Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
Forest Service4,072,795 acres · USDA Forest Service
Can you sleep here
Dispersed camping is generally allowed
On national forest and grassland, camping outside developed campgrounds is generally permitted unless an area is posted closed or a local order says otherwise. Stay on existing surfaces, camp away from water and trailheads, and check the forest's current orders before you go — fire restrictions change through the season.
Stay limit14 days in most forests — the exact limit is set per forest and district
In an RVDispersed sites are unimproved: no hookups, no water, no dump station, and access roads are often unsurfaced. Designated wilderness inside the unit is closed to all vehicles.
Rule36 CFR 261.58 — occupancy and use, set by forest order
Rules change with fire season and local order. Checked 2026-08-05. Confirm on the managing office’s official page
- Area
- 6,364 sq mi
- Managed by
- Forest Service
- Campgrounds
- 71
- Longest rig
- 99 ft
Where the land is, and what fits
The official Forest Service boundary with every campground we hold inside it. Tell it how long your rig is and the map keeps only what takes it — public land rarely matches the shape people picture, and neither does what you can actually get into.
Map loads as you scroll
Official unit boundary · USDA Forest Service · 71 campgrounds shown
71 of 71 campgrounds
- Aquarius Campground and Purple Beach Group SiteMay 24 – Oct. 14 · First-come, first-served
- Boyd Creek CampgroundFirst-come, first-served
- Bridge Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Castle Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- CCC CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Cedars CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Cold Springs Peak CabinJuly 1, 2019 – October 1, 2019 · Reservations accepted
- Crooked River Campground #3Year round · First-come, first-served
- Ditch Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Dixie Meadow CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Dry Saddle TrailheadSeason not published
- Elk Creek CampgroundMay 14, 2024 – October 1, 2024 · First-come, first-served
- Elk Summit CampgroundJuly – TBD by snow · First-come, first-served
- Fish Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Fish Creek Group Use Campgroundto 20 ft · 1 sitesReservations accepted
- Five Mile CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- French Gulch CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Glade Creek Group CampgroundMay – September · Reservations accepted
- Glover CampgroundMay 12 – Sept. 30 · First-come, first-served
- Granite Springs CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Halfway House CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Iron Phone Junction CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Jerry Walker CabinReservations accepted
- Johnson Bar Campground & Group Site1 sitesMay 12 – Individual camping open year round as snow allows; group campsite closed after September 30 · First-come, first-served
- Kelly Forks Cabin1 sites · ElectricJune 14 – Oct. 1 · Reservations accepted
- Kelly Forks CampgroundMay 24 – October 14 · First-come, first-served
- Knife Edge Campground and River AccessYear round · First-come, first-served
- Laird Park CampgroundMay 20, 2024 – October 30, 2024 · First-come, first-served
- Leggett Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Limber Luke Campground and TrailheadJune · First-come, first-served
- Little Boulder CampgroundMay 20 – October 30 · First-come, first-served
- Liz Creek Cabin1 sitesJuly 1, 2019 – October 1, 2019 · Reservations accepted
- Lolo Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Mackay Bar CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Mallard Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Meadow Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Noe Creek CampgroundMay 24 – October 14 · First-come, first-served
- North Fork Slate Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- O'Hara Campgroundto 45 ft · 32 sitesMay 12 – September 18 · First-come, first-served
- O'Hara Saddle CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Orogrande Campground #1 and #2Year round · First-come, first-served
- Orogrande Campground #3 and #4Year round · First-come, first-served
- Orogrande Summit CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Oxbow CampsiteYear round · First-come, first-served
- Partridge Creek CampgroundMay – through October · First-come, first-served
- Poet Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Powell Campgroundto 50 ft · 35 sites · Electric · Pull-throughMay 16, 2024 – Reservation Season ends September 16, 2024. Campground closes October 31, 2024 · Reservations accepted
- Race Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Rackliff CampgroundMay 12 – September 30 · First-come, first-served
- Red River CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Rocky Bluff CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Sam's Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Selway Falls CampgroundMay 12 – October 29 · First-come, first-served
- Sing Lee CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Slide Creek Dispersed SiteYear round
- Slims CampYear round · First-come, first-served
- South Fork CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Spring Bar CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Table Meadows CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Ten MileYear round · First-come, first-served
- Trapper Creek Camp AreaYear round · First-come, first-served
- Twenty-mile Bar Dispersed SiteYear round · First-come, first-served
- Washington Creek CampgroundMay 24 – October 14 · First-come, first-served
- Weitas Creek CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Wendover CampgroundMay 22, 2024 – October 1, 2024 · First-come, first-served
- White Sand CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
- Whitehouse CampgroundMay 22 – October 1 · First-come, first-served
- Wild Goose CampgroundMay 12 – September 26 · First-come, first-served
- Wilderness Gateway Campgroundto 99 ft · 71 sites · Pull-throughopens may 14 – closes september 30 · Reservations accepted
- Wildhorse CampgroundYear round · First-come, first-served
No vehicles past these lines
Designated wilderness is closed to every wheeled vehicle, including bicycles. You can walk in and camp; you cannot drive or park a rig inside one.
- Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness1,348,689 acres
- Gospel-Hump Wilderness205,657 acres
Byways through this country
Places worth pulling over
Plan it
Drive to Nez Perce-Clearwater the long way
Byway plans the road in, not just the destination — real places along the way, weighted to what you like, with nothing invented.