Kelly Forks Campground
Tucked away in a heavily wooded, streamside location at the confluence of Kelly Creek and the North Fork of the Clearwater River in Northwest Idaho, is Kelly Forks Campground. With 14 campground sites, a group area, campground host and a hiking trail going directly up to Flat Mountain from the site, horseback riding trails in the vicinity, swimming and an abundant watchable wildlife, Kelly Forks has a little of everything. Also, for the all the anglers out there, Kelly Forks boasts a Blue Ribbon cutthroat trout stream (catch and release).
More like this: first-come in Idaho
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Season | May 24 to October 14 |
| Forest | Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests |
| Fees | $10.00 per night. |
| Rules | Garbage services not available. Pack It In, Pack It Out. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 46.7171° N, 115.2547° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireMoose Mountain
4 mi from the campground · 5,832 acres · 90% contained
- PrescribedRx Barnyard Units Nfrd
18 mi from the campground · 41 acres
- PrescribedRx Rescue Jensen Nfrd
22 mi from the campground · 44 acres
- PrescribedD4 Rx Simmons Peak
25 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 33.9 mi |
| RV sales & service | Sport Land Trailer Sales, Service & Rentals ↗ | 55.5 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
No site-by-site records, no amenities, no fee schedule, no directions or photos in the Recreation.gov record. What is here comes from the agency's own listing. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the record fills in.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 1 miJunction Mountain Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 7 miFourth Of July Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miFlat Mountain ↗7.5 mi trail
- 1 miJunction Mountain ↗13.1 mi trail
- 1 miJunction Creek ↗6.9 mi trail
- 1.9 miJunction Lookout0.5 mi trail
- 3.1 miElizabeth Mountain ↗7.4 mi trail
- 4.1 miCool Creek3.3 mi trail
Trailheads within three miles
- 1 miJunction Mountain Trailhead ↗Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
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
This campground sits inside Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest.
- inNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 4,072,795 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
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 Kelly Forks Campground?
No. Kelly Forks Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Kelly Forks Campground?
$10.00 per night.
Source: Forest Service
Is Kelly Forks Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season May 24 to October 14.
Source: Forest Service status
What if Kelly Forks Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Noe Creek Campground (5.7 mi, first-come), Hidden Creek Campground (8.7 mi, first-come), and Weitas Creek Campground (10.1 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby