Winchester Lake State Park

D Dias

2023-09

These pictures are from Winchester State Park. It is a nice little park. There are yurts and campsites available for use. All the roads are paved and there is plenty of parking in the day use area. A lot of the campsites are flat. The visitor center has loan backpacks for day use. Overall I was impressedRestrooms: Clean and nice restroom 🚻Picnic area: Plenty of picnic tables in shaded areas near the lake..

Linda G (Lineka)

2023-05

We camped in our small Class A first few weeks in June: weather is very iffy, there was a LOT of rain & thunderstorms, once school lets out there are large groups of families, kids and dogs, so don’t expect peaceful camping. The quiet hours are observed though. The sites are not level and there is no sewer or dump within the park, but there is a sewer dump a few miles into the town of Winchester.Having said all that, the park is well maintained, they have very nice and helpful volunteers and rangers, several nice hiking trails, fishing and non-motorized boating, picnic table, fire ring, clean showers and bathroom facilities. It really is a beautiful state park and generally quiet.

Chris Cordodor

2022-05

Great campground. Clean sites. Lots of mature trees. Excellent shower facility. Yurts are a neat option for groups with individuals who don't have a tent/RV. Yurt renters have access to canoe and propane grill.Man-made lake shallow and green with algae. Not great for swimming.Nice hiking/biking trails around the lake and through the forest with educational signage. Amphitheater is nice and operates on Saturday nights.Companion sites too small to fit 2 trailers comfortably. Certainly not with tow vehicles.If you have a visitor arriving after hours be sure to bring exact change in cash to pay for parking or you will get a ticket from an ambitious and unforgiving park ranger.

TJ Wilson

2021-05

We stayed at the Ponderosa yurt. It is amazing. The yurt was great since the weather turned almost freezing and they have heaters installed. The fishing was fantastic. Limited out on trout most days. Also caught several small perch, a bunch of really fat blue gills, and a single white crappie. Saw lots of beautiful wild flowers. Hiked several trails. The yurt came with access to a canoe so we spent some time in the water during the good weather. Also a great place for birders, as we saw several varieties. The area is gorgeous and so serene. A must visit location in the great big beautiful outdoors of northern Idaho.

Todd Holcomb

2019-05

Haven't stayed here yet, but we love to play at the playground and hike around this lake. The Clearwater Trekkers have gone snowshoeing here, and the kids love it. Great place for ice fishing in the winter, snowshoeing, hiking, fishing, canoeing, and just generally hanging out.

Morgan Saul

2022-05

Went to Ponderosa side, only $7 to get in. Well kept, clean park with a dock for swimming/fishing. Family had a blast will definitely return. Went on a Thursday and only two other cars were there. Has a nice little park with two swings, a small rock wall, and a couple slides.

Brian Molthen

2023-08

Loved the yurts. Showers and flush toilets were nice. Enjoyed the included canoes.

Kip Russell

2019-05

I thought this was a great place to stay. We stayed for two weeks. Wish they had dumps in camp but did not. They had bathrooms which were okay and showers. The water never gets too warm. I don’t mind a brisk shower though. Great fishing. Caught trout, bluegill, catfish, perch, and bass. They have activities for the kids some evenings. Overall a pretty neat place to stay.

Scott & Marlys Taylor

2021-05

We absolutely enjoyed this State ParkVery well kept with great campsitesLots of amenities including a gift shopThree loops two with services and one loop dry camping. Easy to navigate with a 30 foot 5th wheel.We will return for several more trips

Joe Gary

2023-05

Went for a family gathering, was great for a state park. Great scenery, lots of fish, big turtles.

AnneMarie Anderson

2021-05

A fun place to spend the day playing in and around the water with the family. I wish the day use side of the park had more information about the park itself. It would be nice to read about the history of the area as well as the flora, fauna, and wildlife in the area.

Kerry Albright

2023-05

Second day in and all is great! Trails all the way around the lake offer great views of the lake, wildlife and the forest.

