We stayed at Clark Fork Drift Yard Idaho in early August.
Our Previous Stop: Amazing Views & Free Camping Near Glacier National Park
Our Next Stop: Montana
Video Review
Campground Info
Location: 48.173685, -116.231830
Cost: Free
Camping Limit: 3 Day
Amenities: Porta Potty, Boat Dock
Limited Use: This area is closed every year from April 1 to May 15.
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Essentials Nearby
Town: Clark Fork, ID – 4 miles
Gas Station: Chevron – 4 miles (Also Refill Propane)
Dump Station & Potable Water: Sam Owen Campground – 5 miles ($8 Credit Card Only, Free Potable Water)
Grocery Store: Monarch Market – 4 miles
Cell Phone Service
Verizon – Great
AT&T – Good
Nearby Attractions
Lake Pend Oreille – 0 miles
Scotchman Peak Hike – 10 miles
Coeur d’Alene Bike Trail – 69 miles
Glacier National Park – 193 miles
Missoula, MT – 165 miles
Canada – 73 miles
Camping At The Clark Fork Drift Yard In Idaho
The first thing you need to know about camping at the drift yard near Clark Fork, ID is there is really only one sort of established campsite.
The rest of the camping in the parking lot, along the circle road that leads to the one campsite, or you can camp in the small area before the parking lot.
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In this drone shot, you can see the main campsite in the top left corner on the edge of the circle.
Some were camping in it when we got there, so we parked along the edge of that same circle.
It ended up being a great place to camp. We didn’t have much outdoor space, which was fine since we could only stay there for 3 days.
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To the right, you see another smaller circle where people were also camping.
This is also a good spot for a nice campsite as well, although that spot had a few cars pulling into it late at night.
Otherwise, people camped along the edges of the parking lot, which is for the boat ramp.
The main problem with the good campsite in the corner is it’s by a river opening where you can fish or launch small boats.
It’s also by the entrance to a grassy area where some people were tent camping, so there was a lot of traffic and people parking around that area.
Some people even parked right next to the guy camping in that spot to spend the night.
If you don’t like neighbors or people parking next to your campsite, it may not be the best place to go.
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Near the boat ramp was a porta-potty.
There was a small fire pit in the area to the right where the van is parked in this picture.
If you camp there expect people to walk past your site often to get to some of the good fishing spots along that part of the lake/river.
Because you are camping in either a parking lot or a road, the sites are pretty level and big rig friendly.
There are some railroad tracks not too far away and a train does go by almost every hour during the day and once or twice at night.
The larger trains can be pretty loud, but they weren’t too bad for the most part.
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Our Camping Review Of The Clark Fork Drift Yard Free Camping Area
Even though it’s a small area and there’s not really any official or private campsites, it’s still a great place to camp for free right on Lake Pend Oreille.
There aren’t any other free campgrounds on the east side of the lake and sometimes you can’t be too picky when searching for free places to stay.
There were a lot of trucks with boats driving in and out of the main parking area, but the loop we parked in had minimal traffic, and it was quiet at night.
Except for when the train went by, but it wasn’t so loud that we woke up from it every night.
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The water near the dock/boat ramp is clean and nice to swim in. The fishing from shore wasn’t so great in August but it’s supposed to be really good in the spring and fall.
The drift yard is fun to explore, and it’s a pretty unique area. It was built to collect all the driftwood floating down the Clark Fork River to stop it from going into the lake since it’s a danger to boaters.
There are huge masses of old driftwood floating in the water near the shore. If you are a driftwood collector, there may be some treasures to find.
The combination of the mountains, the tall grass, and the lake makes for beautiful sunsets.
It’s a place I recommended to campers who are traveling through and want to spend a few days exploring Lake Pend Oreille or hike to Scotchmans Peak.
The Scotchmans Peak hike is fantastic, but it’s long and steep, going up and coming down.
I don’t recommend it for children or people with knee issues who struggle with downhill hikes.
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If you head into the Clark Drift Yard expecting to camp in a parking lot with beautiful surroundings, you won’t be disappointed.
If you are looking for a good campground with private campsites, you won’t find that there.
Have questions about camping at Clark Fork Drift Yard in Idaho? Leave a comment below.
Loved your review and pictures! Going to check out your website next.
Thank you, Debbie! Glad you found us!
This place is great. I saw a panther at night while letting the dog pee. Flash lights and a pistol might be a good thing.
In Sept. 2020 there is a week long party out there put on by locals. New wave music.
All of the flat property is camp able. There are no designated spots. All pretty much water view.
Primitive camping with grocery stores four mikes away.