
Since there are no camping stores in the Widow Mountain Wilderness Study Area where Crater Lake campground is located, you may want to pack all the food you will need for your stay. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
What RV Travelers Should Know Before Arriving
No potable water, food, propane, or fuel is available at the Crater Lake campground. You can get fuel and basic convenience store items and food in Clarkia, 45 to 60 minutes away depending on road conditions. You’ll have a better selection of hardware and grocery options in St. Maries, ID, about a 40-minute drive northwest of Clarkia. Since there is little to no cell phone service near the campground, you should download offline GPS maps to track your exact position. Using an RV-specific GPS unit will help you check road widths and turnarounds ahead of time. Travel with a paper U.S. Forest Service or BLM district map as a backup. For weather updates, search for Crater Lake’s latitude and longitude coordinates via the NWS Point Forecast Locator on the National Weather Service’s website, or check for regional updates from the BLM Coeur d'Alene Field Office. The BLM Idaho Advisories and Closures webpage will list any warnings or updates about problems with area roads. The Shoshone County and Benewah County sheriffs’ offices coordinate wilderness search and rescue operations.
Leave No Trace 
There are no trash receptacles at Crater Lake campground, so all visitors to this area are required to bring trash bags and pick up after themselves. Visitors are also expected to follow the seven principles of the Bureau of Land Management's "Leave No Trace" policy, which includes tasks like watching campfires closely to prevent forest fires and picking up your pet's waste as necessary.
Crater Lake Location
To reach Crater Lake campground from Coeur d'Alene, take I-90 East to State Highway 3 for approximately 81 miles. From there, you will enter Clarkia, where you should turn left onto Forest Road 301. Take this road for 24 miles until you reach the Crater Lake campground entrance.
Ready to visit Crater Lake? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you'll have your RV to return to for the night where you'll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here's a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.
Plan Your Day at Crater Lake
• Morning: Enjoy breakfast by Hobo Creek or Placer Creek, and take a walk along the banks. You can also fish for trout, Chinook salmon, lake trout, whitefish, and red-side shiners or try to spot some caribou. • Afternoon: Return to your RV for lunch, then head to nearby Grandmother Mountain for a rigorous hike. When you reach the peak, you can enjoy panoramic views of the St. Marie River Valley. • Evening: Have dinner at your cookstove or campfire, depending on current restrictions. After the sun sets, lie back, relax, and spend the evening stargazing through openings in the tree canopy.
Nearby Attractions
The BLM lands surrounding Crater Lake offer a peaceful base camp for exploring northern Idaho's forests, mountains, rivers, and nearby public lands. These nearby destinations make excellent side trips from your campsite and give RV travelers more opportunities to explore the surrounding area before returning to camp: Lake Coeur d'Alene: This scenic site, about an hour and 50 minutes away from the campground via State Highway 3, has sandy beaches, swimming areas, and a marina. If you’re traveling between November and February, you can look for bald eagles at Higgins Point. Emerald Creek Garnet Area At this spot near the town of St. Maries, off NF Road #477, you can hunt for 12-sided star garnets, a rare version of Idaho’s state gem. Traveling from the campground over rough roads will take about an hour and a half. Heyburn State Park: Located on the western outskirts of St. Maries, about two hours from the campground via State Hwy 3, this 5,500-acre state park is the oldest in the Pacific Northwest. It’s the perfect place to hike, boat, and spot ospreys by the water. St. Maries: ID: About an hour away, St. Maries offers groceries, fuel, restaurants, hardware stores, and other supplies before or after your stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of gear do I need at Crater Lake campground? To camp safely at Crater Lake, pack completely self-sufficient gear, including a backup water filter or purification tablets. Bring a portable camp stove and cooking supplies, trash bags, a magnetic compass, a headlamp or flashlight, a knife, and a first-aid kit. Can I have a campfire? During closed fire season between May 10 and October 20, open campfires must be contained within designated fire pits. In dry or high fire-danger conditions, Stage 1 or Stage 2 restrictions may limit or completely ban wood and charcoal campfires. Portable gas- or propane-fueled stoves and heaters can typically be used as a substitute when fire restrictions are in effect. Are generators allowed at Crater Lake? Generators are not formally restricted at Crater Lake, but you should check with the BLM Coeur d’Alene field office for seasonal and current prohibitions around generator use. Can I reach Crater Lake in a 2-wheel-drive RV? Yes, many smaller 2WD RVs can reach Crater Lake during dry summer conditions if you drive carefully. However, you'll need to travel about 24 miles on Forest Road 301, an unpaved gravel and dirt road with washboards, loose rocks, and occasional steep sections. High-clearance vehicles are recommended, and 4-wheel drive is the safer choice. Is Crater Lake an accessible campground? Crater Lake campground is a primitive backcountry site with basic amenities and no available drinking water. The campground is not ADA-accessible.
Rent the Right RV for This Trip
When you’re planning a trip to Crater Lake, renting the right RV will ensure you have the best time possible. A compact Class B camper van with off-road capabilities is the ideal vehicle for your journey. Traveling in a smaller rig also makes it easy to visit other destinations in Idaho and the Pacific Northwest, including Lake Cascade State Park and Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve. Browse RV rentals in Coeur d’Alene, ID before your trip to find a vehicle that's well suited to the forest roads and primitive camping conditions at Crater Lake BLM.