USFSSawtooth National Forest · Idaho
Independence Lakes Campground
Independence Lake Campground and Picnic Area is a non-fee campground and picnic area where reservations are not required.
Sites0all reservable
Elev.7,789ft
Comf.Jun-Sep4 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Idaho Falls3h22real 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 7,789 ft, Independence Lakes Campground has a 4-month comfortable window (Jun-Sep). Winter nights average around 13°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. Within about 4 miles: 3 peaks.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
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
Jun-Sep
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
88%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Jun 21
Last spring frost; first fall frost Sep 24.
55°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Idaho Falls
156 mi
3h22
02
Boise
190 mi
3h54
03
Coeur d'Alene
631 mi
11h06
By drive time
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Trail segments
4
Peaks
3
Water & Access
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.