USDA Forest Service · Idaho
Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth NF)
USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States · in Sawtooth National Recreation Area
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- May 22 to September 20
- Max RV length
- 40 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Elevation
- 6,522 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
- ELK CREEK CG (NFSR 70892) · asphalt · high degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Sawtooth National Forest
- Nearest town
- Stanley
- Address
- SAWTOOTH, STANLEY, ID, 83278
- Phone
- 928-537-8888
- Activities
- Biking, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Wildlife Viewing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Elk Creek Campground lies just off Highway 21 in a beautiful valley at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range in central Idaho.
Recreation
Elk Creek is situated in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. A myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities are available, with an estimated 750 miles of trails crisscrossing the valley and surrounding mountains, including the Idaho Centennial Trail, which passes nearby.
Expansive and scenic Elk Meadow is near the campground, providing a great location for bird and wildlife watching.
Facilities
This small campground offers one group site that consists of three smaller sites. If the group site is not reserved, the individual sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Campers must walk a few yards from parking area to campsites.
Vault toilets area provided. The road to the site and the parking spur within are paved.
Natural Features
Summer wildflowers are plentiful and lodgepole pines provide partial shade. Elk Creek is nearby. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.
Nearby Attractions
Numerous sparkling lakes and streams, including the Salmon River, dot the area, making for great rainbow and native Westslope cutthroat trout fishing. Stanley and Redfish Lakes are nearby with great boating, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and even more fishing.
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 | 30° | 15° | -4° | 41° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 30° | 17° | -12° | 45° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 38° | 20° | 8° | 54° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 41° | 25° | 9° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 51° | 32° | 22° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| June | 66° | 41° | 23° | 81° | 5 of 11 |
| July | 80° | 54° | 37° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 79° | 53° | 38° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 67° | 43° | 29° | 80° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 52° | 30° | 10° | 69° | 9 of 10 |
| November | 42° | 20° | -14° | 58° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 30° | 13° | -1° | 42° | 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
- Sheep Trail Campground · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 5 sites
- Stanley Lake Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 40 sites
- Lake View Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Trap Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 1 sites
- Iron Creek Campground (ID) · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 4 sites
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.