Dispersed Camping Near The Palisades Reservoir In Idaho

The Palisades Reservoir area in Idaho provides a lot of free camping for outdoor enthusiasts.

We stayed near the reservoir in an area referred to as Below the Dam camping by Campendium. It is part of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and is run by the US Forest Service.

I am not sure of the stay limit for this boondocking area. I believe it is 14 days but some nearby areas only allow 5 days. We had other plans so 5 days worked perfect for us.

We could have easily spent 14 days here though.

Campsites are on a first come, first served basis.

The first large camping area is on your right after crossing the bridge and is usually the most crowded. Pick a spot right on the Snake River or go further back for more privacy.

This area is the perfect spot if you’re just spending the night.

If you continue down the main road for a few miles you’ll come to another large, but more barren camping area. It looked like a place ATVs would be playing in so we skipped it.

A couple more miles down the road you’ll come to a third camping area.

This camping area has dozens of camping spots on the river and by the trees. A large meadow sits in the middle. You are not allowed to drive or camp in the meadow.

This is the spot we chose and were lucky enough to get the last spot on the river bank. This whole section is gorgeous. Between the meadow and the surrounding mountains, the views can not be beat.

This is a boondocking spot so no water or hook-ups can be found here. There are vault toilets at the very beginning of the camping area near the dam. They aren’t close to any of the camping areas though.

There are no trashcans so whatever you pack in make sure you pack out.

Pets are allowed, but please be sure to pick up after them.

We had both Verizon and AT&T service during our stay.

There were homemade fire rings in a lot of spots for visitors to have campfires. Be sure to check on any fire restrictions in the area before starting a fire.

Make sure every spark is out before going to bed or leaving camp.

There are a variety of sites to choose from here and any size rig can fit. If you’re looking for shade you’re in luck or if you’re running solar you’ll have no issues topping off your batteries in other spots.

There is a boat ramp by the dam if you want access to the river.

The water was moving pretty fast and we lost count of the number of fishermen we saw and people just enjoying a float down the river.

We didn’t see much in the way of waterfowl but did have an American Bald Eagle visit camp on at least three different occasions. I never get tired of seeing those majestic birds.

We did a lot of walking during our stay and never grew tired of the views. This place was gorgeous and we really enjoyed our visit. We would 100% stay at this spot again.