Dispersed camping · Idaho
What the Salmon-Challis National Forest actually allows for dispersed camping — how far off a road you may drive, which roads that applies to, and the closure orders that override it. Every figure below is sourced; the primary documents are linked at the bottom.
| Rule | This forest | |
|---|---|---|
| How far off the road you may drive | 300 ft | from the road centerline |
| Where that applies | Along any designated open road | |
| Distance to keep from water | — | unverified |
| Stay limit | 14 days | per the forest order |
The corridor applies to the whole designated road system, minus the exceptions the MVUM prints. This is the most permissive pattern.
Blanket rule on 2026 MVUMs (Salmon-Cobalt and North Fork sheets read directly): motor vehicle use off designated roads for dispersed camping permitted up to 300 ft from road centerline; also up to 300 ft off trails open to ALL vehicles, and up to 100 ft off trails open to vehicles 50 inches or less and motorcycle trails. Corroborated by the forest camping page: 'You may camp outside of developed campgrounds in most areas on the Salmon-Challis National Forest, up to 300 feet from an open road, at no charge.'
Not used — no 'Special Designation' road symbol class found in the two district MVUM legends read or in EDW MVUM data for this forest.
Order 04-13-23-008 Salmon River Road (eff. 2023-03-30 to 2028-03-30): along NFSR 030 (Hwy 93 junction to Corn Creek boat launch) camping/camping equipment on the roadway prohibited except in turnouts that do not impede travel. Order 04-13-23-005: no camping within 500 ft of Gold Bug Hot Springs. 14-day order excludes the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness (forest page states a 14-day limit applies inside the wilderness as well).
Stay-limit order 04-13-23-009 (signed May 2023): 14 days per 30 consecutive days within a 5-mile radius, plus a no-return-within-30-days clause for that radius. Unusually generous trail corridor: 300 ft off trails open to all vehicles (most forests allow at most 100 ft off trails). No general water-setback order found ('no rule found'); the only water-adjacent ban found is the site-specific Gold Bug Hot Springs 500-ft order. Two of five district MVUM legends read (identical language, 2026 editions).
Open the map with scored campsites in Idaho
Confidence in this summary: high. Forest orders change mid-season and districts differ — this is a research summary, not legal advice. Check the sources above before you drive out.