Are you planning a tent camping trip to Lava Hot Springs? We've got you covered. The Dyrt is an easy way to find tent camping spots near Lava Hot Springs. Search nearby tent campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Cold Springs Campground is located south of Soda Springs on Eightmile Creek. It offers 6 single units with good fishing in the area.
Whether you're traveling light or planning a weekend getaway with friends, you can choose to sleep in one of our fully furnished Stone Shelters, Yurts, Cabin, or under the stars in a wooded camping spot. Traveling with a group of family or friends? Consider making our land and waters your group basecamp!
All accommodations include 24-hour access to our 45 acre retreat center property which includes 6 hot spring pools, riverfront beach, hiking trails, canoes and paddle boards, River House patio and bathhouse, snack bar, and more.
This BLM managed site located along the Blackfoot River that has opportunities for fishing, camping, and non-motorized boating. Campground rules and regulations are posted at the site. There are no dumpsters on site, visitors must pack in and out their trash. Campsites: 12 developed sites--- 10 which are accessible by vehicle and 2 which are walk-in only. At this time, there is not a reservation system in place for the campsites. Campsites are on a first come first serve basis. This site is equipped with a vault toilet, picnic tables, fire rings an undeveloped put-in/take-out for floaters. There are no fees associated with this site.
The campsites are located in a wooded area so lots of shade. Site 1,2 and 4 are creek side along maple creek and site 3 has a small stream and a pond. All sites have a fire pit available. All sites are carry in carry out. Easily accessible with a four wheel drive. You will need to cross maple creek to reach site 1. Site 1 also has outdoor carpet and patio furniture the site. The road down to the river bottoms is a bit steep so 4 wheel drive is recommended. This area is ideal for tent camping. Some sites have tables.
This area was used by the local Indian tribes during the summer. We have found many flint arrowheads and a bread stone on the property. There is a cave on little mountain to the west that they wintered in and it is a short hike to go see it.
There is a 6 mile round trip hike to the head of maple creek. Trail head at the top of maple creek road. If you have atv’s there are trails for that also.
$30 / night
Dry Canyon Campground is located southeast of Malad City, ID, near Weston, ID. It's open from June through September with 3 single units. It offers vault restrooms. Enjoy the fishing, hunting and hiking in the area.
This BLM managed site located along the Blackfoot River that has opportunities for fishing, camping, and non-motorized boating. Campground rules and regulations are posted at the site. There are no dumpsters on site, visitors must pack in and out their trash. Campsites: 3 semi-developed sites--- At this time, there is not a reservation system in place for the campsites. Campsites are on a first come first serve basis. This site is equipped with vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, horse shoe pit, and an undeveloped put-in/take-out for floaters. There are no fees associated with this site.
North Fork Campground is located in scenic St. Charles Canyon in southern Idaho, near Bear Lake. Visitors enjoy hiking, biking, horseback riding and motorcycling on local trails, and fishing in St. Charles Creek.
North Fork Trail, which has a trailhead within the campground, is open to motorcycles, horses, hikers and mountain bikers and connects with the Highline Trail, a 55-mile path along the backbone of the surrounding Wasatch Mountains. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game manages the river fisheries, providing excellent fishing most of the year, including in St. Charles Creek. In-season big game hunting is also a popular activity.
A dense, mixed growth conifer forest covers the campground. St. Charles Creek flows gently through the site.
Minnetonka Cave is a short distance from the campground. Scenic Canyons offers guided, 90-minute tours through the nine-room cave with formations called the Bride and Groom, Three Sisters and Devil's Kingdom. The cave temperature is 40 degrees and the path through it includes 444 steps. Tickets must be purchased at the cave entrance. Bear Lake's North Beach is 12 miles from the campground, offering swimming and fishing opportunities on one of the Inter-mountain West's largest natural lakes. Bear Lake State Park Marina is 20 miles from the campground, with a seven-lane boat ramp, boat rentals, slips, a snack bar and general store.
$75 / night
Legend
A great little campground with many full hookups for RVs and some tent sites. There is a small store in the office and a pretty little lake nearby but we didnt see any fish. Lucky for the fisher though the Portneuf River is also right in the campground. Theres a little bit of shade but not really any large trees. If you want to head further up into the mountains this is a great spot to head north from. It is also very close <5 minutes from Lava Hot Springs.
Ranger
This free campground has about 10 sites to choose from, mostly RV but occasionally tent camping. There is a bathroom, no luxury showers or a store to buy firewood or items. It’s about a 10min or less drive to Lava Hot Springs in case you need supply. This campground is right next to the river, has a small waterfall and beautiful scenery all around. The road is extremely bumpy so if your have a low car or trailer be careful. The pros of this is its free. 1st come 1st serve, nice, quiet area. The cons, no shower, hook ups, store and the train that runs by Lava Hot Springs can be heard.
