USDA Forest Service · Idaho
Calamity
USDA Forest Service · Idaho, United States
- Sites
- 41
- Hookups
- 40 no hookups
- Season
- May 21 to September 5
- Max RV length
- 50 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 5,751 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile good · AT&T good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- CALAMITY CG DAY USE (NFSR 40241-E) · 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
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Swimming, Water Skiing, Wildlife Viewing
40 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Calamity Campground is located along the Snake River drainage at the north end of beautiful Palisades Reservoir at an elevation of 5,700 feet, just 55 miles east of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Visitors enjoy boating, water skiing, fishing and canoeing.
Recreation
Palisades Reservoir offers excellent boating, water skiing, swimming and canoeing. Lake and shore fishing are very popular here 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 and large parking area are located on-site.
The Palisades Creek Trail begins nearby, leading hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders to beautiful Upper Palisades Lake and expansive views of Swan Valley.
Facilities
The campground offers several campsites on three loops. All sites are equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with grill. Some sites have a few stairs from the parking spur to the site pad.
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 campground is situated on a hillside above Palisades Reservoir, affording scenic views from many sites. A mixed forest of lodgepole pine, spruce, fir, aspen and maple trees partially shade the campground. Summer wildflowers dot the landscape.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (541) 351-1182.
Nearby Attractions
Big Elk Creek Trail, for hiking, biking and horseback riding, begins at nearby Big Elk Campground and meanders up a beautiful canyon brimming with wildflowers, towering trees and views of the surrounding mountains.
Swan Valley and the Snake River 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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 16° | -8° | 40° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 32° | 19° | -7° | 48° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 41° | 24° | 10° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 44° | 28° | 12° | 59° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 56° | 34° | 26° | 67° | 10 of 11 |
| June | 71° | 47° | 34° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 84° | 56° | 42° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 81° | 54° | 47° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 72° | 47° | 29° | 82° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 56° | 34° | 15° | 74° | 7 of 10 |
| November | 42° | 22° | -1° | 59° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 30° | 16° | 3° | 43° | 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
- Riverside Park Campground & Day Use Area · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Palisades Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi
- Big Elk · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 3 sites
- Blowout Campground · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi
- Blowout Campground · Bureau of Land Management · 8 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.