Bureau of Land Management · Idaho
Garden Creek Campground
Bureau of Land Management · Idaho, United States
- Cost
- Campsites are first come, first served. Camping Fee: Free, Stay Limit: 14 days.
- Elevation
- 6,824 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)
- Nearest town
- Challis
- Address
- Challis Field Office, Challis, ID
- Phone
- 208-879-6200
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Photography, Wildlife Viewing
Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. 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
This campground, located in an aspen grove, is along the Big Lost River and features scenic hiking and nature viewing opportunities for visitors. Travel 3.5 miles south to the border of the Challis National Forest to hike from the Deep Creek Trailhead or head about 15 miles north on ID-93 to the Whiskey Springs Wildlife Viewing Area to observe waterfowl in the Chilly Slough Wetlands Conservation Area. There are 5 first come, first served primitive campsites. This site has no potable water and limited cell service.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 12° | -9° | 39° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 28° | 13° | -11° | 45° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 35° | 19° | 7° | 57° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 40° | 23° | 6° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 53° | 35° | 22° | 65° | 8 of 11 |
| June | 65° | 45° | 30° | 81° | 1 of 11 |
| July | 81° | 58° | 37° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 78° | 56° | 42° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 67° | 47° | 32° | 79° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 52° | 31° | 11° | 69° | 8 of 10 |
| November | 40° | 23° | -7° | 56° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 28° | 14° | -8° | 46° | 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
- Fall Creek Trailhead · 8.6 mi as the crow flies
Fall Creek 8.0 mi Hike, Waterfall Trail 0.6 mi Hike · Drive there - Herd Lake Trailhead · 10 mi as the crow flies
Herd Lake Campsite Trail 1.8 mi Hike, Herd Lake Trail 1.2 mi Hike · Drive there
All 656 trails in Salmon-Challis National Forest · All 124 trails in BLM lands in Idaho
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
- Upper Lake Creek Campground · Bureau of Land Management · 8 mi
- Herd Lake Campground · Bureau of Land Management · 10 mi
- Wildhorse Campground · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi
- Phi Kappa Campground · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi
- Park Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 14 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.