0
Pull-thru
USFSIdaho Panhandle National Forests · Idaho
Deer Ridge Lookout
Overview Deer Ridge Lookout, perched on a 40 foot timber frame, boasts excellent views of the Purcell mountain ranges of Northern Idaho, Canada and Montana.
Sites1all reservable
Elev.4,754ft
Comf.May-Sep5 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Coeur d'Alene2h50real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 4,754 ft, Deer Ridge Lookout has a 5-month comfortable window (May-Sep). Winter nights average around 16°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 1 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Within about 4 miles: 3 peaks, lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and quiet. Softest on shade.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
May-Sep
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
82%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
May 22
Last spring frost; first fall frost Sep 29.
52°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Coeur d'Alene
104 mi
2h50
02
Idaho Falls
531 mi
10h38
03
Boise
481 mi
11h00
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 7.9 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 1 SITES
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
1
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Peaks
3
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
7.9 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.