Name: Pettit Lake Campground
Pettit Lake Campground is on Pettit Lake, halfway between Redfish Lake and Alturas Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains. The campground is set in a sparse forest on the north side of the lake. The hills are open sagebrush, while to the west are the Sawtooth Mountains which provide a majestic backdrop to Pettit Lake. This is a great place for camping before and after your hike into the Sawtooths from the Tin Cup Trailhead. This campground has the traffic to the trailhead running right through it. The beach and boat ramp is across the lake a short drive away. The sites are a little close together for me, but for the right situation this is a nice little campground.
Campsites: The setting in the campground is wide open with little to no privacy. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring with grill. The road and driveways are gravel.
Host on Site: Yes, I did not meet them.
Water: There is a hand-pump equipped well at Tin Cup Trailhead behind Pettit Lake Campground.
Garbage Services: Yes.
Electricity Available: No.
Restroom: There are two vault style outhouses, one in the campground and another at the trailhead.
Handicap Accessible: The toilets are handicap accessible.
Firewood: Yes, $6.00 per bundle through the camp host.
Pets: Are allowed but on a leash only.
Picnic Area: Yes, there is a picnic area at the beach.
Recreation: Recreation at Pettit Lake Campground is varied. One can fish from a boat, bank, or canoe. There is hiking from Tin Cup Trailhead into the Sawtooth Mountains. There is also a horse trailhead just to the north of Pettit Lake Campground a couple hundred yards. There is the beach for sunbathing and swimming, and of course, photography is exceptional in this area.
Fishing: Yes, there is fishing in Pettit Lake. The sign stated the limit was 6 trout per day. Check the regulations for any changes.
Boating: Yes, but no personal watercraft allowed on Pettit Lake.
Swimming: Yes, swimming at the beach with no lifeguard.
Wildlife: Deer, elk, mountain goat, fox, wolves and bear all live here. The host at Smokey Bear Campground mentioned a pack of wolves cornered a dog in Alturas Lake Inlet Campground, but campers rescued it. Use caution with your dogs as wolves view them as competition. Take precautions with your food and garbage to avoid bear problems.
Additional Camping Opportunities: Check out our reviews for other nearby campgrounds; Alturas Lake Inlet Campground, Smokey Bear Campground, North Shore Campground and Redfish Lake Area Campgrounds. There are many places for primitive camping nearby. My favorite would be to the south along Alturas Lake Creek. On the north side of the road to Alturas Lake, there are dirt roads that lead down to the creek and some wonderful secluded sites.
Phone service: There is cell reception and a pay phone at Stanley. There is a pay phone at the store at Redfish Lakes central services and there is a pay phone at Sawtooth City.
Nearby Services: Stanley to the north or Sawtooth City to the south. Each offer supplies such as ice, food, gas, propane and pop.
RV Dumping Site: The nearest RV dumping station is at Redfish Lake's central services.
Location/Driving instructions: From Stanley, Idaho, take Hwy 75 south toward Sun Valley 18.0 miles. Turn right onto Forest Road 208. You will come to a branch in the road. Left leads to a boat ramp. Straight ahead leads to the beach and a right turn leads to the campground and trailhead. It is 1.6 miles from Hwy 75 to Pettit Lake Campground.
Coordinates: 43.984777,-114.869319
Elevation: 7015 Feet
Reviewed Date: July 2010
Fees And Reservations: I thought Pettit Lake Campground sites were reservable through recreation.gov, but they are not listed. It is a first come first serve facility. The daily fee is $24.00 for a double site, $12.00 for a single and another $5.00 for your extra vehicle. There is a lot of extra parking at the trailhead..
This information is accurate as of the date of the review.