Ranger
We had scouted T1 campsite at the KOA Holiday in Lava Hot Springs. This campground runs along the creek and is directly across from Mary’s Campground. Site T1 is for a family of 2 maybe 3 but it’s large enough for 2 medium size tents and 1 large one and our canopy. The site itself is surrounded by water and even has a small water fall that you could sit in as if it were a small hot tub size. This KOA is clean and friendly staff. They do have a store for some basic supplies and sell firewood. Not only are there tent sites but also have RV sites, cabins camp and large family size cabins. They have bathrooms/showers and a large playground for young kids. This KOA is within walking distance to Lava Hot Springs Main Street which has places to eat, hot pools, stores, ice cream place and more. Definitely would stay at this KOA again and again.
Ranger
We stayed at Mary’s once and that’s all we will ever stay. The site #7 was right on the river, and just too close to #6 & #8...Yes they did have showers and bathrooms and that’s the 2nd star but the tent campsites super narrow. Now I don’t know how the RV sites are but the tent sites below were nothing to really brag about to friends and family. As we saw people float down the river, we were not allowed to get into the river from our campsite which was right in the river. Let’s just say We’ve been there, done it, and no need to return..
Legend
This was our first attempt to find a place to land in the Idaho Falls Area. Located about 10 miles south of Idaho Falls, it is a relatively new 12-unit RV Park (although they list prices for tent sites). When we arrived, there were two open spots but no apparent host or staff on-site. Sites are close to each other in typical RV Park fashion. There were some nice shade trees but they really did not provide much privacy/ separation between sites. The office was closed and you needed a code to access the restroom which we could see no way of obtaining. There were only large RVs camped there even though there are supposedly tent sites (without a code to the bathroom and nowhere that I could see to pitch a tent, I don’t see tenters staying there). There was some road noise and a chain link fence surrounded the campground. Nothing scenic about it. We moved on.
Legend
This beautiful campground lies close to the end of St Charles Canyon near the Minnetonka Cave. It has 2 sections one of which is mainly for rvs and the 2nd which is for tents and camper Van's. The RV spots seemed kind of close but the tent sites had ample room along with metal fire rings and picnic tables. There was a vault toilet up near the rvs and down by the tent sites
GuideCute spot for a night or two, super close to Lava Hot Springs where you can soak and shower.
Scout
Good access to lava hot springs and or bear lake. Decent place to stay up in the mountains. Good trails for atvs, hiking, disconnecting. No real problems.
RangerSeemed a little over priced for what it was. The RV sites were good and tent sites had lots of grass but still is $40 a night. Close to hot springs and town.
Guide
This is a surprise off the 84 in Idaho so if you are looking for a campground off the main freeway this is it it's got a dump station it's got rv camping tent camping it is got a great history and it's got a section of the original organ trail that you can check out and if you're into birding definitely a place to go and you can fish the river upstairs that go down to it and it's just got Frisbee golf course as well so I definitely recommend it
TravelerThis campground isn’t much, but it is perfect for anyone needing to find a place fast and free to either tent camp or sleep in their car. It also has water access so boaters are able to unload their boats here. There are bathrooms and it is fairly quiet at night.
Scout
Hidden gem! Managed by BLM with no apparent fee. The tent sites are pretty spread out and spacious along a creek. Slightly higher elevation and creek ecology keep this area cooler than the valley you pass through to get here during the summer. Great stop on my road trip!
LegendStayed here a few days on our way to Oregon. Quiet campground off the interstate. Not much nearby though. Showers/ restrooms clean and great hot water. Good place to ride bikes. A lot of history in the area. We also visited Lava Hot Springs which was about 1 hour away. Great spot
Ranger
We stayed here in our tent and was given the last tent site in the back. It was small, but cozy. The bathrooms were super clean and so were the showers. This KOA is within walking distance to the hot pools, store, and places to eat. The front camp sites are almost like a large group site but I believe there are a few small sites for tents. Overall it wasn’t a bad camp trip..
ScoutWith the pool/water slides across the river, and the shuttle stop for tubing the river across the street and down the road. This campground is the perfect place to enjoy all the water offerings during the summer at Lava Hot Springs. If you are going to rent tubes to ride the river rent through the front desk at the KOA. It is 15% off the price of renting at the tube pickup location.
Scout
Came through here in late Sept 2022. It is very near the Lava Hot Springs and I loved the little campground. It was full and delightfully quiet... until I realized that the train is anything but. The tracks are directly adjacent to the camping spots and the train came through blowing its horn multiple times during the night. If that doesn't bother you, then the recommendation is a five. Free and very good location.
ScoutWe did not stay at the KOA, but right up the road at a Sportsman Access area. Camped right next to the river at no cost. We were able to get a large cleared out spot, not very many neighbors, 1 vaulted toilet on sight. Now there is no potable water in this area and not much shade. But great, no cost, quite, river access and only 3 miles from center of Lava Hot Springs where we went tubbing.
