White Sands Campground

About this campsite

2,100 foot elevation. 4 tent sites, 85 sites for tents or RVs, 2 group sites, and a playground on the Lochsa River. One campground loop is reserved for campers with horses and other stock. It has hitching rails, stock water, stock loading ramp and feeders. There is one trail outfitter at the campground. The campground is often visited by moose and other wildlife. The Lochsa River is popular in the spring for whitewater sports. There are a number of river accesses near the campground along US 12. Fishing for chinook salmon, steelhead, cutthroat and bull trout and mountain whitefish. Catch and release rules apply to some of these species; please check current regulations. Hiking or horseback riding on Boulder Creek Trail, Lochsa River Access Trail, Downriver Trail Scenic Overlook and Lochsa Park Trail. The Boulder Creek Trail leads to the Stanley Hot Springs, and most trails access the Bitterroot-Selway Wilderness.

Location

White Sands Campground•ID

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Common questions about White Sands Campground

Can you book White Sands Campground online?

We hold no online booking link for White Sands Campground, so it is not bookable through this page. For sites like this, turning up early in the day is the surest way to get a spot, particularly in peak season.

Where is White Sands Campground?

White Sands Campground sits in ID. The map on this page shows the exact spot, and the coordinates travel straight into your navigation app. Check road conditions before you set out if you are towing, since access tracks can change with the weather.

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POWELL CAMPGROUND

Overview Powell Campground provides direct access to the Lochsa Wild and Scenic River, one of Idaho's most scenic waterways. The Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness lies on the opposite side of the river. The campground is within walking distance of a small general store, fuel, lodging and a restaurant. The Powell Ranger Station is nearby as well, but all visitor services have moved to Lolo Pass Visitor Center. Recreation The Lochsa River provides visitors with opportunities for fishing and other water-related recreation. Cutthroat and rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and steelhead swim in the clear waters. The Lochsa is world-famous for its exciting whitewater rafting opportunities. A permit is not necessary to float the river, but technical expertise is a must. A variety of hiking and horseback riding trails are available in the wilderness area. The 1.5-mile Powell Complex Trail begins near the campground and leads west through cool, shady cedar and larch trees, making for a relaxing day trip. Hunting is also a popular activity in the rugged and primitive landscape. Highway 12, also known as the Lewis and Clark Highway, winds along the narrow river canyon through evergreen trees and past large rock outcroppings. Visitors enjoy the scenic drive and historic sites along the way. Facilities The campground offers single-family sites for tent and RV camping. The sites in loop A offer electrical hookups (15 amp, 30 amp, and 50 amp.) Parking surfaces are paved throughout the campground. Additional sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water (spigots are located in 5 sites throughout the campground and are not intended for hooking up to, the sites do not have water hookups) are provided throughout the campground. An accessible flush toilet is adjacent to the day use area. Firewood is not provided and it is often not available. Natural Features Lochsa is a Nez Perce word meaning "rough water." The 70-mile river and its tributaries have no dams and the flow is unregulated from its headwaters near the Powell Ranger Station in the Bitterroots, to Lowell, where it joins the Selway River to form the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River. The Lochsa is one of the world's best for continuous whitewater. The campground is situated in a dense forest in north-central Idaho at an elevation of 3,400 feet. It is across the river from the border of the 1.5-million acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Famed explorers Lewis and Clark passed through on their way to the Pacific Ocean in September of 1805. Elk, deer, moose, bear, cougar and mountain goats make the steep canyon country their home. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (208) 942-3113. Nearby Attractions A variety of services are available in the rustic resort area near the campground including a general store, lodging, food and fuel. Fishing licenses are also available for purchase. The nearest free dump station is 40 miles west on Highway 12, at the Wilderness Gateway Campground.

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Whitehouse Campground

Approximately an hour west of Lolo, MT at mile post 158.5 of the famous Northwest Passage Scenic Byway and All American Road (US Highway 12), directly across from the Lochsa Wild and Scenic River, rests the Whitehouse Campground. This riverside campground has 13 sites and due to its close proximity to the Lewis and Clark Trail, has much more to offer than just camping. It's an ideal location for fishing, hiking, back packing, nature viewing or as a place to stop and have a picnic while enjoying a scenic drive down highway 12. The Campground will accomodate 30-ft. RV's.