Idaho Camping Near Star: Lake Shortlist 🏕️

Eight lakes ranked by drive time from Star, Idaho — close options to the long shots worth the extra miles

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Close (2–2.5 hrs)

1. Warm Lake — Shoreline Campground

• ~2.5 hrs north via Cascade
• Right on Warm Lake, surrounded by pines
• Sites fit smaller rigs, 18ft is perfect
• Less crowded than the big lakes
• USFS campground, first-come-first-served + some reservable

2. Cascade Lake — Crown Point Campground

• ~2 hrs north on Hwy 55
• Beautiful lakeside sites in the trees
• State park, so reservable on idahostateparks.reserveamerica.com
• Boat ramp, fishing, the works

3. Deadwood Reservoir

• ~2.5 hrs northeast via Lowman
• Remote, less competition for sites
• Forested, stunning alpine lake
• USFS sites, most are FCFS

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Mid Range (3–3.5 hrs)

4. Redfish Lake — Glacier View & Outlet Campgrounds

• ~3.5 hrs northeast (Stanley area)
• Arguably the most beautiful lake in Idaho
• Surrounded by Sawtooths, tall pines
• Books up FAST — reservations open 6 months out on Recreation.gov
• 18ft fits fine at most sites

5. Alturas Lake

• ~3.5 hrs, just south of Redfish
• Quieter alternative, equally gorgeous
• Tall lodgepole pines, clear water
• USFS, reservable on Recreation.gov

6. Payette Lake — Ponderosa State Park (McCall)

• ~2.5 hrs north
• Peninsula campground surrounded by lake on 3 sides
• Big ponderosa pines, excellent facilities
• Reserve through Idaho State Parks

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Farther But Worth It (3.5–4 hrs)

7. Priest Lake

• ~4 hrs north
• Remote, pristine, old-growth cedars
• Indian Creek & Lionhead campgrounds are great
• Idaho State Park — reservable

8. Stanley Lake

• ~3.5 hrs, near Stanley
• Sawtooth views from camp, lakeside
• Less insane than Redfish for availability

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Booking Tips

• Recreation.gov — Federal/USFS campgrounds. Reservations open 6 months ahead. Set alerts.
• Idaho State Parks — parksandrecreation.idaho.gov — reserve up to 9 months out
• FCFS spots (Warm Lake, Deadwood) — arrive Thursday or early Friday for weekends
• Dispersed camping — Free, legal on most National Forest land. No amenities but no reservation stress. Tons of spots around Warm Lake, Stanley basin, and McCall areas. Just need to be self-contained.

The Picks

Warm Lake or Deadwood Reservoir if you want easy availability without fighting the reservation game. They're off the beaten path enough that you can usually grab a spot, and they check every box — lake, trees, fits your camper.

Redfish Lake if you want the "wow" factor and can plan ahead.