U.S. Forest Service · Sawtooth National Forest · Idaho

Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)

Wood River Group Overnight Area is located inside the Wood River Campground, which has 30 single campsites for RV's and tent camping, which are available for use on a first-come first-served basis. This campground is located on the banks of the beautiful Big Wood River at an elevation of 6400 feet. Ketchum, Idaho is conveniently close, only 10 miles south. Visitors enjoy fishing, tubing and exploring local trails.

Open nowPartly reservable1 siteDark skyFires okTents only

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

More like this: first-come in Idaho · reservable in Idaho · tent only in Idaho · group sites in Idaho · dark sky in Idaho

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
WOOD RIVER GROUP OVERNIGHT AREA (TENT ONLY)WOOD RIVER GROUP OVERNIGHT AREA (TENT ONLY)WOOD RIVER GROUP OVERNIGHT AREA (TENT ONLY)WOOD RIVER GROUP OVERNIGHT AREA (TENT ONLY)
Photos via Recreation.gov
2fires
active
Bartlett Creek Rx (prescribed burn) · 15 mi away · 2,000 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

group standard area nonelectric1
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

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
GROUP NONELECTRICGravelFull150 / 25Yes

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

EquipmentTents
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Dark sky8.5 miles from Sun Valley Resort, a certified International Dark Sky Park

Wood River offers one reservable group site that can be used as a day-use picnic area for up to 150 people, or as an overnight tent camping site for up to 40 people. Also Wood River Campground has 30 single campsites for RV's and tenting which are available for use on a first-come first served basis. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided. An amphitheater with electricity and wooden benches is just a short walk from the site. Roads and parking spurs are paved, but the site surface is dirt.

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

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonMay to September
ForestSawtooth National Forest
BookingYou can reserve the group overnight area by clicking on the following link www.recreation.gov/camping/wood-river-group-overnight-area-tent-only/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70358…
FeesSawtooth NRA Camping Fees and Information.
RulesPlease keep pets on a leash. All occupancy (includes developed/dispersed camping, boats, boat trailers, travel trailers, tents, etc): Occupancy limit is 10 days in a 30 day period within a 30 mile radius for all of SNRA. Campers must occupy the site the first night and cannot go more than 24 hours thereafter without occupying the site.

Sawtooth National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.25 inches of precipitation, 27.0 inches of snowFebruary: 1.88 inches of precipitation, 17.2 inches of snowMarch: 1.76 inches of precipitation, 10.5 inches of snowApril: 1.17 inches of precipitation, 3.2 inches of snowMay: 1.78 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJune: 1.26 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.55 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.50 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.01 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.40 inches of precipitation, 1.6 inches of snowNovember: 1.21 inches of precipitation, 10.3 inches of snowDecember: 2.57 inches of precipitation, 32.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 19.6°F averageFebruary: 23.1°F averageMarch: 30.6°F averageApril: 39.4°F averageMay: 48.2°F averageJune: 54.8°F averageJuly: 62.6°F averageAugust: 61.1°F averageSeptember: 52.6°F averageOctober: 41.8°F averageNovember: 29.3°F averageDecember: 19.7°F average0 in10 in20 in30 in40 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Ketchum RS, 9 miles from the campground at 5,890 feet, station USC00104845 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 102 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Ketchum, take Highway 75 north for 10 miles. Turn at the Wood River Campground sign. Stay on the main campground road for a short distance until you reach the group area parking lot on the right side of the road.

Coordinates43.7931° N, 114.4589° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Bartlett Creek Rx

    15 mi from the campground · 2,000 acres

  • Prescribed
    Paradise Rx

    22 mi from the campground

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

Explore

Worth a stop

The 20-mile Harriman Trail passes nearby, offering excellent hiking and biking. Numerous additional trails spur off the Harriman Trail leading to deep canyons, sparkling lakes, swimming holes and more great high country fishing. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area Visitor Center is 2.5 miles from the campground, with a small museum, bookstore and area information. An RV dump station and drinking water are located here as well. Easley Hot Springs is 4 miles north, offering a swimming pool, hot tubs, showers and a small store. Sun Valley Resort is 7 miles south, with hiking, biking, guided horseback riding and beautiful mountain scenery. Popular area events include Wagon Days in Ketchum in September. In Stanley an hour away, an Arts & Crafts Fair is held in July and a Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair and Fireman's Ball in September.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    Big Wood River Trail
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • under 0.1 mi
    Bear Cave
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.7 mi
    North Fork Cutoff Ski
    0.08 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 1.9 mi
    Murdock Loop Ski
    0.8 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 2 mi
    North Fork Loop Ski
    1.7 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 2 mi
    Harriman Trail ↗
    18.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

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 Sawtooth 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

A forest of Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine, Lodgepole pine and aspens offers plentiful shade within the facility. Colorful summer wildflowers are abundant and willows dot the banks of the river. Temperatures are cool with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.

Recreation

This site is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. Fly-fishing for rainbow, brown and brook trout is popular on the Big Wood River, as is float tubing. A self-guided nature trail begins near the amphitheater, leading to a small cave and a beaver pond.

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 Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)?

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 Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)?

Sawtooth NRA Camping Fees and Information.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only) open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season May to September.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only) have?

1 site, including 1 group standard area nonelectric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)?

Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only) is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)?

Flush toilets and drinking water are provided.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 2 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Please keep pets on a leash.

Source: Fire nearby

Is Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only) good for stargazing?

Sun Valley Resort, a certified International Dark Sky Park, is 8.5 miles away. Skies that dark carry for miles; a moonless night here should show the Milky Way.

Source: DarkSky International

What is there to do at Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)?

This site is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only) is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are North Fork (1.8 mi, partly first-come), Murdock Campground (2.1 mi, first-come), and Caribou Campground (2.5 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby