A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service campground

Boundary Creek Campground

Forest Service campground in Salmon-Challis National Forest, Valley County, Idaho. 28.3 miles from Stanley.

Managed by
Forest Service Salmon-Challis National Forest
Sites
5 5 standard non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Valley County

Overview

Boundary Creek Campground is located at the edge of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, adjacent to the boat launch for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho. The site generally provides overnight camping for boaters waiting to launch the next day on their permit to float the Middle Fork.

Of the 15 campsites, 5 can be reserved during the high-use season (June 15-Aug. 15); the remaining 10 are first-come, first-served. Outside of those dates, all 15 sites are first-come, first-served.

Recreation

Boundary Creek Campground is a popular spot for boaters running the Middle Fork of the Salmon. A nearby transfer camp provides long-term parking and trail access into the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. Visitors enjoy hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, fishing and viewing wildlife.

Facilities

The campground offers 15 campsites, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Five of these sites are reservable during the peak season (June 15-August 15); the other 10 are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.

Natural Features

At an elevation of 6,280 feet, the campground is situated among lodgepole pine trees, near the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Salmon River. The air is crisp and fresh, even in the heart of summer, due to it's high elevation.

Nearby Attractions

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River flows over 100 miles through the heart of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, and originates 20 miles northwest of Stanley, Idaho, at the confluence of Bear Valley and Marsh Creeks. Float permits are required year round. It was one of the original eight rivers in the nation designated as Wild and Scenic on October 2, 1968.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Boundary Creek Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in. The federal record’s point for it sits at a very different height from the one the agency describes, so the pin may be off: trust the directions above over the map.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.