About this campground
A beautiful high mountain lake is the setting for this out of the way picnic area. Plenty of fishing in lake and streams. Good hiking and ATV trail access. Facilities include picnic tables and fire rings with cooking grills. Within the picnic area there are vault toilets. On Bayhorse Lake visitors will find a boat launch and two boat docks for use by non-motorized watercraft. This dirt road is narrow and steep and caution is advised. No drinking water is on site, and please pack out your trash.
Getting there
From Stanley: The Bayhorse Road (Forest road #051) takes off Highway 75, 19 miles downriver from the Yankee Fork Work Center Office. It passes the old Bayhorse mining town and continues upward and onward to Big and Little Bayhorse Lakes. This dirt road is narrow and steep. From Challis: approximately six miles east on Highway 75, turn right onto Forest Road #051 (at sign), and continue upward and onward 7 miles to Big Bayhorse Lake. This dirt road is narrow and steep.
Activities
- PICNICKING
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Buster Lake TrailheadSalmon-Challis National Forest2 mi
- Squaw Creek TrailheadSalmon-Challis National Forest5 mi
- Bayhorse Recreation SiteSalmon River7 mi
- Eleven Mile TrailheadSalmon-Challis National Forest10 mi
- Challis-Yankee Fork Ranger DistrictSalmon-Challis National Forest11 mi
- Custer #1 CampgroundSalmon-Challis National Forest13 mi
Explore more Idaho camping
Big Bayhorse Day Use Site doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Idaho campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.
Browse Idaho camping →Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.