U.S. Forest Service · Sawtooth National Forest · Idaho

Sawmill Campground

Sawmill Campground has 3 small, tight campsites; each with a fire ring and a picnic table. Sites to pitch a tent are small and limited by aspen within the campground. Parking is limited. Large RVs and trailers are not recommended. A single-unit, ADA-accessible SST vault toilet is found at the campground. Individual campsites are not considered ADA-accessible. An excellent site for a small picnic near a creek. Aspen trees shade the campsites.

Open nowBooking not publishedDark skyTents only

More like this: first-come in Idaho · tent only in Idaho · accessible sites in Idaho

2fires
active
Paradise Rx (prescribed burn) · 36 mi away · 400 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesNon-fee campground.
Dark sky9.7 miles from Sun Valley Resort, a certified International Dark Sky Park
AccessibilityIndividual campsites are not considered ADA-accessible. The single-unit SST vault toilet is ADA-accessible

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonMay 1 annually, weather and road conditions permitting
ForestSawtooth National Forest
BookingNot accepted.
FeesNon-fee campground.
RulesCamping limit 16 days. No horses or stock permitted in campground.

Sawtooth National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Sawmill Campground10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.25 inches of precipitation, 27.0 inches of snowFebruary: 1.88 inches of precipitation, 17.2 inches of snowMarch: 1.76 inches of precipitation, 10.5 inches of snowApril: 1.17 inches of precipitation, 3.2 inches of snowMay: 1.78 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJune: 1.26 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.55 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.50 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.01 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.40 inches of precipitation, 1.6 inches of snowNovember: 1.21 inches of precipitation, 10.3 inches of snowDecember: 2.57 inches of precipitation, 32.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 19.6°F averageFebruary: 23.1°F averageMarch: 30.6°F averageApril: 39.4°F averageMay: 48.2°F averageJune: 54.8°F averageJuly: 62.6°F averageAugust: 61.1°F averageSeptember: 52.6°F averageOctober: 41.8°F averageNovember: 29.3°F averageDecember: 19.7°F average0 in10 in20 in30 in40 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Ketchum RS, 10 miles from the campground at 5,890 feet, station USC00104845 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 102 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates43.6665° N, 114.1629° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Paradise Rx

    36 mi from the campground · 400 acres

  • Wildfire
    East Fork

    40 mi from the campground · 266 acres · 5% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.6 mi
    Federal Gulch ↗
    10.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.1 mi
    Timber Draw
    3.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.8 mi
    Porcupine ↗
    7.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 1.9 mi
    Fisher Creek ↗
    5.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
  • 2.6 mi
    Johnstone Creek ↗
    5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.6 mi
    Hyndman-North Fork
    4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Sawtooth National Forest.

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

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

How much does it cost to camp at Sawmill Campground?

Non-fee campground.

Source: Forest Service

Is Sawmill Campground open right now?

Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season May 1 annually, weather and road conditions permitting.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Sawmill Campground?

Sawmill Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

Are there accessible sites at Sawmill Campground?

Individual campsites are not considered ADA-accessible. The single-unit SST vault toilet is ADA-accessible.

Source: Forest Service

Is Sawmill Campground good for stargazing?

Sun Valley Resort, a certified International Dark Sky Park, is 9.7 miles away. Skies that dark carry for miles; a moonless night here should show the Milky Way.

Source: DarkSky International

What if Sawmill Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Federal Gulch Campground and Trailhead (0.5 mi, first-come), Boundary (8.9 mi, first-come), and Wildhorse Campground (11.4 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby