Farragut State Park

Stayed two nights in the Whitetail section of Farragut state park. The park hosts were helpful and very friendly. The sites were clean and well maintained. The bathrooms/​showers were clean and had sufficient warm water and electrical outlets. There was a playground and outdoor theatre plus miles of hiking trails and disc golf! We used this site for tent camping while spending time at Silverwood Theme park; this was a great choice — relaxing and enjoying the evenings in a beautiful park!

Absolute love. The check in process was easy for me, a solo camper that just wanted a site. I scoped out the park before committing and loved it. The view was intense, the lake amazing and clear. The staff were super helpful. Saw deer and heard wolves howling. Was so happy here, can’t wait to come back. Stayed in Whitetail site 51 and it was a great tent site close to the water and shower/​toilet. Would totally recommend!

I stayed in the Wild Rose cabin at Farragut State Park with my spouse and two kids for four nights during the second half of June. I reserved the cabin nine months earlier, as this park has a nine-​month reservation window. We chose Farragut State Park because of its close proximity (about a 15-​minute drive) to Silverwood Theme Park, which was the purpose of our visit to northern Idaho. We also chose Farragut based on the fact that we could stay in a cabin. We enjoy camping, but don’t have a camper, and don’t love doing the tent thing. I can’t remember the exact price for the cabin, but after fees and taxes, we paid less than $ 70/​night.
As a point of comparison, our camping experiences have been with both Oregon and Washington State Parks. We have had more positive experiences with Oregon State Parks than we have had with Washington State Parks.
First of all, let me say that Farragut State Park is HUGE. Situated on Lake Pend-​Oreille, the deepest lake in the Pacific Northwest, Farragut used to be a naval training station. The seven cabins in the park are situated at the far east end of the park, looking out over the lake. The cabin area is very quiet and peaceful, with only some day-​use picnic areas nearby. The areas for tent and RV-​camping are located in other parts of the park.
The cabins are amazing, and appear modern and well-​maintained. They have huge, partly-​covered decks looking out toward the lake. A wooden swing is on the porch for guests to enjoy. A metal picnic table and fire pit are just off the deck. The ground in the campsite is covered with gravel. The interior is rather small, but sleeps five people with a bunk bed (full bed on bottom, twin on top) and futon that will sleep two. There is a table with benches inside that could seat four people. There are a couple of electrical outlets, three separate lights, air conditioning, and heat (hard to imagine needing that right now!). We were unable to get any service for our mobile phones in the cabin area, although had no problem at the check-​in station/​visitors’ center.
Farragut State Park has an extensive system of trails. As a long-​distance runner, I enjoyed creating an adventure for myself. The park also has a museum to showcase some of the park’s history, a disc golf course, junior ranger and interpretive programs, boat launch, and swimming area. We saw a couple of deer, bald eagles, and lots of very bold chipmunks. The visitors’ center has firewood ($ 6 for a big bundle) and ice ($ 3/​bag) for sale.
So why the 4-​star review? Everything was perfect, except… the bathroom situation. Each of the camping areas in the park have pit toilets (also known as vault toilets, I believe). In fact, the only flushing toilets in the park, that we could find, appear to be at the visitors’ center, in the Museum at the Brig, and at the swimming area. Pit toilets are horrible. A couple members of my family won’t use them for certain toilet, erm, «activities.» I am surprised that such a nice park doesn’t have more flushing toilets!
The shower situation is another problem. The park is advertised as having showers. Well, the only showers in the park are open showers (no stalls) in the bathrooms with the flush toilets at the swimming area. In other words, you can’t take a private shower anywhere in the park. I think that those showers are intended for people to rinse off after swimming in the lake — not for daily cleansing showers. I need to take a shower every day.
A couple of other «cons»: no dumpster in the cabin area (so you have to haul your trash to dumpsters in other parts of the park); no recycling receptacles for anything but aluminum cans; having to make reservations over the phone, rather than having the option to do it online.
Other than those issues, we loved Farragut State Park, and will probably come back next time we go to Silverwood Theme Park.

Spent 5 days in a travel trailer. Had a reservation, so walked in, told them my site number, and checked in within 5 minutes. Site was nice, saw tons of deer. The areas north of the highway are amazing — tons of walking trails, did some biking, hiking, drove up north of Bayview — lots of kids in the park, very safe for my 7 year old to ride all over by himself. The place is huge! The museum on the history of the place was very cool, and the staff was very informative. Overall, we’d go back for more.

