Elk Summit Campground
This sweet destination of a campground rests a short distance from the 1.34 million acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Located just 24 miles south of Highway 12, you'll have available to you 15 campsites, stock facilities, stunning scenery, and access to some of the nation's wildest country including many remote alpine lakes and mountain peaks. Hoodoo Lake is just a short stroll from the campground.
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 | July to TBD by snow |
| Forest | Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests |
| Fees | No Fee. |
| Rules | Snow is not plowed in winter. No garbage services available. Pack It In, Pack It Out. When entering Wilderness areas there are special guidelines defined by Congress that visitors must follow. Please keep in mind the following and visit Wilderness.net for specific information regarding Wilderness areas: This is rugged wild country with no cell phone service. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 46.3285° N, 114.6445° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx D4 Piquett Creek
39 mi from the campground · 2,210 acres
- WildfireMoose Mountain
41 mi from the campground · 5,832 acres · 90% contained
- PrescribedRx D3 Cameron Gaps
46 mi from the campground · 1,100 acres
- PrescribedRx Rescue Jensen Nfrd
48 mi from the campground · 44 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| RV sales & service | Hamilton RV Sales Of Montana ↗ | 23.6 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Cabela's ↗ | 45.4 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
- 3.8 miKooskooskia Meadows Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 8.7 miColt Creek Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.2 miBig Sand Lake ↗13.9 mi trail
- 0.3 miCedar Ridge ↗5 mi trail
- 0.6 miCedar - Moose Creek ↗6.1 mi trail
- 1.8 miDiablo Mountain2.6 mi trail
- 3 miMaple Lake Lookout ↗6.6 mi trail
- 3.5 miHidden Peak ↗6.8 mi trail
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 Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, which overlaps Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest.
- inSelway-Bitterroot Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 1,347,644 acres
- inNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 4,072,795 acres
- 3.3 miBitterroot National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,664,512 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
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 Elk Summit Campground?
No. Elk Summit 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 Elk Summit Campground?
No Fee.
Source: Forest Service
Is Elk Summit Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season July to TBD by snow.
Source: Forest Service status
What if Elk Summit Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are White Sands Campground (12.5 mi, first-come), Powell Campground (13.2 mi, partly first-come), and Whitehouse Campground (13.8 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby