The Big Hole dispersed campsites are a scattering of informal, fire-ring camps in the Big Hole Mountains above Kelly Canyon, in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest east of Ririe, Idaho. There's no campground here in the usual sense, no host, no numbered sites, no reservations and no fees, just established spots with rock fire rings tucked into the timber and along the forest roads, taken first come, first served. For anyone who prefers their camping quiet, free and self-directed, it's one of the best options within easy reach of Idaho Falls.

The Big Hole range is the appeal. This is high, rolling, forested country with aspen and conifer, wildflowers through early summer, and a superb trail network threaded through it, including the Fish Creek trails and the Big Hole Crest route that draw mountain bikers from across eastern Idaho. Camping dispersed here means waking up already in the middle of it, with the Kelly Canyon area and the South Fork of the Snake close at hand.

Dispersed camping comes with real rules, and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest sets them out clearly. The Forest Service asks that campsites be at least 100 feet from streams or other water sources to protect water quality, and it applies a 14-day stay limit in any one spot within a 28-day period, after which campers must relocate at least five road miles to another dispersed area. Those aren't suggestions; they're the terms on which this kind of free camping continues to exist.

Leave No Trace matters more here than almost anywhere, precisely because there's no infrastructure to absorb mistakes. Everything packed in has to be packed out, existing fire rings should be used rather than new ones built, and human waste needs to be properly buried or carried out. Fire restrictions are common in late summer and worth checking before you strike a match.

Summer and early fall are the season, with the roads generally passable from roughly June into October depending on snow, and many of them are rough enough that high clearance is a comfort. There is no water, no toilet and no cell coverage.

Come completely self-sufficient: water for the whole trip, a shovel and a plan for waste, layers for cold mountain nights even in July, and a full tank. For free camping in beautiful country with world-class singletrack out the tent door, the Big Hole dispersed sites are hard to beat.