U.S. Forest Service · Sawtooth National Forest · Burley, ID

Lake Cleveland - East Side

Lake Cleveland Campground is a very popular summer recreational facility. Located next to its namesake, the campground is divided into the East Side and West Side loops. Very popular with residents of local communities, the campground is often full every weekend from early July to Labor Day.

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 · pets allowed in Idaho

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
LAKE CLEVELANDLAKE CLEVELAND - EAST SIDE SITE 4LAKE CLEVELAND - EAST SIDE PICNIC AREALAKE CLEVELAND - EAST SIDE RV CAMPSITE
Photos courtesy of Minidoka Ranger District · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups7
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 60 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFiresRating
2Back-in20Gravel8 / 1YesBasic
3Back-in20Gravel8 / 1YesBasic
4Back-in20GravelPartial8 / 1YesBasic
5Back-in40GravelPartial8 / 1YesStandard
6Back-in60GravelPartial8 / 1YesStandard
7Back-in40GravelPartial8 / 1YesStandard
8Back-in48GravelPartial16 / 1YesStandard

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 length60 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Seventeen camping sites are located in the East campground loop, seven of which are reservable, the remaining ten are first-come, first-served. The East side of the lake is best suited for large RVs and trailers. Nine campsites are available on the West side of the lake on a first-come, first-served basis. Trailers are not advised on the West side of the lake because the turn-around is very tight (limited space due to steep terrain).

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Lake Cleveland - East Side30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.82 inches of precipitation, 5.7 inches of snowFebruary: 0.69 inches of precipitation, 5.0 inches of snowMarch: 1.14 inches of precipitation, 4.2 inches of snowApril: 1.55 inches of precipitation, 2.0 inches of snowMay: 2.05 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJune: 1.12 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.69 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.72 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.08 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 0.88 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowNovember: 0.78 inches of precipitation, 2.2 inches of snowDecember: 0.79 inches of precipitation, 5.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.6°F averageFebruary: 34.3°F averageMarch: 41.8°F averageApril: 47.2°F averageMay: 55.1°F averageJune: 63.0°F averageJuly: 71.5°F averageAugust: 70.5°F averageSeptember: 61.9°F averageOctober: 50.5°F averageNovember: 38.6°F averageDecember: 30.1°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Oakley, 14 miles from the campground at 4,559 feet, station USC00106542 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 12 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 25 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Interstate 84, take exit 216 and follow State Highway 77 south approximately 18 miles, through the towns of Declo and Albion, to Howell Canyon Road. Turn west at the Pomerelle Ski Area sign and drive up the canyon on Howell Canyon Road another 7 miles. The road is steep and winding. Look for an entrance sign on your right.

Nearest townBurley, Idaho
Coordinates42.3233° N, 113.6469° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Stinson Creek Rx 2026

    7 mi from the campground · 450 acres

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

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗16.9 mi
Outdoor gearXtreme RV ↗37.3 mi

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

Explore

  • 0.4 mi
    Lake Cleveland
    1.1 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 0.5 mi
    Thompson Flat
    1.9 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 0.8 mi
    Marsh Creek ↗
    5.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 1 mi
    New Canyon ↗
    9.3 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 1.2 mi
    Mt. Harrison Lookout
    4.3 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 1.2 mi
    Skyline Trail ↗
    26 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more

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

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

At an elevation of 8,300 feet, the campground facility is located in an alpine lake basin below Mt. Harrison which has an elevation of 9,240 feet. Late season snowdrifts on the county road and in the campground often block access until early to mid-July. The campground is near the timberline and alpine wildflower meadows. Expansive views north across the Snake River Plain and south into Utah and Nevada can be found near the campground.

Recreation

Fishing, kayaking, hiking and swimming are all popular activities within the Lake Cleveland area during the summer months. Non-motorized boating and floating is allowed on Lake Cleveland. Motorized recreation is limited to system roads and trails; no cross-country motorized travel is allowed.

Nearby

Two miles from Lake Cleveland, Mt. Harrison has a fully functional fire lookout tower. Nearby Pomerelle ski area offers lift-served access to mountain bike and hiking trails. Two miles away, Twin Lakes Campground offers equestrian facilities and access to the Skyline Trail which is open for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and dirt bikes.

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 Lake Cleveland - East Side?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Lake Cleveland - East Side?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Lake Cleveland - East Side have?

8 sites, including 7 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Lake Cleveland - East Side?

The longest site here provides 60 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 Lake Cleveland - East Side?

Yes, pets are allowed at Lake Cleveland - East Side. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Lake Cleveland - East Side?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

Is there cell service at Lake Cleveland - East Side?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 5G and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Lake Cleveland - East Side?

Fishing, kayaking, hiking and swimming are all popular activities within the Lake Cleveland area during the summer months. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Lake Cleveland - East Side?

Burley, Idaho. Two miles from Lake Cleveland, Mt.

Source: Getting there

What if Lake Cleveland - East Side is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Lake Cleveland Campground - West Side (0.1 mi, first-come), Twin Lakes Campground (Sawtooth) (1.2 mi, first-come), and Thompson Flat (1.2 mi, partly first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby