Alturas Lake Inlet
Campground · Idaho · 27 bookable sites ·
Managed by the USDA Forest Service
Smoky Mountains Roadless Area (Idaho Roadless Rule (2008)) · Open Access
- 27
- Bookable sites
- 40 ft
- Max rig length
- up to 16
- People per site
- 7,033 ft
- Elevation
Overview
Alturas Lake Inlet Campground is located on the shores of scenic Alturas Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range.Recreation
This site is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. Alturas Lake offers excellent boating, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and fishing for bull trout and Kokanee salmon.The 10-mile round trip Alpine Meadows Trail begins nearby, with spectacular canyon, meadow and alpine lake views. The trail is also a popular area for bird watching.
Facilities
This campground contains several family campsites, some of which have lake or creek views. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Roads and parking spurs are gravel.A day-use site is adjacent to the campground with a designated swim beach. Smokey Bear Boat Ramp is less than 1/4-mile away.
Natural Features
Alturas Creek runs through the campground, where summer wildflowers are plentiful and a mixed-growth conifer forest provides partial shade. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees.Nearby Attractions
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area offers a myriad of excellent hiking and biking opportunities, and an estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains.Perkins Lake is less than 2 miles away, with excellent fishing and canoeing. Pettit and Yellowbelly Lakes are nearby, with more fishing, canoeing and hiking. The Salmon River offers fishing for rainbow trout, Westslope cutthroat trout and occasional hybrid cutbows and bull trout.
Popular area events include an Arts and Crafts Fair in July, and Wagon Days, Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair and Fireman's Ball in September.
The facts
- Season: June – September — USDA Forest Service, Aug 24, 2026
- 27 bookable sites
- 28 sites in total, including non-bookable
- Vehicles up to 40 ft
- Up to 16 people per site
- Loops: ALTURAS LAKE INLET, MANAGEMENT SITES
Site types
- 27 Standard Nonelectric
- 1 Management
Amenities
- Campfires allowed
- Fire pits
- Picnic tables
- Shade
Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, grills, pets allowed.
28 campsites at Alturas Lake Inlet
Check-in 2:00 PM · Check-out 12:00 PM
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Surface | Max rig | People | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | Gravel | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 03 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | Gravel | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 04 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 05 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | Gravel | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 06 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | Gravel | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 07 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | Gravel | 40 ft | 16 | |
| 08 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | Gravel | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 09 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | Gravel | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 10 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | Gravel | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 11 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | Gravel | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 12 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 13 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 16 | |
| 14 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 16 | |
| 15 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 16 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 16 | |
| 17 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 18 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 19 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 20 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 21 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 22 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 16 | |
| 23 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 16 | |
| 24 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 25 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 26 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 27 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 28 | ALTURAS LAKE INLET | Standard Nonelectric | — | — | 40 ft | 8 | |
| 01 | MANAGEMENT SITES | Management | — | — | 40 ft | 1 |
Getting there
From Highway 75, turn onto Forest Road 205/Alturas Lake Road. Travel approximately 3 miles to the campground.
43.90000, -114.88306 · 43°53'60.0"N 114°52'59.0"W
Typical weather
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Low °F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Precip in | 5.9 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 6.8 |
1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 7.1 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.
Map
More photos
Member photos
Common questions about Alturas Lake Inlet
- Can you reserve a site at Alturas Lake Inlet?
- Yes, Alturas Lake Inlet is reservable through Recreation.gov.
- How many campsites does Alturas Lake Inlet have?
- 28 sites in total, of which 27 can be booked.
- What is the maximum RV length at Alturas Lake Inlet?
- 40 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
- Are campfires allowed at Alturas Lake Inlet?
- Campfires are allowed at Alturas Lake Inlet. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.
Also listed by
Alturas Lake Inlet also appears in other federal recreation data. Facts below are matched by name and location, not confirmed by Alturas Lake Inlet's operator.
USDA Forest Service — data as of Aug 24, 2026
- Sawtooth NRA Camping Fees and Information
Restrictions:
- Pets must be on a leash. All occupancy (includes developed/dispersed camping, boats, boat trailers, travel trailers, tents, etc): Occupancy limit is 10 days in a 30 day period within a 30 mile radius for all of SNRA. Campers must occupy the site the first night and cannot go more than 24 hours there
Camping near Alturas Lake Inlet
- North Shore Campground 1.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Smokey Bear Campground 1.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Alturas Lake Picnic Area (Id) 2.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Pettit Lake Campground 5.9 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Chemeketan Campground 7.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Atlanta Cabin 13.9 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Alturas Tent Camping Area 2.4 mi · Campground
- Chemeketan Campground - Salmon River Headwaters 7.4 mi · Campground
- Bear Creek Transfer Camp 12 mi · Campground
- Power Plant Campground 12.5 mi · Campground
- Powerplant / Middle Fork Trailhead 12.7 mi · Facility
- Riverside Campground (Idaho City) 13.8 mi · Campground
Contact
- Phone 928-537-8888
- Email camping@rrmofa.com
- Book Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.
Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.
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