City of Rocks National Reserve is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—City of Rocks National Reserve is surrounded by family-friendly activities. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Idaho camping adventure.
"I spent one night in the City of Rocks National Reserve Campground. Nabbed spot 15 - the best one I saw - which had fantastic views from the front and back of my campervan."
"City Of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho
Fascinating, desolate, historical State Park."
"Located about a 7-mile drive/walk to the entrance of City of Rocks, Smoky Mountain Campground is situated above the valley providing a wonderful view from many sites including space #19 where I parked"
"Bathrooms were clean. Men and women's toliets are on one side of the building and individual shower rooms on the other."
$50 - $99 / night
"From the moment I arrived until the moment I left, I was captivated by the beauty, comfort, and tranquility that this place offered."
"Camping right by the old California Trail near the city of rocks is memory I will never forget. The hosts made it so welcoming and comforting."
"The beds were super comfy! And the Bates are the nicest people ever- they know all about the parks and their place is very close to City of Rocks and Castle Rocks!"
"We found this site on the Dyrt in looking for a stopover between Park city Utah and Boise Idaho. Wow, Bennet Springs is a hidden gem!"
"It only has 4 sites but it is free and it has a bathroom. Our favorite site has a little creek right next to it. Great for kids to play in."
$5 / night
"Just a short walk away brings you to incredible views and cool rock formations. There is an outhouse but no running water and it’s a trash in/trash out campsite."
"This is another great campsite on the road that heads up to Lake Cleveland and Mt Harrison. "
"A great campground in the South Hills of Idaho that feels like an oasis in the desert! This is one of a few developed campgrounds that you encounter as you head up Rock Creek Rd. "
"This is a State Park with beautiful landscaping and walking trails. There are plenty of RV and tent sites. The lake is absolutely beautiful with views of mountains in the distance."
"The bathrooms are also well cleaned even on a high use weekend but small, 2 stalls each- all showers were working."
"The campsite was convenient for us because it was close to the freeway. On the flip side that comes with vehicle traffic noise. There were places for both RV’s/campers and tents."
"The noise from the highway was not a problem. The bathrooms were clean and satisfactory."
GuideI spent one night in the City of Rocks National Reserve Campground. Nabbed spot 15 - the best one I saw - which had fantastic views from the front and back of my campervan. Sweeping view of valley and mountains beyond from the front, massive rocks through the window over my bed. There is a picnic table and fire ring on the nearly level site which is also very private, tucked away as it was between large rocks. I camped in February so I could have been the only camper in the park that night, though there are campsites extending up the main road for what must be half a mile, so there is room for many campers both RV and tents. I saw no one other than the ranger during my stay. The bathroom is a pit toilet, very clean and supplied with paper. There are no amenities like power or water at the site. I left my campervan parked and hiked all around the reserve. Million dollar views for dollars a night.
LegendCity Of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho
Fascinating, desolate, historical State Park. The visitors center is out on the main road and has a short informational trail with some authentic pioneer wagons. The signage is good, if you need water go to the dump site on the way in, there are no spigots at the campsites. When we visited the water was turned off so I was glad I always carry water with me. The sites are well spaced out, intermixed with the rock formations. Our site was huge, with a picnic table, tent pad and fire ring. There was a rock formation on the back side that you can walk up on and see the surrounding area. There were several rock climbers on Practice Rock across from our site. The dogs were permitted , on leash, on the trails however I was concerned about the numerous cactus so we stayed to the dirt roads mostly.
TravelerThis is a State Park with beautiful landscaping and walking trails. There are plenty of RV and tent sites. The lake is absolutely beautiful with views of mountains in the distance. We stayed in space #13 with a lake view. The space had its own bbq grill, fire pit, picnic table and full hook ups. The park was about 1/3 full and quiet. We definitely want to go back. We highly recommend, especially if you want to include boating or fishing.
ScoutTook the long drive up and arrived at the campground at night. Didn’t see the snow and almost got stuck. Currently (5/10/24) there is snow blocking the entrance and impassible.
ScoutWe had a quiet campground nestled in the trees. Just a short walk away brings you to incredible views and cool rock formations. There is an outhouse but no running water and it’s a trash in/trash out campsite. We loved our stay and got great pictures.
