Group campsites at Priest Lake and Bear Lake available by lottery

BOISE, Idaho — To ensure fair and equal access to Idaho’s most sought-after group camping areas, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) is launching a lottery reservation system for the 2025 season. This system will be used for:

• Lionhead Group Camp – Priest Lake State Park
• Group Camps 100 & 101 – Bear Lake State Park

In recent years, demand for these large group sites has far exceeded availability, with sites booking out within minutes. The lottery approach offers all applicants an equal opportunity to secure a reservation, regardless of internet speed or timing.

Key Lottery Details

• Application Window: Opens March 31, 2025 | Closes April 15, 2025
• Stay Dates Covered: May 22, 2025 – September 2, 2025
• Application Fee: $25 (nonrefundable)
• Applicants can select both a primary and secondary date range
• Minimum stay is 2 nights; maximum is 7 nights
• If selected dates are partially available (minimum 2 nights), IDPR may offer adjusted dates
• Cancellations will be re-awarded to the next customer drawn in the lottery
• Selected customers must sign a reservation contract and pay for the full stay upon notification

The application window provides a couple of weeks for people to enter the lottery. The chances of being selected for a reservation are the same no matter when a person enters the lottery during the window. After the application period closes, lottery winners will be selected electronically through the new reservation system and will be notified soon after.

To apply for the group camp lottery, book other park reservations, and for customer support visit parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/reservations. Learn more about IDPR’s new reservation system by reading the January 2025 news release.

Media Contact
Robbie Johnson
Communications Manager
Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation
robbie.johnson@idpr.idaho.gov
208-631-7536