Bureau of Land Management · Idaho
Joe T. Fallini Recreation Site
Bureau of Land Management · Idaho, United States
- Sites
- 28
- Hookups
- 22 electric, 10 with water, 6 no hookups
- Season
- May 1 to March 31
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 6,109 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T good · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Challis
- Address
- PO Box 817, Challis, ID, 83226
- Phone
- 208-878-6200
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Day Use Area, Fishing, Ice Fishing, Non-Motorized Boating, Water Access, Water Sports, Wildlife Viewing
27 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
The Joseph T. Fallini Campground, situated on the banks of the Mackay Reservoir, is the only recreational site in Challis Field Office that offers full RV hookups and features a diversity of other facilities. This scenic area has a gorgeous view of the Lost River Range and offers recreational opportunities such as boating in the summer and ice fishing in late winter.
Mackay Reservoir offers a boat ramp providing access to the reservoir for jet skiing, water skiing and sailing . Other boat launches along the reservoir (and one downstream of the dam) are also available.
Recreation
Vistiors can engage in a variety of recreation opportunities including (ice) fishing, camping, picnicking, wildlife viewing, nature walking, boating, and star-gazing.
Facilities
There are 26 camp sites, an RV hook ups and dump station, restrooms, drinking water, boat ramp and interpretive trail.
Natural Features
This site resides on the banks on Mackay Reservoir surrounded by the Lost River Range to the east and Knob Mountains to the west.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (208) 879-6200.
Nearby Attractions
Mackay Mine Hill Historical Self-Guided Tour
Borah Peak Wilderness Study Area
Borah Peak Trailhead
Big Lost River
Chilly Slough Wildlife Conservation Area
Lost River Museum
Craters of the Moon National Monument
Lower Cedar Creek Waterfall
Fees
This is fee site, and payment for camping and use of amenities is required. These fees stay with this recreation site and are used for enhancing and maintaining recreation facilities and opportunities.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 13° | -9° | 36° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 30° | 14° | -11° | 44° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 36° | 21° | 11° | 57° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 42° | 25° | 7° | 57° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 57° | 37° | 26° | 69° | 6 of 11 |
| June | 68° | 49° | 33° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 84° | 61° | 41° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 81° | 59° | 46° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 70° | 50° | 35° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 54° | 35° | 12° | 72° | 8 of 10 |
| November | 43° | 25° | -7° | 58° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 29° | 14° | -10° | 48° | 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.
Nearby campgrounds
- Mackay Tourist Park · City, County & Regional Parks · 4 mi
- Loristica Group Campground · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 1 sites
- Copper Basin Guard Station · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi · 1 sites
- Mt. Borah Trailhead · USDA Forest Service · 14 mi
- Lake Creek Trailhead & Campground · USDA Forest Service · 17 mi
All public campgrounds in Idaho · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.