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Overview Cartwright Ridge Campground is located on the shores of the scenic Sage Hen Reservoir in the Boise National Forest, perched at an elevation of 4,800 feet. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing and exploring the Sage Hen Reservoir Trail. The 5 Sage Hen campgrounds are a beautiful, scenic destination for recreation and adventure. Natural Features: The campgrounds are situated in a forest of towering Ponderosa pine, Engelmann spruce, Douglas fir and grand fir. Most sites have plentiful shade and some have partial lake views. Summer temperatures range from 80-90 degrees during the day to crisp, cool nights. A variety of berries and mushrooms can be found throughout the area. Local wildlife includes deer, elk, black bear, goshawk, woodpeckers and boreal owls. Recreation: Sage Hen Reservoir offers excellent boating, canoeing, and rainbow trout fishing. A boat ramp and dock are located within the campground. Hiking, biking, horse and off-road vehicle trails are abundant in the area. The Sage Hen Reservoir Trail, a 4-mile loop around the lake, offers great fishing spots, beautiful viewpoints and abundant wildlife watching opportunities. The Sage Hen and KYAOTT ATV Trail Systems can be accessed near the reservoir, offering more than 35 miles of trails for off-road vehicles and motorcycles, but hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders can enjoy these trails as well. Check with the Emmett Ranger District Motor Vehicle Use map (MVUM) and the Boise National Forest map for open trails and roads in the area.
Cartwright Ridge is located 45 miles north of Emmett, Idaho. Take State Highway 52 north to the Sweet/Ola Road (12.3 miles). Turn left towards Sweet, drive north to Ola (17 miles), pavement ends at Ola. Take National Forest Road 618 (NF-618) to the junction of NF-626 (10 miles). Take NF-626 to NF-614 (7 miles). Take NF-614 to NF-614B. The campground is located on the right. The majority of this route is a gravel surface and can be successfully driven with a passenger car during drier weather.
Campgrounds were clean and far enough apart that it felt secluded. No host on site, so there is no firewood for sale, but there is plenty of deadfall that you can gather. Has one vault style toilet that was fairly clean. The road to get to the campgrounds was dirt and fairly bumpy, so don't attempt if your car can't take getting jostled around a bit. Lots of people bring ATVs or mountain bikes since there several good trails in the area.
