Chemeketan Campground
Sawtooth National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking
Location: STANLEY, ID, ID
Price: From $20 per night
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (4 reviews)
Season: May through October
Chemeketan Campground sits near the headwaters of the Salmon River, at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range.Chemeketan is a secluded, peaceful campground situated among lodgepole pines, which provide partial shade. Rugged peaks of the Sawtooth Range surround the area and the Salmon River flows at the campground’s edge. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.The Sawtooth National Recreation Area offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking op
Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.
Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Fishing
Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/chemeketan-campground to be notified when sites open up.
Chemeketan Campground sits near the headwaters of the Salmon River at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The Salmon River offers excellent fishing for rainbow trout, westslope cutthroat trout, and occasional hybrid cutbows and bull trout.
Wildlife alert: Gray wolves and pronghorn present in area; also mule deer, golden-mantled ground squirrels, dusky grouse, rufous hummingbirds, long-eared owls
Insider tips for Chemeketan Campground: Book early - this is a federal campground with high demand Idaho Centennial Trail can be easily accessed nearby for hiking and biking Nearby lakes include Alturas, Perkins, Pettit and Yellowbelly Lakes for additional fishing and canoeing opportunities Approach requires fording a stream - check conditions before arrival
Skip Chemeketan Campground if: You need RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites, only suitable for self-contained RVs. You're planning to visit outside May-October - campground is seasonal.
Best time to visit Chemeketan Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.
Nearby campgrounds: Alturas Lake Picnic Area (Id) (STANLEY, ID), Smokey Bear Campground (Ketchum, ID), Alturas Lake Inlet (STANLEY, ID), North Shore Campground (Ketchum, ID).
Cell Phone Coverage at Chemeketan Campground
Cell signal at Chemeketan Campground (STANLEY, ID): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.
Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.
Chemeketan Campground sits near the headwaters of the Salmon River, at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range.Chemeketan is a secluded, peaceful campground situated among lodgepole pines, which provide partial shade. Rugged peaks of the Sawtooth Range surround the area and the Salmon River flows at the campground’s edge. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.The Sawtooth National Recreation Area offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities, and an estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains.
Verified facts
RIDB / Recreation.gov official databaseAmenities
RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verifiedStraight talk
CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reportsKnown issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.
Insider tips & when to go
CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entryBook early - this is a federal campground with high demand
Idaho Centennial Trail can be easily accessed nearby for hiking and biking
Nearby lakes include Alturas, Perkins, Pettit and Yellowbelly Lakes for additional fishing and canoeing opportunities
Approach requires fording a stream - check conditions before arrival
Campground operates seasonally May through October only
Things to do nearby
RIDB /activities /recareas + intelConditions today
LiveCell signal
FCC BDC · quarterly datasetFCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.
Wildlife nearby
iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 kmLocation
Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Getting there →
From Stanley, Idaho, take Highway 75 south. Turn southwest off highway onto a dirt road located between mile markers 163 and 162. The campground is located 4 miles beyond the turnoff. Fording a stream is necessary to access the campground.
Campground entrance
Google Maps APICommunity
#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)Pro tips
- Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Sawtooth National Forest fills fast in peak season.
- Check current road conditions at Sawtooth National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
Frequently asked questions
RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakableHow much does Chemeketan Campground cost per night?+
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Official resources
●Data sources on this page
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