By Hayden Seder
Memorial Day is fast approaching, which, for many, means camping. But with weather conditions being what they are—wet, and in some cases, snowy—the U.S. Forest Service is promoting its “Know Before You Go” program to encourage safe camping behaviors and awareness of other safety tips.
Many facilities will be open in the Sawtooth National Forest over Memorial Day, although many roads and trails will still be closed at higher elevations due to lingering snowpack. Spring weather has meant sporadic rain and snow, so forest visitors are asked to avoid driving or riding on muddy roads and trails to avoid damaging the running surface.
The bottom-line message from authorities: Check with your local Forest Service office for current road and trail conditions if you are unsure.
“This Memorial Day weekend is going to be wet, cold and muddy,” said Julie Thomas, public affairs officer for the Sawtooth National Forest. “We still have snow in most of the campgrounds at the higher elevations.”
Visitors can stop by any Forest Service office to pick up the new Motor Vehicle Use Map or download it at fs.usda.gov. Many campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but some campsites can also be reserved in advance online at recreation.gov or by phone at (877) 444-6777.
Other Tips
Make sure to put your campfire out when leaving your campsite for the day or the weekend. Many lower-elevation camping spots are dry, so it’s important that campfires are dead out before leaving the site.
Campers are also encouraged to bring their own drinking water and to be prepared to haul their trash back home; sites may not be full-service and have trash facilities.
“Remember to take your own water just in case the hydrants have not been turned on and please always remember to bring your trash back home,” Thomas said.
Some Predictions
Concerns for flooding over the weekend are minimal. Taan Robrahn, fire chief for the City of Sun Valley, has not seen or expects any substantial flooding for the area. Diane Shay, community development director for the City of Bellevue, does not anticipate any flooding for the Bellevue area, despite the amount of recent rain.
“If we get eight feet of snow up high at Galena and it all comes off at once, we’ll see another pulse,” Shay said.
Brian Yeager, public works director for the City of Hailey, also has no concerns for flooding in the Hailey area.
“Current predictions through May 27 show [river] heights less than five feet but trending upward at the limits of the forecast,” Yeager said. “I don’t have any additional flow concerns within the current prediction timeframe but it seems likely we will exceed five feet by the end of next week,” Yeager said.
What follows is a list of camping areas and the latest camping conditions of each.
Ketchum Ranger District
- Boundary Campground will be open with full service
- Fees will be charged ($10/night single unit)
- The District will enforce dog leash and dog waste pickup regulations at Boundary Campground, Adams Gulch and Trail Creek Trailhead.
- Current trail conditions for the Ketchum Ranger District can be found at trails.bcrd.org. Ketchum Ranger District can be contacted at: (208) 622-0091.
Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Campgrounds will be opened, if possible. There is still snow covering campgrounds, and roads are wet and muddy.
Wood River Valley
- Murdock
- Caribou (currently flooded; weather permitting)
- Wood River (weather permitting)
- Easley (some sites are flooded due to high water)
- North Fork (some sites may be flooded)
Alturas Lake Complex (weather permitting)
- Pettit
- Smokey Bear Campground
- Alturas Inlet
- North Shore
- Tent Sites
Redfish Lake Complex
All Redfish campgrounds will be open except Redfish Inlet
Salmon River Campgrounds east of Stanley
- Salmon River
- Casino Creek
- Riverside (hill side only)
- Mormon Bend
- Upper and Lower O’Brien
- Whiskey Flats will be open June 15
- Holman will be open June 15
Stanley Lake
- Stanley Lake
- Stanley Lake Inlet (day use only)
Highway 21 west of Stanley
- Sheep Trail
- Trap Creek
- Elk Creek will be open for walk-in only; reservations start July 1
- Grandjean
- Iron Creek (weather permitting)
Current conditions for the Sawtooth National Recreation Area can be obtained at (208) 727-5013. Dump stations will not be opened until after Memorial Day due to freezing temperatures.
