USDA Forest Service · Idaho
Chemeketan Campground
USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States · in Sawtooth National Recreation Area
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- June 5 to September 20
- Max RV length
- 30 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 7,657 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- SALMON RIVER (NFSR 70215) · native material · high clearance vehicles
- Lake
- Sawtooth National Forest
- Nearest town
- STANLEY
- Address
- SAWTOOTH NRA, STANLEY, ID
- Phone
- 928-537-8888
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Mountain Biking
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - the site map below shows each with its facts and pictures.
Site map
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one on the imagery, with the operator's own facts and pictures for each site where it publishes them. Tap a site to rate it, keep a note and add your own photos; press and hold the map for a pin of your own. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Overview
Chemeketan Campground sits near the headwaters of the Salmon River, at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range.
Recreation
This site is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. The Salmon River offers excellent fishing for rainbow trout, westslope cutthroat trout and occasional hybrid cutbows and bull trout. The Idaho Centennial Trail can be easily accessed nearby.
Alturas, Perkins, Pettit and Yellowbelly Lakes are nearby, with fishing, canoeing and hiking.
Facilities
This campground is reached via dirt road, however visitors must ford a stream before reaching the site. Trucks, RVs and cars with higher clearance should have no trouble crossing the stream.
The campground offers one group site than can accommodate up to 150 people. If it is not reserved, it is available as a group site or individual sites on a first come, first served basis.
Vault toilets, tables and grills are provided.
Natural Features
Chemeketan is a secluded, peaceful campground situated among lodgepole pines, which provide partial shade. Rugged peaks of the Sawtooth Range surround the area and the Salmon River flows at the campground's edge. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.
Nearby Attractions
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities, and an estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains.
Popular area events include an Arts and Crafts Fair in July, and Wagon Days, Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair and Fireman's Ball in September.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 13° | -6° | 38° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 27° | 13° | -14° | 42° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 34° | 17° | 5° | 51° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 37° | 22° | 6° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 48° | 29° | 20° | 61° | 11 of 11 |
| June | 61° | 39° | 25° | 77° | 9 of 11 |
| July | 76° | 51° | 35° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 75° | 49° | 38° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 64° | 41° | 27° | 75° | 4 of 11 |
| October | 50° | 29° | 19° | 66° | 9 of 10 |
| November | 40° | 23° | -11° | 53° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 27° | 12° | -7° | 44° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Twin Creek Trailhead · 5.9 mi as the crow flies
Twin Creek 7.1 mi Hike · Drive there - Gladiator Trailhead · 6.0 mi as the crow flies
The Grinder 11 mi Hike, Gladiator Creek 2.9 mi Hike, Gladiator 1.9 mi Hike · Drive there - Prairie Creek Trailhead · 6.4 mi as the crow flies
Norton Creek-Prairie Creek 9.5 mi Hike, West Fork Prairie Creek 2.4 mi Hike · Drive there - Grand Prize Trailhead · 7.4 mi as the crow flies
Grand Prize 12 mi Hike, Corrals ATV Trail 7.0 mi Hike · Drive there - Cabin Creek Trailhead · 7.9 mi as the crow flies
Cabin Creek 3.4 mi Hike · Drive there
All 503 trails in Sawtooth National Forest · All 157 trails in Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Smokey Bear Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 4 sites
- Alturas Lake Inlet · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 28 sites
- North Shore Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 4 sites
- Baker Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi
- Bear Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi
All public campgrounds in Idaho · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.