Pettit Lake Campground

Federal campground in Sawtooth National Forest

Location: Ketchum, ID, ID

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/pettit-lake-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Small, quiet campground with excellent mountain biking and wilderness hiking right from the site, located beside the Tincup trailhead. Shallow lake perfect for SUP, kayaking, and swimming with no boat noise.

Wildlife alert: Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Mule Deer, Mule Deer, Dusky Grouse, Spruce Grouse, and Franklin's Grouse documented in area

Insider tips for Pettit Lake Campground: First-come, first-served only—arrive early or visit midweek to secure a site Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use Scan and Pay feature if available Tincup trailhead adjacent to campground provides direct access to Alice Lake/Toxaway loop

Skip Pettit Lake Campground if: You need hookups—no hookups available. You prefer developed amenities—old school campground with minimal facilities. You visit during holidays or weekends—fills up fast during peak times. Dusty conditions bother you—campground gets dusty during dry periods.

Best time to visit Pettit Lake Campground: Midweek, non-holidays — Campground fills up fast; visiting midweek avoids peak crowds. May through October — Official operating season.

Nearby campgrounds: Alturas Lake Picnic Area (Id) (STANLEY, ID), Smokey Bear Campground (Ketchum, ID), North Shore Campground (Ketchum, ID), Alturas Lake Inlet (STANLEY, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Pettit Lake Campground

Cell signal at Pettit Lake Campground (Ketchum, 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
CamperWatch›ID›Pettit Lake Campground
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Federal campground in Sawtooth National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Pettit Lake Campground

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Ketchum, ID, ID★ 4 (0 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites: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 Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

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 hookups—no hookups available✕ You prefer developed amenities—old school campground with minimal facilities✕ You visit during holidays or weekends—fills up fast during peak times✕ Dusty conditions bother you—campground gets dusty during dry periods

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

First-come, first-served only

arrive early or visit midweek to secure a site

Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use Scan and Pay feature if available

Tincup trailhead adjacent to campground provides direct access to Alice Lake/Toxaway loop

Best: Midweek, non-holidays

Campground fills up fast; visiting midweek avoids peak crowds

Best: May through October

Official operating season

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: Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Mule Deer, Mule Deer, Dusky Grouse, Spruce Grouse, and Franklin's Grouse documented in area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Sawtooth National Forest

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 Pettit Lake Campground cost per night?+
Pettit Lake Campground costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Pettit Lake Campground open?+
Pettit Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Pettit Lake Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Pettit Lake Campground?+
Pettit Lake Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Pettit Lake Campground?+
Pettit Lake Campground 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 Pettit Lake Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Pettit Lake Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Pettit Lake Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Pettit Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●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 (0)
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 Pettit Lake Campground cost per night?+
What season is Pettit Lake Campground open?+
Does Pettit Lake Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Alturas Lake Picnic Area (Id)

STANLEY, ID

From $125/night

Forest campground camping

Smokey Bear Campground

Ketchum, ID

From $20/night

North Shore Campground

Ketchum, ID

From $20/night

Alturas Lake Inlet

STANLEY, ID

From $24/night

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