Tanya Faughn

2023-09

Winchester lake state park is always great! We come every year for a large family reunion. We stay between 10 and 14 days. Hosts and rangers are always nice and helpful and keep the park clean

Cathleen Bigelow

2023-05

Our family tent camped over Labor Day weekend and had a great time. The park was clean and quiet even though it was very full. We were able to buy firewood in the park as well as visit the gift shop. The restrooms are mostly vault toilets and were kept clean and well stocked but were often very odiferous. There is a flush toilet restroom/shower house in one of the loops that was clean and well equipped. The lake was great for kayaking, there are no gas powered motors allowed on the lake so it was very quiet. There is a lot of vegetation and algae in the lake so not somewhere I’d want to swim ( I saw no one swimming even though it was a very warm weekend. We saw lots of birds including ducks, geese, blue heron and woodpeckers as well as a quick glimpse of a fox in a small meadow near the lake. I think we are likely to visit again.

Christina Poole

2023-05

Some sites are funny to get into, definitely for those with lots of towing experience. They only have a few larger rig spots. For the most part our trip has been quiet except fri-sun when every site becomes full. Sites are dirt with some gravel and logs lining each space. Volunteers and workers are all kind and professional. There is water (turns off 10/1/22) and 30amp. Gray water dumping is every few spots however black tank dump is in town and that part sucks. (It's not a hose but a tube that decrepid and barely works. I would avoid using it if you can.) Back to the Park- lots of hiking, fishing, swimming is limited in some areas and trails. Tons of wildlife. Last few days were rainy but still quiet and beautiful. Besides town, closest city is 45-60 minutes away so plan wisely.Restrooms: Some vault toilets and a shower/toilet area at the beginning of the loopDog-friendliness: Dog friendly but some don't use leashes and other people will try to pet animals without asking. Be aware of not leaving pets outside due to predators.

Jonathan Stevens

2020-05

Great place for young families. Tons of kids riding bikes, clean restrooms, park rangers were amazing!!

Daniel Petersen

2023-05

We stayed two nights here this week. This is a fantastic state park. The camp sites are clean, paved, and well equipped. They are adequately spaced, and most sites will be more comfortable in a trailer or small tent, though many will accommodate a large tent. Some loops have water and electric hookups. There is no sewer hookup, but there is a dump station not far. Camp hosts and park rangers are friendly.The park itself is great. The lake is well stocked with fish and has many docks or shore fishing places. There are some great trails along the lake and I really enjoyed the short discover trail. It was well maintained by not over worn and the information signs were well kept. The bathrooms are clean. Most are normal vault toilets, but one loop has flushing toilets and showers available.Trees are tall and there is a lot of shade throughout the park. There are plenty of parking areas for extra vehicles. Picnic tables and benches are everywhere around the lake. There is an amphitheater and a long list of programs and shows to see. We watched a presentation about wolves that was interesting and informative.I’m sure we’ll be back again.

D Hillman

2022-05

This is a very beautiful natural campground. We were in site 14 with a lake view and had two other family members in surrounding campsites and one Yurt, (Yurt was a little rough). The kids loved it. Fishing , Canoe's, hiking and plenty of nature. We had electric 30/50 amp $21 a night + Idaho state camping permit. Only negative was the nearby water faucets were shut off from a broken pipe. We will be back.

Roark McDonald

2022-05

Stayed here for 4 nights. Nice staff, roomy sights, wooded, and nice small lake to enjoy. Particularly enjoyed the fireworks on the 4th and ranger talks on wolves.I drive a 35’ motorhome and tow a jeep. The parking pads are very small for anything large. They need to do some work to make them more level as well. I was not happy to learn that this park charges an additional vehicle fee for my tow vehicle. I have stayed in countless parks in many states and never had this happen before. I complained, but to no avail. They didn’t have sewage hookups. The dump was in the town of Winchester. They do have grey water conduits conveniently located around the campground.I didn’t use the bathhouse or restrooms, but looked nice from the outside.

morgan stanley

2021-05

We got spot 6 and it is the best spot by far if you bring a tent. It has a nice picnic table and direct access to the bathroom, the bathroom is right behind the spot. And the lake is nice for swimming and fishing lots of trout and catfish a person I talked to while I was there and they said they caught a catfish that was about 1 1/2 feet long. Also at the near mini mart they had an amazing huckleberry ice cream.

