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The clear deep blue water of Lake Pend Oreille meeting a forested shoreline at Farragut State Park, mountains rising beyond the lake, bright summer day

State Park · Idaho

Farragut State Park

A 4,000-acre forest park on the deep, clear southern tip of Lake Pend Oreille, with a World War II naval-training history, big campgrounds, lake access, and a long trail and mountain-bike network.

A forested campsite among tall conifers in Farragut State Park, picnic table and tent pad in dappled sunlight, north Idaho woods

Field briefing

Farragut State Park starts with access, not mileage.

Before you go

Farragut is a lake-and-forest base camp built for a long weekend, not a quick stop.

Reserve a campsite for summer, plan your days around boating and swimming on Lake Pend Oreille, and save Bernard Peak for hikers who want a serious climb with a lake-country payoff.

Best window
June to September for camping, boating, and lake swimming
Signature routes
Lake Pend Oreille shoreline, Bernard Peak via the Scout Trail
Pack focus
Water, weather checks, layers

The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.

Location
Idaho
Best time
June to September for camping, boating, and lake swimming
Entrance
Idaho state park motor-vehicle entrance fee or annual pass required

When to go

Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.

Spring

Moderate crowds

Cool and green, with high lake levels and mud lingering on shaded trails.

Pack Layers, waterproof footwear, and a rain shell.

Summer

Peak crowds

Warm and bright, the prime camping, boating, and swimming window with busy weekends.

Pack Camp reservation, swim and water gear, and sun protection.

Fall

Moderate crowds

Crisp and quieter, with cool nights and strong forest color.

Pack Warm layer, headlamp, and footwear for cool, damp mornings.

Winter

Low crowds

Cold and snowy, with quiet groomed and ungroomed trails for skiing and snowshoeing.

Pack Insulation, traction, and a plan for limited seasonal services.

Top things to do

  • Lake Pend Oreille shoreline

    The park sits on the southern tip of Idaho's largest lake, a strikingly clear body of water over 1,100 feet deep, with boat launches, swimming, and fishing.

  • Bernard Peak via the Scout Trail

    The big-effort hike: climb from the park onto the Scout Trail toward Bernard Peak for a long look back across the lake. Treat it as a real mountain day, not a casual lakeshore stroll.

  • Multi-use trail network

    Miles of trail thread the forested park for hiking, mountain biking, and winter skiing, including connections out to the longer Bernard Peak loop.

How long to spend

Anchor the day around Lake Pend Oreille shoreline

Lock the boat, ferry, tide, or water access first, then fit the route list around that schedule. For one day in Farragut State Park, make Lake Pend Oreille shoreline the non-negotiable, add Bernard Peak via the Scout Trail only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Multi-use trail network as the flexible finish.

  1. 1Start with Lake Pend Oreille shoreline: The park sits on the southern tip of Idaho's largest lake, a strikingly clear body of water over 1,100 feet deep, with boat launches, swimming, and fishing.
  2. 2Add Bernard Peak via the Scout Trail: The big-effort hike: climb from the park onto the Scout Trail toward Bernard Peak for a long look back across the lake. Treat it as a real mountain day, not a casual.
  3. 3Use Multi-use trail network as the optional finish, not as a reason to rush the whole day.

Plan your trip

Turn Farragut's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.

A boat launch and swimming beach on Lake Pend Oreille with kayaks and clear water, families enjoying the lakeshore, summer afternoon

Build around access

Plan the transfer before the trail list.

Plan your trip

4 quick tools, already seeded for Farragut State Park. Tune the route, pack weight, weather margin, and overnight setup after the access plan is real.

  1. 01Size your water for a mild day on the trail
  2. 02Find the right daypack size for a day out
  3. 03Check you will sleep warm down to about 30F
  4. 04Estimate the stove fuel to pack for the trip

What to pack

Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.

Pack planning

Decide what Farragut State Park asks of your kit before you start checking boxes.

Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.

  • First constraintHydration and exposureWater, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, Navigationmap, downloaded GPS, or a GPS watch, 3 more
  • Route realityFooting and tractionHiking boots, Hiking socks, Trekking poles
  • Load choicePack and carry systemDaypack
  • If overnightSleep and shelterTent, Sleeping bag, Sleeping pad

Checklist mode

21 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.

  1. Dates and season are set.
  2. Primary route, campground, or lodge is chosen.
  3. Water, footwear, and overnight needs are sized.

Gear for Farragut

The buying guides that match what Farragut asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.

Where to stay

Camp inside the park, where multiple large campgrounds put you minutes from the lake and the trail network. Athol is the nearest small town, and Coeur d'Alene, about a half hour south, is the practical hotel, food, and resupply base.

Camping reservations

Camping reservations

Reserve Farragut early; its lakeside campgrounds fill on summer weekends.

Farragut runs several large campgrounds with a mix of standard and hookup sites, and Lake Pend Oreille is popular enough that summer trips need real reservation planning.

Reviewed June 11, 2026

Booking window

Idaho State Parks handles reservable campsites and facilities through its reservation system, with non-resident rates running higher than resident rates.

  • An Idaho motor-vehicle entrance fee or annual pass is required in addition to camping fees.
  • Non-resident camping fees are higher than Idaho-resident fees.
  • Summer holiday weekends should be treated as high-demand booking windows.

Where to book or verify

Reserve Farragut camping

Official Idaho State Parks reservation portal for Farragut campgrounds.

Farragut official page

Park profile with campgrounds, trails, lake access, and history.

Search Recreation.gov

Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.

Campgrounds to know

Whitetail and Snowberry campgrounds

Details
Booking
Reserve through the Idaho State Parks reservation system.
Sites
Standard and hookup campsites in forested loops near the lake and trails.
Best first check for most campers; the larger developed loops with the broadest site mix.

Group and specialty sites

Details
Booking
Check availability through Idaho State Parks.
Sites
Group camping areas and specialty facilities for larger parties.
Use when group logistics are the point of the trip.

Getting there and practical info

The clear deep blue water of Lake Pend Oreille meeting a forested shoreline at Farragut State Park, mountains rising beyond the lake, bright summer day

Make the transfer plan before the trail plan.

Weather windows, boat schedules, flight buffers, and backup days shape what is realistic.

Getting there

Get to Farragut State Park by solving the transfer first.

Access rhythm
Plan the last mile
Region
Idaho
  1. Arrival note

    Farragut is about five miles east of Athol in the Idaho Panhandle, roughly a half hour north of Coeur d'Alene and an hour from Spokane.

  2. Car strategy

    A car is required, and the park is big enough that you will drive between the campgrounds, the lake access points, and the trailheads.

Pair this with lodging: the best base is the one that protects the departure window, pickup point, or weather buffer.

Frequently asked questions

How deep is Lake Pend Oreille at Farragut State Park?

Very deep. Lake Pend Oreille is Idaho's largest lake, with depths exceeding 1,100 feet, which keeps the water strikingly clear and cold even in summer.

Do you need a reservation to camp at Farragut?

Reservations are recommended, especially in summer. Farragut's lakeside campgrounds are popular, and you book through the Idaho State Parks reservation system, with non-resident rates running higher.

Is the Bernard Peak hike hard?

Yes. Reaching Bernard Peak from the park involves a long, sustained climb on the Scout Trail and should be planned as a full strenuous day with plenty of water, not a casual lakeshore walk.

Keep planning