Bear Lake State Park in Idaho, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-26. Check linked official notices before travel.

Bear Lake State Park in Idaho occupies the north and east shores of the lake near St. Charles. Choose North Beach for a swimming day or reserve a Mountain Fawn campsite for an overnight stay. North Beach parking reservations are separate from the Idaho Parks Passport, and Mountain Fawn’s potable water is off for the season.

Choose your stretch of shore

North Beach combines lake access with picnic tables, restrooms, and a life-jacket loaner station. Mountain Fawn offers a separate lakeshore camping base on Eastshore Road. These Idaho units have their own booking and pet rules; check the particular unit when planning the day.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Water safety

Swim only in plainly marked swimming areas. Idaho State Parks has no lifeguards on duty, and glass containers are prohibited on beaches and swimming areas. North Beach has a life-jacket loaner station. Prepare for the Mountain Fawn water shutoff before an overnight visit.

Pet and beach rules

Dogs are prohibited at North Beach and Mountain Fawn Day Use Area. At Mountain Fawn Campground they must be confined or on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Sage Springs has different zones: dogs are prohibited on or below Sage Springs North and allowed on or below Sage Springs South when confined or leashed to 6 feet. Clean up after pets.

Do not camp on beaches. North Beach prohibits fireworks and glass bottles; beach fires are prohibited, with propane fire rings and charcoal grills allowed under its posted rule.

Book the right product

A North Beach Parking Day Pass can be booked up to nine months ahead. The reservation is intended to guarantee a beach day and is not the Idaho Parks Passport. Access may be limited or denied when an area reaches capacity.

Mountain Fawn campsites are reservation-only, bookable up to nine months ahead. Check-in is 2 p.m.; checkout is 1 p.m.; quiet hours are 10 p.m.–7 a.m. Call 1-888-922-6743 for park reservations or North Beach parking permits. Mountain Fawn’s three day-use shelters, for groups of up to 50, require separate reservations through the visitor center at 208-945-2325, also up to nine months ahead. Use the official park page for the current notice and booking links.

Maps, location, and access

Approach from US 89 at St. Charles using North Beach or East Beach roads. North Beach is at 4772 North Beach Road. Mountain Fawn campground and day-use area share the address 5687 Eastshore Road. The visitor center’s street address is 25 East 300 North, St. Charles, ID 83272. Match navigation to the unit you booked rather than using the visitor center for every arrival.

Nearby protected areas

Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge lies north of the lake near Montpelier, with road access from Paris via Paris-Dingle Bottoms Road. Its Salt Meadow route can be impassable in winter. Across the state line, Utah’s separate Bear Lake State Park includes North Eden just south of the Idaho border on Cisco Road; Utah’s notice schedules its winter closure for November 1, 2026.

Swimming, picnics, and fishing

For a beach day, plan North Beach parking first, then use the marked swimming area and picnic facilities. Mountain Fawn’s group shelters offer an alternative for an organized gathering, with a separate reservation.

Before fishing, consult the Idaho Fish and Game lake guide for licensing information and special rules. The area within 300 yards of the mouth of St. Charles Creek is closed to fishing from April 16 through June 30.

Facilities and accessibility

North Beach provides restrooms, picnic tables, and a life-jacket loaner station. Mountain Fawn has separate campground and day-use arrangements. Bring drinking water while the campground’s potable supply is shut off, and ask the park about the specific access features needed by your group.

About the lake and park

The lake stretches across Idaho and Utah; the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation manages the state-park units described here. Idaho Fish and Game attributes the lake’s turquoise color to calcium carbonate in the water.

Bear Lake Valley history

The wider Bear Lake Valley was an important hunting and camping area for Shoshone, Ute, and Bannock peoples, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That valley history extends beyond the modern state-park units.

Fish found only in Bear Lake

Bear Lake supports four endemic fish species: Bonneville cisco, Bear Lake sculpin, Bear Lake whitefish, and Bonneville whitefish. Their restricted natural range is a distinctive feature of this shared lake.

Contact

Bear Lake State Park: 208-945-2325; [email protected]. Park reservations and North Beach parking permits: 1-888-922-6743. Visit Idaho’s park overview provides regional context.