Alexis B.

2022-05

It's a beautiful place with lots of opportunities for family fun time. You can take walks, go fishing, go camping, or just chill outdoors.I highly recommend this place in the summer. It's nearly impossible driving through the town of Winchester without 4 wheel drive in the winter, so be prepared!

Fredrick Tribble

2021-05

We had a nice stay in a campsite near the lake. The geese were entertaining us each evening and morning. Toilets were clean and we'll stocked. There are some nice hiking trails nearby. All in all a pleasant stay.

Rodney Smith

2022-05

I'm not a big "camping person", but I was impressed with the peacefulness and cleanliness of this state park. Had a neat "junior Ranger"program just like the national parks we've been to and an AMAZING program that loans you this great pack full of amazing stuff to discover the outdoors: "kidnoculars", (top-notch)binoculars, bug capture nets and observing containers, educational pamphlets on all topics of nature including how to tie knots (along with rope to practice), a hand-held GPS for geocaching, notebook for taking observations...There's also some type of evening entertainment or educational presentation free of charge nearly every night. If I knew more of state parks, I'd probably give this 5 stars but I just feel a little less than knowledgeable about what's out there. A very family friendly trail allows for a hike all the way around the lake in about 2 hours while taking plenty of time to make observations and teach kids some basic nature logic😁👍

John Banks

2020-05

Stayed June 3-5 2019. Overall 3 star. Fishing 5 star. Lodgepole yurt 5 star. Rangers and office staff 5 star. I'd give the camp host 10 stars if I could: see next.The bad. The yurts are supposed to have 2 propane tanks and have them checked before rental, but the summer help didn't - that's where the campground host stepped up and got me gas when I ran out after hours, way above and beyond the usual. Canoes come with the yurts, but ONLY if the lake temperature is above 59 or thereabouts, safety issue, and the website doesn't tell you that. A late freeze shut down the fish cleaning station that wouldn't be fixed until after we left. The showers were down as well most of the stay, and aren't for the faint hearted: they were restored Sunday night, but you have a choice of either freezing cold or almost boiling hot, and the temperature is not adjustable. The floors in the Men's side is slicker than owl ?!,? when wet, they need something on the concrete floors to give grip. Our first here, I will come back but my wife won't be with me.

Jason Nichols

2021-05

Great Park, worth the drive. Clean facilities and a nice presentation on the firewatch towers in Idaho. The water in the lake was a bit murky but it was still fun kayaking and we saw quite a few people catching fish.

Helen G

2017-05

Enjoyed my visit to Winchester State Park very much; stayed in a yurt by the lake that was quiet and private with a deck all the way around, also a picnic table and BBQ just for my use, great bird watching, trail walking and photography opportunities. It was wonderful to awake the next morning to rain while I was snug and warm--great camping!

Jennifer Lindskoog

2021-05

I love this place! Loads and loads of beauty and very quiet when we were here. We have a 35 foot class A and two a Jeep and had no problem getting in. They put us in a handicap site for some reason which was great. Large site! Electric and water and free dump place in town.

Scott Dale

2023-08

Beautiful place to camp for family and friends.

Robert Young

2018-05

Recently visited Winchester State Park and stayed in a yurt with my faithful dog, Toby. The yurt was clean and comfortable, with great access to the lake. The best part of my experience, yes better than the hiking trails, were my interactions with the staff. When I asked about the canoes and when they would be put out, the canoes "appeared" within an hour. And then , after I checked out and headed back to Oregon, I received a phone call from a staff member asking if I was missing a battery charger for my camera. Yep, I left it! No problem; they dropped it in the mail and it was waiting in my mailbox when I got home. How's that for public relations!

Daniel Walk

2023-05

Great place to go camping!