The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
Crater Lake is a small campground that's part of the Widow Mountain Wilderness Study Area in western Idaho. The primitive campground is surrounded by multiple creeks and mountain peaks, including Grandmother Mountain. It is open for the public to use for free year-round and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM is a federal agency that administers public lands across the United States, including more than 12 million acres in the Gem State.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