GuideThe relationship between City of Rocks National Preserve and Castle Rocks State Park is still not clear to me as this campground appears on the National Park Service website, although it is an Idaho State Park. That said, the park rangers seem to work cooperatively. This campground is delightful. Located about a 7-mile drive/walk to the entrance of City of Rocks, Smoky Mountain Campground is situated above the valley providing a wonderful view from many sites including space #19 where I parked my campervan. I believe the walking distance to the reserve could be shorter by taking any of the hiking trails from the campgrounds rather than going along the paved roads which first go away from the City of Rocks then back up again, making a big "U".
During my one-night stay in February, water, showers and bathrooms in the campground were closed for the winter season. A very clean, pit toilet is located in the equestrian parking lot across from the campground entrance. The distance from the campsites to the bathroom will vary from quite close to about 1/4 mile max. And during the winter season, there won't be much competition for the spaces close to the bathroom, as I was the sole user during my time there.
In addition to the breathtaking views, the sites offer privacy from 3 sides though all face the loop access road. There are picnic tables, fire rings and electrical power. I did not note if water was available as it would have been shut off in February in any event. There is a dump station about 1 mile down the road toward the exit. I do not know if it is open in the winter.
Check-in during the off-season is accomplished by envelope collected at the entrance or directly to the ranger who came by in the morning to check-in. The rate was $27 per night. Definitely worth the money to stay in this tranquil campground so close to the magnificent City of Rocks.
GuideOnly $12.50, but no water or showers etc. The sites are sectioned into small groups and spread up through City of Rocks. Some on the sites you have a little walk to. All have fire pits and picnic table.
GuideAnother amazing April camping trip down at City of Rocks. Spent four glorious days hanging out with the old rocks. Head down to the City if you’re looking for some wide open space and solitude, the campground is SO spread out you will never notice if it’s full. City of Rocks is…well rocky, so definitely be prepared to use rocks or other heavy things to help stake out your tents/ezups, which trust me, you’ll want to—the wind and lack of shade make those extra shelters a must! They have water and bathrooms spread throughout the reserve, we were about .25 miles away from the bathroom and .50 from water-no big deal. They have trash and recycling by the bathrooms (which are pit toilets but were clean and stocked while we visited!)
GuideI really liked camping here. The area was generally quiet despite 4th of July fireworks and one guy who decided to have a screaming argument via his cellphone one night.
The campground is well kept- no garbage or nasty smells. The bathrooms are also well cleaned even on a high use weekend but small, 2 stalls each- all showers were working. The only real problem is the lack of a sink for tent campers- we couldn't wash our dishes after meals. There is water but it's for the RV sites so bring water to drink and a camp sink for the washing up.
The Camp Host was exceptionally polite and communicated very well. Our group of 9 reserved sites 26 and 25- when we arrived we realized 25 juts out into the public area so there was no privacy at all. We decided to use the space next to site 26- there was a 6 table dining pavilion right in front of both sites which might be a problem if other visitors use it and you are there just trying to relax. The tables in the pavilion were damaged and splintered so we did not use them- the wood is not safe unless really well covered. Also there is a colony of Swifts that uses the pavilion for nesting so there are mounds of poop everywhere- this is probably why no one used the space the entire time we were there.
The park is a wild life refuge so we saw Deer and Racoons at night. We kept all food items in out car to avoid issues. This is not the place for those with Insect phobias. There were non stinging flying insects all up in our face and flying up our nose. We got a few Mosquito bites but nothing above normal for a summer evening- the insects go away if you start a smoky fire.
The park is also part of an electric dam project so you'll hear an alarm every once in a while but it's not very loud.
I recommend staying here- it's peaceful even in high use summer holiday weekends and the staff is doing their best to provide a clean and safe experience for campers of all kinds. There are many spots to choose from and lots to see in the park itself. There are also life jackets provided for those who may not have their own so bring a canoe to enjoy the water.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near City of Rocks National Reserve is City of Rocks Campground — City of Rocks Natural Reserve with a 4.9-star rating from 25 reviews.
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