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The site details and map below come from the public Recreation.gov record and are accurate. For current dates and to book, go to Recreation.gov.
Bad Bear Campground is located 48 miles northeast of Boise, Idaho, in the scenic Boise National Forest on the Idaho City Ranger District, along Highway 21 at an elevation of 5,100 feet. Wildlife and summer wildflowers are abundant. Historic Idaho City is just 11 miles south. Mores Creek runs adjacent to the site, offering whitefish and rainbow trout fishing.
Highway 21, also known as the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, snakes along Mores Creek to Mores Creek Summit, Gold Fork, and Banner Ridge with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and forest.
Numerous trail opportunities are in the area, offering hiking, biking, horseback riding, and ATVing. In winter, the area becomes a playground for backcountry skiers and snowmobilers.
This campground contains 5 single sites that can accommodate up to 6 people each, and one double site that can accommodate 12. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided, and most sites also have lantern hooks. The site is in an open area with shade in all sites. Vault toilets are provided. Parking spurs are paved. Due to its proximity to the highway, some noise from passing traffic is to be expected. No trash service. Pack-in-pack-out.
From the Idaho City Ranger Station, drive north on Highway 21 for almost 10 miles, then turn left at the sign for Bad Bear Campground. Bad Bear Campground is located at milepost 48, just beyond Ten Mile Campground.
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗












Online reservations for this facility, where offered, are made through Recreation.gov. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
Campsite Sniper does not currently hold availability data for Bad Bear Campground, so there is nothing to date here. That is a gap in coverage — it does not mean the facility is full or closed. Check Recreation.gov for current dates.
4 of the 6 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 40 ft.
Lakefront, hookups, your RV length, weekends only - set it as picky as you want.
We run paced availability checks for Bad Bear Campground. One watch covers every matching site.
When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.