Alturas Lake Inlet

Alturas Lake Inlet Campground is located on the shores of scenic Alturas Lake at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountain Range. This site is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where outdoor activities abound. Alturas Lake offers excellent boating, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking and fishing for bull trout and Kokanee salmon. The 10-mile round trip Alpine Meadows Trail begins nearby, with spectacular canyon, meadow and alpine lake views, and is also a popular area for bird watching. This campground contains several family campsites, some of which have lake or creek views. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided, and roads and parking spurs are gravel. A day-use site is adjacent to the campground with a designated swim beach, and Smokey Bear Boat Ramp is less than 1/4-mile away. Alturas Creek runs through the campground, where summer wildflowers are plentiful and a mixed-growth conifer forest provides partial shade. Temperatures are cool, with an average summer high of 78 degrees and a low of 40 degrees. An estimated 750 miles of trails crisscross the valley and surrounding mountains. Perkins Lake is less than 2 miles away, with excellent fishing and canoeing, and Pettit and Yellowbelly Lakes are nearby, with more fishing, canoeing and hiking. The Salmon River offers fishing for rainbow trout, Westslope cutthroat trout and occasional hybrid cutbows and bull trout. Popular area events include an Arts and Crafts Fair in July, and Wagon Days, Salmon Festival, Quilt Fair and Fireman's Ball in September.