Josephus Lake Campground

Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), and camping is free. Josephus Lake Campground is a National Forest campground near Custer, Idaho.

First-come, first-served

National Forest · Custer, Idaho

National Forest
Managed by

Josephus Lake Campground sits inside Salmon-Challis National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits 0.7 miles outside the boundary of Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness; its permit and camping rules and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.

Getting a site

Managed by: National Forest
Reservations: None, first-come
Fee: Free

Source: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-30

Access and cell service

Elevation: 7,025 ft

44.5489, -115.1426 in Custer. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Open in Google Maps Directions

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Josephus Lake Campground?

No. Josephus Lake Campground is first-come, first-served: there is no reservation system, so arrive early to claim an open site.

How much does it cost to camp at Josephus Lake Campground?

Camping at Josephus Lake Campground is free.

Who manages Josephus Lake Campground?

Josephus Lake Campground is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Josephus Lake Campground

Hot springs nearby

swimholesmap.com · within 30 miles

The nearest hot spring to Josephus Lake Campground, in a straight line: Sunbeam Hot Springs (hot spring, 27 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.

Dagger Falls Campground Stanley · National Forest · First-come