Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf)

Sawtooth National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Stanley, ID, ID

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 (8 reviews)

Season: May through October

Elk Creek Campground lies just off Highway 21 in a beautiful valley at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range in central Idaho.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 bir

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/elk-creek-campground-sawtooth-nf to be notified when sites open up.

Elk Creek Campground offers access to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area with approximately 750 miles of trails for hiking and biking, plus fishing opportunities and scenic views of Elk Meadow.

Wildlife alert: Great Gray Owl, Sandhill Crane, Elk, Pronghorn, Dusky Grouse, Wilson's Warbler, Western Deer Mouse, and Wandering Garter Snake documented in the area.

Insider tips for Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf): Book early — this is a popular federal campground Bring your own shade structures; the area is sun-exposed with minimal trees Ensure your RV is self-contained as there are no hookups available

Skip Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) if: You need RV hookups — none are available. You are sensitive to highway noise — campground is located right off Highway 21. You prefer shaded campsites — limited tree coverage reported. You need camping outside May-October — seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf): May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Sheep Trail Campground (Stanley, ID), Stanley Lake Campground (Stanley, ID), Trap Creek Campground (Stanley, ID), Iron Creek Campground (Id) (Stanley, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf)

Cell signal at Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) (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.

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CamperWatch›ID›Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf)
Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) — photo 1
Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) — photo 2
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Sawtooth National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf)

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Stanley, ID, ID★ 2.5 (8 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Elk Creek Campground lies just off Highway 21 in a beautiful valley at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range in central Idaho.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.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — none are available✕ You are sensitive to highway noise — campground is located right off Highway 21✕ You prefer shaded campsites — limited tree coverage reported✕ You need camping outside May-October — seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground

Bring your own shade structures; the area is sun-exposed with minimal trees

Ensure your RV is self-contained as there are no hookups available

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Great Gray Owl, Sandhill Crane, Elk, Pronghorn, Dusky Grouse, Wilson's Warbler, Western Deer Mouse, and Wandering Garter Snake documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
928-537-8888· Sawtooth National Forest
Getting there →

From Stanley, Idaho, take State Highway 21 west approximately 8 miles. Turn north at milepost 123 onto Forest Road 892 and follow the road to the campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#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, speakable
How much does Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) cost per night?+
Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) costs $75 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) open?+
Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf)?+
Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf)?+
Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) open, and what are check-in times?+
Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$75 /night★ 2.5 (8)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) cost per night?+
What season is Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) open?+
Does Elk Creek Campground (Sawtooth Nf) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Sheep Trail Campground

Stanley, ID

From $150/night

Stanley Lake Campground

Stanley, ID

From $24/night

Trap Creek Campground

Stanley, ID

From $100/night

Iron Creek Campground (Id)

Stanley, ID

From $20/night

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