USDA Forest Service · Idaho
Big Elk
USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States
- Sites
- 3
- Hookups
- 3 no hookups
- Season
- May 21 to September 5
- Max RV length
- 50 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 5,676 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T weak · Verizon weak (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- BIG ELK CREEK GROUPSITE (NFSR 40270-A) · crushed aggregate or gravel · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Caribou-Targhee National Forest
- Nearest town
- Alpine
- Address
- TARGHEE, ID
- Phone
- (208) 270-0150 OR 541-351-1182
- Activities
- Camping, Canoeing, Fishing, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Swimming, Wildlife Viewing
3 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Big Elk Campground is situated along Big Elk Creek on a quiet arm of the beautiful Palisades Reservoir, just 55 miles east of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing and exploring the scenic Big Elk Creek Trail.
Recreation
Big Elk Creek has great fishing for cutthroat trout and the occasional Kokanee salmon. Canoeing and swimming are popular activities on the reservoir. A small boat ramp is located on-site. When the reservoir level is low, boats cannot be launched on Big Elk Creek.
Big Elk Creek Trail, for hiking, biking and horseback riding, begins at the campground and meanders up a beautiful canyon brimming with wildflowers, towering trees and scenic views.
Palisades Reservoir is across the highway, offering excellent boating, water skiing, swimming and canoeing. Lake and shore fishing are very popular there as well, with wild and stocked cutthroat trout as the predominate species. Kokanee salmon, brown and Mackinaw trout can also be found. A boat ramp is located at Calamity Campground less than 10 miles away.
Facilities
This campground offers three group sites with picnic tables, campfire rings and grills. Site A-1 also has a picnic shelter and serving tables, and can accommodate up to 160 people. Sites B-1 and B-2 can accommodate up to 50 people each. Individual sites are available on a first come, first served basis only.
Vault toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided, but there is no electricity. Firewood is available for purchase from the host. Roads and parking spurs are gravel.
Natural Features
The campgrounds lies on a hillside at an elevation of 5,700 feet, above Big Elk Creek among aspens and Douglas fir trees, which provide partial shade. Sagebrush and summer wildflowers dot the landscape.
Nearby Attractions
The Palisades Creek Trail begins nearby, leading hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders to beautiful Upper Palisades Lake and expansive views of Swan Valley.
The Snake River and Swan Valley offer more great fishing and boating opportunities, as well as rafting, canoeing and numerous trails for hiking, biking, horseback and ATV riding. Fall Creek Falls is 20 miles away, and the Fall Creek area has hundreds of miles of such trails.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (541) 351-1182.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 17° | -6° | 40° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 32° | 20° | -5° | 48° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 41° | 26° | 11° | 55° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 44° | 30° | 15° | 59° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 57° | 36° | 28° | 66° | 8 of 11 |
| June | 71° | 47° | 34° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 84° | 56° | 43° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 81° | 55° | 47° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 72° | 47° | 28° | 82° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 56° | 35° | 19° | 74° | 6 of 10 |
| November | 43° | 24° | 4° | 60° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 31° | 17° | 5° | 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.
Nearby campgrounds
- Blowout Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Riverside Park Campground & Day Use Area · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi
- Blowout Campground · Bureau of Land Management · 5 mi
- Calamity · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 41 sites
- Palisades Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 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.