Missoula MT to Stanley ID

[siguccs]

I will be traveling from Missoula MT to Stanley ID in mid September with the goal of camping in Glacier View NF campground. Since Glacier doesn't take reservations at that time of year, I want to arrive early in the day. Normally, I stay at Walmarts close to my destination when I want to arrive early the next day. But there are no Walmarts (on ID 93/75). I see a private campground, but I'd rather not pay for services I don't need for one night.

I'm looking for close to the highway, easy access, and low price within 1 - 3 hours of Stanley ID. I have a 36 foot motorhome.

Suggestions would be appreciated!

[Murphsmom]

Definitely 93 from Missoula to Stanley! In addition to the campgrounds around Salmon, there are any number of places to stay along the river north of Challis. Check out the Cottonwood Recreation area. It's a nice campground on the river with paved sites. Missoula to Challis is exactly 200 miles, but there are a lot of things and places to check out along the way. The road is definitely winding, but it's a beautiful drive. We lived in Challis for 20 years and still have a cabin in Stanley.

[ReneeG]

I agree that there are a lot of areas to spend the night along that route. In fact, we spent the night in the parking lot of a grocery store in Salmon years back. But, here are a couple of ideas - Free dispersed camping near Challis and Cottonwood Rec Site fee site

[J_herb]

2gypsies wrote:
Definitely take 93/75 from Missoula to Stanley. It's an absolutely beautiful drive following the river all the way. There's no reason to get on the interstate and it would be way out of your way.

There are many national forest campgrounds or just pull-overs along the whole route. You won't find it difficult to find a place for a night (but I bet you'll stay longer). 🙂 They are all along the highway.

Have a great trip. The Stanley area is one of our very favorite places, especially so if you enjoy trout fishing!

what 2 gypsies said! we did this last Sept. and really enjoyed it.
93 to 75 is the way to go and if you have some extra time you should take in the Big Hole National Battlefield just east of 93 on 43 a few miles.
When you get to Lost Trail Pass on 93 go East on 43, their is two FSGC
on the way to the Battlefield and you maybe able to find a site big enough for you.
Back on 93 their is a BLM CG just north of Salmon Id. off the Fairground RD, it's about two miles up a good gravel Rd.(stay to the right) and you will have no problem with your MH,
we camped there for two days and their was a 34'MH next to us.
In Salmon Id. a must see the Sacajawea Center.

[2gypsies1]

Definitely take 93/75 from Missoula to Stanley. It's an absolutely beautiful drive following the river all the way. There's no reason to get on the interstate and it would be way out of your way.

There are many national forest campgrounds or just pull-overs along the whole route. You won't find it difficult to find a place for a night (but I bet you'll stay longer). 🙂 They are all along the highway.

Have a great trip. The Stanley area is one of our very favorite places, especially so if you enjoy trout fishing!

[j3ff9ack]

Depends on your route - if you are traveling south on US 93 (recommended) then there are numerous Forest Service and BLM campgrounds between the Idaho-Montana border and Challis that put you 2-3 hours out from Stanley.

If you take I-90 to I-15 South and then take US 20 from Idaho Falls to US 93 North to Challis, the choices are more limited. There is a nice BLM campground just north of Mackay at the reservoir that is about 2 hours from Stanley..

[agesilaus]

There's an Indian Reservation Casino CG just north of Pocatello off I-15. You'll have to check rvparkreviews for the details. It was cheap (not that cheap it's $27) but I don't recall how much. Once you start heading across the lava beds there really isn't much of anything except the occasional farm. The center of that area is the National Reactor Test site and you can't camp there.

Craters of the Moon has a CG ($7) but you'd have to divert south from Arco to get there.

I know there is a Walmart in Pocatello we went shopping there.