Shafer Butte Campground & Picnic Areas

Google gave me the wrong directions. Instead of taking the sharp right up to the ski lodge, instead stay straight on the dirt road. You’ll go 2.7 miles and make a right, followed by another dirt road for 1.5 miles right to the campsite. It’s $10 or $5 a night if you have your annual parks pass. Plenty of level campsites with picnic tables and fire pits. Also has a bathroom. There is a cold spring coming out of a pipe just behind campsite #8. I just used it to rinse off the dust and it was glorious. I assume it’s probably safe to drink if filtered. Beautiful mountain!

Very nice and clean. Extremely beautiful view of the valley on both sides. Restroom could use a little bit of attention and the visitor registration log needs some upkeep as well. 1 log sheet filled completely front and back with no room to write. No reference material regarding the area except 1 waterlogged sheet. Come on forest service.

Was a bit of a drive but well worth it. My wife and I were the only two up there on a Wednesday night. There was an over abundant amount of chipmunks to keep us company. We also saw a gopher and a mole. Beautiful sunset and sunrise. Definitely would go back.

The good: The scenery in the area is great, with a view point looking off to the Southeast with views of multiple mountain ranges. Vault toilet a short distance from the tent sites, next to the parking lot. Each tent site has a picnic table, tent pad, and fire pit with grill. You only have to walk a very short distance from the parking lot to the tent sites on rough pavement. If you are only visiting for a picnic or day hike, this is a lovely place and the Mores mountain trails are nice. With the improvements being made for summer use at Bogus, this could be a good base if you are looking to camp near mountain biking trails and a whole bunch of other activities. The bad: Camp host generator was running literally all night. Camp sites are packed super close, unnecessarily so, to be honest. Due to this, the inconsiderate teenagers at another site probably kept the rest of the campers up until I told them to shut the (_&# up at 3AM. The camp host probably couldn't hear the kids singing and shouting over the near constant roar of their generator. Host never checked on the camping area while we were there. Sites we reserved were not marked as such. Other sites are marked as reserved over a month from now. Toilet was filthy, and tp ran out. I don't exactly expect a vault toilet to be sparkling, but having no tp, the floor covered in mouse poop, human pee and other best-left-uninvestigated stuff left a lot of room for improvement. Probably a great place to camp if you are ready to party, or if you are literally the only people there.

Google and apple maps give you the wrong directions. When you get to the ski resort area just keep driving through the parking lot t looks like it ends and you have to turn at the inn but don't just keep going through the parking lot. alittle ways up you'll come to a road that is clearly marked as going to shafer butte. if there is no sign you are turning at the wrong place. This is a nice enough campground, its pretty with good views. Clean. There's one little walking path that is paved short and very scenic. The vault toilet was in good condition. But the sites are way too close together and most don't have foliage between them so there is just no privacy and even respectful sound level carries. Be prepared to walk your gear a short ways from the lot to your site. Rolling coolers or a wagon are really helpful. If you need space for more than one tent you are most likely going to need two sites. most of them have a tent pad and not much room for another tent without encroaching on other sites anyway.