This $8 Campground Near Boise Is Our Favorite Quick Getaway

I’ve gone back and forth about writing this article. Not because I don’t have anything good to say about this place. Actually, it’s exactly the opposite. I don’t really want everybody to know about it.

For probably the last 10 years, Montour Campground has been one of our favorite little places to disappear for a couple of days when we want to get out of the Treasure Valley without turning it into a major expedition.

And up until now, I’ve been perfectly happy keeping it our little secret. In fact, my wife begged me not to write this article.

But we spent a couple of nights there for my birthday last week, and I was reminded again why we love this place so much.

So… fine, I’ll tell you. Just don’t tell everybody else.

The Perfect Weekend Getaway from Boise

Sometimes I love a big Idaho camping trip. Pack everything. Load everything. Drive for hours. Get way up into the mountains where your phone becomes a very expensive camera.

But sometimes you only have a couple of days.

Especially now that school has started again and weekends suddenly become a lot more valuable. That’s why Montour is perfect.

Montour Campground sits inside the Montour Wildlife Management Area along the Payette River, between Emmett and Horseshoe Bend off Highway 52.

The Wildlife Management Area itself covers roughly 1,350 acres of river bottom, wetlands, ponds and Idaho countryside along the Payette River, yet you’re still close enough to home that you can decide to go for two nights without feeling like you need to prepare for a weeklong wilderness expedition.

That’s exactly what we did for my birthday. A couple of nights, just enough to feel like we got away.

Here’s Why I’ve Kept The Montour Campground a Secret

Montour Campground is tiny, there are only about campsites and they're just $8 a night.

Now, there are no RV hookups, so this isn’t one of those giant RV resorts with rows of campers packed together. There is potable water, two toilets, picnic tables, fire rings and an RV dump station.

The sites are first-come, first-served and in our experience, it has almost never been crowded.

In fact, this last birthday trip was probably one of the busiest we’ve ever seen it. Which, I’ll admit, made me question the wisdom of writing this article even more.

For us, that’s part of the appeal. It’s quiet, clean and well maintained. There are big trees and plenty of grass, and you can sit outside your camper and actually feel like you’ve gotten away from everything for a while.

But the campground itself is only part of why we love going there.

Can You Ride ATVs at Montour Wildlife Management Area?

This is probably my favorite part. The Montour Wildlife Management Area has established gravel roads that take you out through some absolutely beautiful Idaho country along the Payette River.

Idaho Fish and Game requires motorized vehicles to stay on established roads and trails in its Wildlife Management Areas, so make sure you pay attention to signs and seasonal closures.

We’ll hop on the four-wheeler and head out along the river. Go one direction and we can eventually make our way toward Emmett. We ride into town and stop at Banducci’s Tanning & Espresso for coffee or grab a burger at RoeAnn's.

That's another advantage to camping close to civilization. Inevitably, about 45 minutes after setting up camp, somebody realizes... Oops, we forgot something. No problem.

There’s an Albertsons and D&B Supply, among other places in Emmett. You’re close enough to grab whatever you forgot without sacrificing half your day.

We also like to go the other direction and head toward Horseshoe Bend. That’s another one of our favorite little adventures when we’re staying at Montour.

We’ll ride along the river, enjoy the scenery and there’s a pretty good chance we’re coming back with pie.

Volcanic Farms is right along Highway 55, and grabbing one of their pies has become a tradition when we go camping. Do you need an entire pie at the campground? Of course not, but is that going to stop us? Also, of course not.

That’s what I love about staying at Montour. You can spend most of the day surrounded by the river, trees, wildlife and Idaho scenery, but you’re never terribly far from a cup of coffee, a burger, groceries or pie.

Especially pie.

What Is There to Do Near Montour Campground?

The campground sits inside the Montour Wildlife Management Area, which Idaho Fish and Game manages for wildlife habitat and public recreation.

Camping, hiking, fishing, bird watching and hunting are all among the activities people use the area for. There are wetlands and ponds throughout the area, and the Payette River runs right alongside it.

That’s another reason I think Montour feels different from some campgrounds closer to town. You’re not simply parking your camper somewhere. You’re actually staying inside a wildlife area.

Escape From Boise, Without Using Up Your PTO

We didn’t need a week off, or an elaborate itinerary. We didn’t need to spend half a day getting there and another half a day getting home. We just went.

Two nights at Montour was enough to sit outside, slow down, ride the trails, spend time along the river and feel like we’d actually gotten away.

School has started, fall sports are coming and finding an entire week for an Idaho camping trip gets harder. But finding a Friday night and Saturday? That’s doable.

Know Before You Go: Montour Campground Details

Montour Campground is open from around the end of April through November 18, although campground amenities aren’t available after November 1.

The 16 campsites are first-come, first-serve and only cost $8 per night. Tent camping on the lawn is also available for $3 per night.

And no, you’re not getting electricity, sewer hookups, Wi-Fi and a swimming pool. But, there is potable water, toilets and an RV dump station. And at just $8 a night, it’s also one of the cheapest little camping getaways we’ve found this close to the Treasure Valley.