Idaho / Kootenai County / Idaho Panhandle National Forests

Beauty Creek Campground

Closed — Closed for the season. Opens one week before Memorial Day weekend and closes the last Monday in September at noon.

About

Beauty Creek Campground sits in a sparsely wooded valley along Beauty Creek in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, between the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Bitterroot Mountains to the east. Located just half a mile from Lake Coeur d'Alene at an elevation of 2,100 feet, the campground is surrounded by heavily wooded hillsides that create a scenic, sheltered setting. The campground features approximately 20 spacious campsites suitable for both tent and RV camping, including single sites, double sites, and a group site with pavilion. Paved parking aprons provide stable parking, though the access road has potholes requiring caution. Four vault toilets, hand-pumped drinking water, and a dumpster serve campers. Bears frequent the area, so all food must be stored in approved containers. Recreation opportunities are exceptional. The Caribou Ridge National Recreation Trail begins at the campground entrance, offering a moderate 5-mile climb with two outstanding overlooks of Lake Coeur d'Alene. Additional trails include the 1.8-mile Beauty Creek Overlook and 4.9-mile Mt. Coeur d'Alene Viewpoint. The nearby Mineral Ridge Boat Launch, less than a mile away, provides access to Lake Coeur d'Alene for boating, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Anglers can pursue northern pike, chinook salmon, and bass. Beauty Creek itself is intermittent and typically dry during summer months.

Directions

From Coeur d'Alene, go east on I-90 to exit 22, then turn south on ID-97. Drive 2.5 miles to Forest Road 438 and turn left. Go one mile and look for signs.

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