After almost a year of renovation, the Green Bay Campground is set to reopen.
Sandpoint Ranger District officials said sites at the popular campground will open for reservations starting at 7 a.m. Friday, July 25. The first reservations will begin Aug. 1, and the last reservation set for Sept. 27.
Until then, all sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The campground closed last year for renovation, and its reopening this year has been delayed, Sandpoint Ranger District officials said.
As part of the complete renovation, five campsites were added to the campground, with 17 now available. Also added were a campground host site, more vault toilets and expanded parking. Road improvements were also made.
This year, the campsites will be 100 per cent reservable in advance.
The Idaho Panhandle National Forests closed the Green Bay Campground in mid-April 2024 for the season to give contractors time to give the popular lakefront campground a complete renovation. Segments of several adjacent roads — Forest Service Roads 2672, 2672A and 2672B — were also closed to ensure the safety of recreationists and construction crews during the work.
Located about 17 miles southeast of Sandpoint and nestled among the forested bluffs overlooking Lake Pend Oreille, the campground offers stunning scenery and numerous recreation opportunities, including camping, swimming, kayaking, boating, hiking and mountain biking. Due to its proximity to Garfield Bay and local communities, use of the campground and its amenities has grown substantially over the years, District officials said.
The project was funded through the Great American Outdoors Act. Enacted into law Aug. 4, 2020, the act provides opportunities for the USDA Forest Service to invest in projects involving infrastructure, recreation facilities, public lands access, and land and water conservation.
Reservations can be made at recreation.gov. Campsites will cost $15 per night plus an administrative booking fee from the website.
