Idaho / Bonner County

Kalispell Island Boat-in Campground

Closed — Closed for the season. Typically operates Memorial Day through late October.

About

Kalispell Island Boat-in Campground sits on the largest of seven islands scattered throughout Priest Lake, a 25,000-acre lake in northern Idaho near the Canadian border. The 264-acre, tooth-shaped island hosts 52 campsites divided among 12 separate camping areas: West Shores, Peninsula, Schneider, Silver, Silver Cove, Selkirk, Three Pines, Cottonwood, Rocky Point, North Cove, Shady, and Kalispell Vista. Site 29, formerly known as Three Pines Group Site, accommodates groups of 10-30 people. This is a primitive, boat-access-only facility requiring careful planning. Eight locations have vault toilets, while four require campers to bring portable toilets (buckets available for checkout at Kalispell Bay Boat Launch). All sites include picnic tables and fire rings, but there is no drinking water. This is a pack-it-in, pack-it-out facility, so campers must remove all trash. The island offers excellent wildlife viewing and bird watching along the 2.5-mile loop trail that circles the island, providing phenomenal lake views. Priest Lake's clear, blue waters reach depths of 300 feet and offer fishing for record-breaking Mackinaw trout, Dolly Varden, Cutthroat, and Kokanee. Boaters can navigate a 3.5-mile thoroughfare north to Upper Priest Lake Scenic Area. Reservations operate on a 60/40 split between reservable and first-come, first-served sites.

Directions

Access by boat only. From Priest River, Idaho, travel north on State Highway 57 for 31 miles to Kalispell Bay Road. Turn right and continue to West Lakeshore Road. Head south 0.5 miles to Kalispell Bay Boat Launch. From the launch, boat to Kalispell Island campsites.

Nearby Campgrounds