A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Stanley Lake Campground

Forest Service campground in Sawtooth National Forest, Custer County, Idaho. About 6,500 feet. 6.4 miles from Stanley.

Managed by
Forest Service Sawtooth National Forest
Elevation
About 6,500 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
39 34 standard non-electric, 5 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
52 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Custer County

Overview

Stanley Lake Campground is located on the shoreline above beautiful Stanley Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains.

Recreation

Stanley Lake offers excellent boating, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and fishing for rainbow, cutthroat, brook and bull trout. A boat ramp is located just outside the campground.

The Idaho Centennial Trail passes nearby and can be accessed from the Stanley Lake Trailhead across the lake.

Facilities

The campground offers 17 reservable sites, as well as additional first come, first served sites. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Roads and spurs within the site are gravel.

A scenic overlook is located next to sites 3 and 4, with outstanding views of McGowan Peak and Stanley Lake. Painters and photographers frequent the overlook to capture the views.

Natural Features

The campground is situated on a hillside above the lake in a thick grove of lodgepole pines, at an elevation of 6,500 feet. Most campsites have partial shade and views of the lake and/or the rugged 9860-foot McGowan Peak. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.

Nearby Attractions

Stanley Lake lies within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, which offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities. An estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains.

Numerous sparkling lakes and streams, including the Salmon River, dot the area, making for great rainbow and native Westslope cutthroat trout fishing. Redfish Lake is nearby, offering additional water recreation opportunities.

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
  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • swimming site
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Stanley Lake 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.

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.