U.S. Forest Service · Caribou-Targhee National Forest · Montpelier, ID

Montpelier Canyon Campground

Montpelier Canyon Campground provides a rustic camping opportunity next to Highway 89, along Montpelier Creek, at an elevation of 6,400 feet. Montpelier Reservoir is within five miles, offering fishing, boating and canoeing.

More like this: reservable in Idaho · pets allowed in Idaho

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
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Photos via Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups13
Tent-only2
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
001Tent onlyGravel8 / 1Yes
002StandardBack-in22GravelFull8 / 1Yes
003StandardBack-in13GravelFull8 / 1Yes
004StandardBack-in25GravelFull8 / 1Yes
005StandardBack-in25GravelFull8 / 1Yes
007Tent onlyGravelFull8 / 1Yes
008StandardBack-in15GravelFull8 / 1Yes
009StandardBack-in20GravelFull8 / 1Yes
010StandardBack-in20GravelFull8 / 1Yes
011StandardBack-in15GravelFull8 / 1Yes

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 length30 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

The campground offers 15 family sites, two of which are tent-only. Roads and parking spurs within the campground are gravel. Larger RVs and trailers may have difficulty maneuvering through the campground; please check individual site descriptions for maximum vehicle length. Additionally, campsites within this facility are considered very small and rustic. Driveways are narrow and surrounded by dense vegetation.

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
ForestCaribou-Targhee National Forest
BookingThis site can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777) or on-line at http://www.recreation.gov
FeesFor current pricing, please go to Recreation.gov

Caribou-Targhee National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Montpelier Canyon Campground10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.73 inches of precipitation, 23.3 inches of snowFebruary: 1.60 inches of precipitation, 19.0 inches of snowMarch: 1.48 inches of precipitation, 9.2 inches of snowApril: 1.74 inches of precipitation, 4.9 inches of snowMay: 2.29 inches of precipitation, 1.3 inches of snowJune: 1.28 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowJuly: 0.67 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.96 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.35 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowOctober: 1.70 inches of precipitation, 2.9 inches of snowNovember: 1.38 inches of precipitation, 9.2 inches of snowDecember: 1.71 inches of precipitation, 20.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 17.7°F averageFebruary: 20.3°F averageMarch: 30.2°F averageApril: 40.1°F averageMay: 49.3°F averageJune: 57.4°F averageJuly: 65.4°F averageAugust: 64.2°F averageSeptember: 55.0°F averageOctober: 42.8°F averageNovember: 30.6°F averageDecember: 19.9°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 in25 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Bern, 8 miles from the campground at 5,964 feet, station USC00100803 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 18 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 91 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

The campground is located three miles east of Montpelier, Idaho, on U.S. Highway 89.

Nearest townMontpelier, Idaho
Coordinates42.3311° N, 111.2319° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Vault toilets are provided, but drinking water is not available.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗20.8 mi
Outdoor gearMountain Top Outdoor Shop ↗29.2 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗37.7 mi

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

Explore

Video

Video of Montpelier Canyon Campground, ID from Alan B.

  • 0.1 mi
    Gertsch Hollow
    3.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.8 mi
    Joe'S Gap/Bennington
    1.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.2 mi
    Aegetter Hollow
    3.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 3.3 mi
    Joe'S Gap
    2.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 3.4 mi
    Telephone Draw
    1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.4 mi
    Fox Ridge
    2.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

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 →

Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge begins about 9.2 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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

The campground in situated in dense stands of willow, which help shelter the campground from traffic noise. Montpelier Creek runs alongside the campground.

Recreation

Montpelier Creek offers rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout fishing. Many visitors make the short drive to Montpelier Reservoir for boating, canoeing and additional fishing opportunities. A boat ramp is located at the reservoir.

Nearby

Beautiful Bear Lake straddles the Utah-Idaho border and is within a 35-minute drive of the campground. Outdoor activities abound at Bear Lake, with endless boating, water skiing, jet skiing, scuba diving, swimming, hiking, biking, horseback riding and off-road vehicle riding opportunities. Sightseeing and scenic driving are popular activities as well.

Guidebooks for Idaho

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

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

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Montpelier Canyon Campground?

Sites at Montpelier Canyon Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. This site can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777) or on-line at http://www.recreation.gov Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Montpelier Canyon Campground?

For current pricing, please go to Recreation.gov

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Montpelier Canyon Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Montpelier Canyon Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season May.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Montpelier Canyon Campground have?

15 sites, including 13 standard sites without power and 2 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Montpelier Canyon Campground?

The longest site here provides 30 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 pets allowed at Montpelier Canyon Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Montpelier Canyon Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Montpelier Canyon Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Montpelier Canyon Campground?

Montpelier Creek offers rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Montpelier Canyon Campground?

Montpelier, Idaho. Beautiful Bear Lake straddles the Utah-Idaho border and is within a 35-minute drive of the campground.

Source: Getting there

What if Montpelier Canyon Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Paris Springs Campground (15.9 mi), Summit View Campground (16.1 mi), and Emigration Campground (16.7 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby