Bowns Campground
Bowns Campground, located 25 miles east of Featherville and 18 miles north of Fairfield, is a developed campground composed of 10 units along Big Smoky Creek. Two of the camp sites are double family units. Camping, fishing, hiking, and picnicking are popular activities. Campground amenities include picnic tables, fire rings, drinking water (seasonally) and restrooms. Miller Creek Trail (#087) starts just south of the campground and is open to motorcycles.
More like this: first-come in Idaho
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Forest | Sawtooth National Forest |
| Booking | This is a non-reservation site |
| Fees | Fees will be charged from mid-May until October 31. $6.00 per night fee for single sites, $12.00 per night for double sites. |
| Rules | Pets must be leashed in campground. All campfires must be attended. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Fairfield, go north 18 miles on Forest Road #094 and west approximately 6 miles on Forest Road #227.
| Coordinates | 43.6068° N, 114.8819° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedParadise Rx
7 mi from the campground
- PrescribedBartlett Creek Rx
40 mi from the campground · 2,000 acres
- PrescribedRx Lowman Wui
45 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 ↗ | 30.3 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
No site-by-site records, no amenities, no fee schedule 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
Trails nearby
- 0.2 miSoldier Cr-Miller Cr ↗13.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.5 miSalt Creek ↗6.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.4 miParadise Creek ↗12.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 1.5 miFleck Summit Access Trail1.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 1.6 miJones Gulch Overlook0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 1.9 miBig Smoky ↗17.8 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.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Sawtooth National Forest.
- inSawtooth National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,190,139 acres
- 12.1 miBoise National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,526,862 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 Bowns Campground?
No. Bowns Campground is first-come, first-served. This is a non-reservation site Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Bowns Campground?
Fees will be charged from mid-May until October 31. $6.00 per night fee for single sites, $12.00 per night for double sites.
Source: Forest Service
Is Bowns Campground open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
What if Bowns Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Canyon Transfer Camp (1.9 mi, first-come), Big Hole (3.8 mi, first-come), and Five Points Campground (5.5 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby