Lower O'Brien Campground

in Sawtooth National Forest

The numbers that decide it

Longest rig
Not published
Sites
4
Electric hookups
Not published
Pull-through sites
Not published
Paved access
Not published
Accessible sites
Not published
Driveway grade
Not published
Bear boxes
Not published
Campfires
Not published
Shade
Not published
Group sites
Not published

Site-level detail from Recreation.gov, checked 2026-08-05. Where a field says “not published”, the agency has not published it — it does not mean zero. See it on Recreation.gov

Lower O'Brien Campground

Lower O’Brien Campground is composed of 10 campsites including 1 double-site on the Salmon River located in a lodgepole pine forest. All sites are first-come, first-serve. The Warm Springs Creek Trail is nearby. Visitors can fish for steelhead and trout or soak in the fabulous Sunbeam Hot Springs which maintains a temperature of 169 degrees fahrenheit. You can adjust the temperature by moving rocks to allow river water to flow in. A boat ramp at Yankee Fork is available for floating the river, which has 14 miles of Class III and IV rapids. An interesting trip is to explore the mining history of the area by touring the Land of the Yankee Fork north of the Sunbeam Dam and resort on Forest Road #013. Sunbeam Dam was the only dam ever built on the Salmon River, which remains one of the last free-flowing rivers in the west. The dam was intended to provide power to mining operations located on the Yankee Fork, but in 1911, the mine property was sold at a Sheriff`s auction and part of the dam was destroyed with dynamite in 1934.

Before you go

Season

June – September

Reservations

First-come, first-served

Fees

Sawtooth NRA Camping Fees and Information

Restrictions

Pets must be on a leash. All occupancy (includes developed/dispersed camping, boats, boat trailers, travel trailers, tents, etc): Occupancy limit is 10 days in a 30 day period within a 30 mile radius for all of SNRA. You must occupy the campsite the first night and campsites cannot be left unattended for more than 24 hours. Motorized vehicles and bicycles are not permitted in any of the designated wilderness areas.

Scenic drives that pass close

Make it a night on a better road

Byway plans the drive in — real stops, real weather, nothing invented.