Stanley Lake Campground

USDA Forest Service campground, 40 sites

Overview

Stanley Lake Campground is located on the shoreline above beautiful Stanley Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains.

Recreation

Stanley Lake offers excellent boating, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and fishing for rainbow, cutthroat, brook and bull trout. A boat ramp is located just outside the campground.

The Idaho Centennial Trail passes nearby and can be accessed from the Stanley Lake Trailhead across the lake.

Facilities

The campground offers 17 reservable sites, as well as additional first come, first served sites. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Roads and spurs within the site are gravel.

A scenic overlook is located next to sites 3 and 4, with outstanding views of McGowan Peak and Stanley Lake. Painters and photographers frequent the overlook to capture the views.

Natural Features

The campground is situated on a hillside above the lake in a thick grove of lodgepole pines, at an elevation of 6,500 feet. Most campsites have partial shade and views of the lake and/or the rugged 9860-foot McGowan Peak. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.

Nearby Attractions

Stanley Lake lies within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, which offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities. An estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains.

Numerous sparkling lakes and streams, including the Salmon River, dot the area, making for great rainbow and native Westslope cutthroat trout fishing. Redfish Lake is nearby, offering additional water recreation opportunities.

Popular area events include an Arts and Crafts Fair in July, and Wagon Days, Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair and Fireman's Ball in September.