A huge park but management apparently has an ego problem! I’ve stayed in state campgrounds all over the country but Idaho is the only place where you go into the office, wait in line for 20 minutes and then are told what number you will be put in and given no choice in the matter, including the option to look before paying. We were given no choice, take what they offered or move on!
We were also told that if we wanted to drive our yow car, we would be charged an additional $ 5, even though it took no additional space in our allotted site.
Since we arrived on a Tuesday night, I correctly assumed that many spaces would be open all night. The assigned space was so vastly un-​level that even with auto levelers and 4″ blocks under the wheels we were still uneven. I could understand it if we were on a hillside but this is a flat open area. They almost had to try to make it so tilted.
I’m giving them two stars only because the surrounding countryside is beautiful and we were able to see both deer and elk nearby.

THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. The lake is gorgeous but cold. There were a lot of hiking trails, disc golf, and an awesome museum! I didnt know that the State Park used to be a Naval training ground in the 40’s. Very neat story and scenery, Still some remnants like concrete bunkers etc.
This campground is spread out like no other I have ever seen. You have to drive to showers and the loops are not close to each other like most state parks I have seen. We stayed in a cabin which was fairly private. The beds were ridiculously uncomfortable for 70 a night. I would suggest bringing a blow up bed if you stay in the cabins. They did offer air conditioning in the cabins although it worked 50 percent of the time.
CONS: Check in — took 20 minutes standing in line. When it was my turn I stepped up to the counter and the lady said «im closed and walked off» leaving me to wait for the last remaining worker. I HATE THIS LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE. It amazes me that people do this. Where I work we have to help out until we are no longer needed.
They need to have two lines — one for checking in and one for purchases. Later in teh night I had to stand in line for another 20 minutes to purchase ice and campfire wood.
When we went to check out and drop off keys we had to wait in line in the car at the gate. The attendant spoke to someone in a camper in front of us for a good 10 minutes. My son got out of the car and tried to give her the key so we could go but she refused and we sat and waited another 5 minutes while they chatted.
I then went into the check in center and had to wait AGAIN to turn the key in.
They need to streamline this process and provide a place to drop the key off near the cabins or at least allow a through lane to the check in center.
All told we would go back but I dont know about paying 70 for the small cabin, for 15 more we could stay in a nice hotel with a shower. I guess it all depends on what you are in the mood for. We did love the stars at night and beautiful scenery and solitude after busy days at Silverwood.

Farragut is a wonderful beautiful park with open areas and a diverse forrest with pine, firs, and cedars. It is a mountain bikers dream come true, and there are miles horse friendly trails as well as hiking trails. The campgrounds are really nice and well managed too, and the park sits on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille, so there’s swimming and boating in crystal clear water.
THE PROBLEM is that the park management along with the state Forrest service and the bureau of land management is LOGGING THE PARK for timber. The logging is NOT SELECTIVE, it is being done in large destructive swaths through the park, leaving foot high stumps and refuse behind. According to the park manager Mr. Randall Butts, every trail in the park will be logged on each side, and logging along the shoreline is planned as well. The park will look like a groomed subdivision and not a natural forrest. Why people have to mess with perfection is beyond my understanding. The damage to the fragile ecosystem is a tremendous tragedy. It will take years to recover, and the large trees being taken are not replaceable. So sad.

Rolled into the park the day before Labor Day Weekend madness. There were plenty of tent campsites available and we scored a nice private one. I’m an Idahoan but this was my first time at Idaho’s largest state park. It is huge! Very beautiful woodsy environs near Lake Pend Oreille. I’m glad we missed the weekend madness.

Great Camping spots with beautiful scenery as a backdrop. Apparently the lake is one of the deepest on Earth! I shudder to thing what’s lurking at the bottom… Anyway, if you want to go on night hikes, I’d think again – its too knotty. Night hikes in general are difficult and probably dangerous. The one thing I wish I knew before going was the amount of Deer and large Deer-​like creatures trying to make you hit them with your veichle! The were EVERYWHERE and it was really scary. You are welcome.