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A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service campground

Chemeketan Campground

Forest Service campground in Sawtooth National Forest, Blaine County, Idaho. 7,617 feet. 22.1 miles from Ketchum.

Managed by
Forest Service Sawtooth National Forest
Elevation
7,617 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Reservations
First come, first served Claim a site when you arrive. Recreation.gov lists it for Scan and Pay, so the fee can be paid from its app at the campground
County
Blaine County

Overview

Chemeketan Campground sits near the headwaters of the Salmon River, at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range.

Recreation

This site is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. The Salmon River offers excellent fishing for rainbow trout, westslope cutthroat trout and occasional hybrid cutbows and bull trout. The Idaho Centennial Trail can be easily accessed nearby.

Alturas, Perkins, Pettit and Yellowbelly Lakes are nearby, with fishing, canoeing and hiking.

Facilities

This campground is reached via dirt road, however visitors must ford a stream before reaching the site. Trucks, RVs and cars with higher clearance should have no trouble crossing the stream.

The campground offers one group site than can accommodate up to 150 people. If it is not reserved, it is available as a group site or individual sites on a first come, first served basis.

Vault toilets, tables and grills are provided.

Natural Features

Chemeketan is a secluded, peaceful campground situated among lodgepole pines, which provide partial shade. Rugged peaks of the Sawtooth Range surround the area and the Salmon River flows at the campground's edge. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.

Nearby Attractions

The Sawtooth National Recreation Area offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities, and an estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains. Popular area events include an Arts and Crafts Fair in July, and Wagon Days, Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair and Fireman's Ball in September.

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

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking

The land around Chemeketan 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.

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.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

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.

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