About this campground
This 2.5 - 3 mile trail has been a community effort. Please respect the adjacent private property by staying on the trail and using non-motorized means to get to the river. For motorized recreationists, the old road from here up Blaze Canyon to the Windy Devil communication tower is a designated off-highway vehicle (OHV) trail. There is typically cell service at this site.
Getting there
Approximately 1 mile northwest of Mackay, Idaho along the Big Lost River. Turn west off of Hwy. 93 onto Main St. in Mackay. Continue south; Main Street turns into Smelter Road and crosses the Big Lost River (there is a signed IDF&G public river access on the southeast side of the bridge). Proceed approximately 1 mile, cross the cattleguard and turn right. Follow this road approximately 2 miles to the signed day use parking area for the Big Lost River Access Trail, located on the north side of the road.
Activities
- FISHING
- HIKING
- OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE
- PHOTOGRAPHY
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Lost River Ranger DistrictSalmon-Challis National Forest1 mi
- Joe T. Fallini Recreation SiteJoe T. Fallini Recreation Site4 mi
- LORISTICA GROUP CAMPGROUNDSalmon-Challis National Forest11 mi
- COPPER BASIN GUARD STATIONSalmon-Challis National Forest13 mi
- West Fork Upper Pahsimeroi TrailheadSalmon-Challis National Forest16 mi
- Garden Creek CampgroundBureau of Land Management22 mi
Explore more Idaho camping
Big Lost River Access Trail 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.