U.S. Forest Service · Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests · Kooskia, ID

Ohara

O'Hara Campground sits along the Selway River amid lush vegetation and old cedar trees. This is the largest campground on the Selway, with 32 sites, and makes a great base for exploring all the recreational activities and attractions in the area. Water and dump station can be found at Cedar Flats, 1.5 miles from campground on Selway Road.

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in Idaho · reservable in Idaho · big rigs in Idaho

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
OharaOharaO'Hara SignOhara
Photos courtesy of Share the Experience, Stephen Tamm, MCRD · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups31
Host/management1
Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 45 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

31 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesAccessible
001Back-in45PavedFull7 / 2
002Back-in45PavedFull7 / 1
003Back-in45PavedFull8 / 1
004Back-in45PavedFull7 / 1
005Back-in40PavedFull7 / 1
006Back-in35PavedFull7 / 1
007Back-in45PavedFull7 / 1
008Back-in30PavedFull7 / 1
009Back-in30PavedFull7 / 1
010Back-in35PavedFull7 / 2

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length45 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
AccessibilitySites 012, 017, 020, 025 and 4 more are listed accessible

The campground offers single-family sites, many of which are accessible. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, campfire ring and paved parking spur. Vault toilets, drinking water and bear-resistant dumpsters are provided.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonMay 12 to September 18
ForestNez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
BookingMost campsites are first-come, first-served, but some are reservable.
Fees$14.00 per night. Additional vehicle = $2.00.

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Ohara30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 4.91 inches of precipitation, 13.3 inches of snowFebruary: 3.72 inches of precipitation, 6.8 inches of snowMarch: 4.32 inches of precipitation, 2.7 inches of snowApril: 4.05 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowMay: 3.59 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 3.67 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.88 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.86 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.62 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.13 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 5.15 inches of precipitation, 3.0 inches of snowDecember: 4.70 inches of precipitation, 17.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 31.4°F averageFebruary: 35.1°F averageMarch: 41.7°F averageApril: 48.7°F averageMay: 57.2°F averageJune: 63.3°F averageJuly: 71.7°F averageAugust: 70.6°F averageSeptember: 61.3°F averageOctober: 49.1°F averageNovember: 37.9°F averageDecember: 31.2°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Fenn RS, 1 mile from the campground at 1,560 feet, station USC00103143 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 41 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 43 inches a year on the same inches scale. The shaded span is the published season, May 12 to September 18.

Getting there

The campground is located 7 miles off U.S. Highway 12 at Lowell, Idaho, on Selway River Road 223.

Nearest townKooskia, Idaho
Coordinates46.0875° N, 115.5139° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Rx Stray Creek Lcrd

    15 mi from the campground · 150 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx Rescue Jensen Nfrd

    30 mi from the campground · 44 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx Barnyard Units Nfrd

    47 mi from the campground · 41 acres

  • Wildfire
    Moose Mountain

    50 mi from the campground · 5,832 acres · 90% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearRae Bros. Sporting Goods ↗31 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

An 11 mile sightseeing drive from Lowell to Selway Falls offers visitors opportunities to appreciate the pristine beauty of the Selway Wild and Scenic River and picturesque Selway Falls. O'Hara is near the Fenn Ranger Station, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

  • 0.2 mi
    O'Hara Nature Loop
    0.5 mi trail
  • 0.3 mi
    Stillman Ridge
    4.2 mi trail
  • 0.4 mi
    CCC Trail ↗
    5.4 mi trail
  • 1 mi
    Rackcliff ↗
    6.1 mi trail
  • 2.6 mi
    Peterson Burn
    1.1 mi trail
  • 3.2 mi
    O'Hara ↗
    7.6 mi trail

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

In the heart of north central Idaho, rugged peaks, deep canyons, dense forests and remote wilderness comprise the Nez Perce National Forest. Due in large part to dramatic elevational differences, the forest supports a wide variety of vegetation, from cedar groves to desert ecosystems. O'Hara is located in the Selway Wild and Scenic River Corridor, an area known for its rugged natural beauty and wildlife.

Recreation

The Selway River is a destination fly fishing experience for cutthroat and rainbow trout and is also well-known for whitewater rafting. Several trailheads for hiking and biking can be accessed from Selway River Road and lead into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness area.

Guidebooks for Idaho

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Ohara?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Ohara?

$14.00 per night. Additional vehicle = $2.00.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Ohara?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Ohara open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season May 12 to September 18.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Ohara have?

32 sites, including 31 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Ohara?

The longest site here provides 45 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are there accessible sites at Ohara?

Sites 012, 017, 020, and 025 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 8 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Ohara?

The Selway River is a destination fly fishing experience for cutthroat and rainbow trout and is also well-known for whitewater rafting. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Ohara?

Kooskia, Idaho. An 11 mile sightseeing drive from Lowell to Selway Falls offers visitors opportunities to appreciate the pristine beauty of the Selway Wild and Scenic River and picturesque Selway Falls.

Source: Getting there

What if Ohara is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are CCC Campground (0.4 mi, first-come), Race Creek Campground (0.6 mi, first-come), and Rackliff Campground (1.1 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby