North Shore Picnic Area

Sawtooth National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: STANLEY, ID, ID

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (12 reviews)

Season: May through October

North Shore Picnic Area is located next to beautiful Redfish Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range. Stanley, Idaho, is conveniently close, only about 4 miles away.This day-use site offers two waterfront picnic sites. Site A can accommodate up to 100 people; Site B can accommodate up to 50 people.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing, Boat Launch, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/north-shore-picnic-area to be notified when sites open up.

North Shore Picnic Area sits on the pristine Redfish Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range with crystal-clear water and breathtaking mountain backdrops. Google reviewers consistently praise the lake's beauty and cleanliness, rating it 4.9/5 stars.

Wildlife alert: Mule deer, wapiti (elk), Pacific marten, pronghorn, Franklin's grouse, spruce grouse, and wandering garter snakes are documented in the area.

Insider tips for North Shore Picnic Area: Book early—this is a federal campground that draws heavy weekend traffic Only 2 tent sites available, so arrive early or reserve in advance Firewood is available for purchase on-site

Skip North Shore Picnic Area if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available at this picnic area. You prefer solitude—reviewers noted the lake draws many campers and can be very busy on weekends.

Best time to visit North Shore Picnic Area: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Redfish Cabin (Stanley, ID), Outlet Campground (STANLEY, ID), Glacier View Campground (STANLEY, ID), Sockeye Campground (Stanley, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at North Shore Picnic Area

Cell signal at North Shore Picnic Area (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.

CamperWatch›ID›North Shore Picnic Area
North Shore Picnic Area — photo 1
Sawtooth National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

North Shore Picnic Area

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STANLEY, ID, ID★ 4.8 (12 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

North Shore Picnic Area is located next to beautiful Redfish Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range. Stanley, Idaho, is conveniently close, only about 4 miles away.This day-use site offers two waterfront picnic sites. Site A can accommodate up to 100 people; Site B can accommodate up to 50 people.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
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
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFirewood for Sale
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsBoat Launch

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—no hookups available at this picnic area✕ You prefer solitude—reviewers noted the lake draws many campers and can be very busy on weekends

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground that draws heavy weekend traffic

Only 2 tent sites available, so arrive early or reserve in advance

Firewood is available for purchase on-site

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months 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: Mule deer, wapiti (elk), Pacific marten, pronghorn, Franklin's grouse, spruce grouse, and wandering garter snakes are 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 75 south for 4 miles. Turn west onto Forest Road 214 at the Redfish Lake sign and travel approximately 2 miles. Turn right at the North Shore Picnic Area entrance sign.

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 North Shore Picnic Area cost per night?+
North Shore Picnic Area costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is North Shore Picnic Area open?+
North Shore Picnic Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does North Shore Picnic Area have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at North Shore Picnic Area?+
North Shore Picnic Area is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at North Shore Picnic Area?+
North Shore Picnic Area 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 North Shore Picnic Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at North Shore Picnic Area is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is North Shore Picnic Area open, and what are check-in times?+
North Shore Picnic Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
●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.

$20 /night★ 4.8 (12)
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 North Shore Picnic Area cost per night?+
What season is North Shore Picnic Area open?+
Does North Shore Picnic Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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