ScoutRight off the road and convenient to Lava Hot Springs. Pit toilets are easily accessible and it is well marked. However one fatal flaw is that there is a railroad crossing about 100ft from the sites, and we experienced about 8 trains coming through between 1am-6am. Which meant that every time they crossed they had to sound their horn multiple times which was absolutely ear splitting. Needless to say, everyone camped there when we were there on a Saturday had a rough night.
TravelerThe campground itself is nice. Nice spots, beautiful river and waterfalls, and close to Lava Hot springs. The trains; however, were a drag at night. Not many ran during the day but at night we counted 8 that went by. The tracks are only about 100’ from most of the spots. The real kicker is, because there’s a crossing to get into the campground, the trains blast their horn literally right as they pass you. Like excessively so, unnecessarily so. It was not a great nights sleep.
RangerOur 1st camping experience here was good. The site we got was one nice and a good size. We had a view from f the river down towards the lower loop which was closed due to weather. Pros were good location, close to the bathrooms/showers which were kept clean at all times. The camp host was super polite. Overall it was a nice 1st time trip . Cons were we could hear some traffic from the freeway,other than that we will go back and try the lower tent camping..
Legend
An amazing stat in an incredibly historic and rusty piece of Lava Hot Springs. The cabin we stayed in was an old miners cabin and they had 4 other smaller cabins that were further up the hill. There were so many pieces of historic amercana strewn about as well as a rope swing. There was a full bathroom as well as a full kitchen that you could access at any time. The hosts were very generous and made us a french toast breakfast in the morning! We are a absolutely planning on staying here again!
Traveler
Meh. Was clean. There is a kids play ground area. Wifi was garbage. Stayed at the tent site closest to the office/road. Lots of shade, but beware of where you set things up at. Look at the ground and you will see worn or unhealthy grass. This is where apparently the trees drip a sap that isn't all that sticky compared to like pine sap, but it does drip like a faucet... it was noisy, headlights, engines, etc. etc... I wouldn't stay there again, at least not in the same spot and not in a tent.
GuideWhen you have a big group and you like to stay up late and have a good time and be loud while at lava hot springs, this is the place for you! There’s a toilet located here, bring your own TP though. The river is fun to jump in and hang out in! The trains come frequently and at times are pretty loud but it doesn’t bother our group. The camping is free and 100% worth it compared to the strict port neuf or koa campgrounds. TONS and TONS of space. It’s never been full when we go. There’s loads and loads of space. It’s only about 2 miles away from town so if you need to go to the bathroom, go to the store, or shop around or eat at a restaurant, it’s not far away at all! Our two dogs love all the free space as well! There isn’t much shade but there are shrubs all around near the river. So bring your shade tents!
Guide
This is one of my favorite places on earth. They have tent sites, van sites and a selection of shelters to choose from. Camping gets you access to the hot springs from check in until 4pm the next day. There’s running water in the bathhouse with a toilet and shower. There’s yoga classes included in the price as well. The bathhouse also has a nice little shop with snacks and gifts. They sell tinfoil dinners too if you want to really relax. Highly recommend! They offer volunteer days as well where you can camp and soak in exchange for volunteer work.
Guide
Cold winter months and you need to get away? Wow we rented a cabin three times this last winter. Great little cabins with bathrooms the hot pools were 100 feet away and a heated swimming pool. In the summer time the pool is nice and cold and there are water slides. There is RV and tent sites as well as group sites and 3 small cabins, 3 medium cabins and three large cabins/houses. They also have several yurts. This year they also have covered wagons you can stay in(cute idea on a tent cabin). The staff is friendly and courteous. There is a small cafe and store. There is a restaurant that has a great sirloin dinner if you call ahead to make dinner reservations. Over all a great place to camp summer or winter.
TravelerWe almost didn't stay here because of the low reviews due to the train noise but we were in Lava Hot Springs and this was such a short drive up the road. We arrived pretty late and there were still spots available. We found one big enough for our 21ft travel trailer and vehicle. The site was pretty level too, which we appreciated. We stayed in the last one on the upper loop. The stars were SO bright! We've veen traveling for almost a month and stargazing last night was definitely one of my favorite moments. The train did come by before we went to bed. But we didn't hear it the rest of the night. I am a light sleeper but I do sleep with white noise on, so maybe that helped. The morning views were beautiful! Would definitely stay again!
Legend
I stayed one night in this campground. There are about 10 sites and it was almost full capacity on a Friday. There were 2 available site. I chose the site near the Paris spring Trailhead. The trail to the spring is about 1/4 mile in and is very beautiful. There were hummingbirds everywhere! And dragon flies too! The wild flowers were still pretty vibrant but starting to fade.
They are replacing the picnic tables so each site has two, a very nice coated metal table and the old cement and wood ones. The have metal fire rings and a area large enough for a camper and a level tent site. The offer two central pit toilets that were tidy and well stocked.
Nearby, about six miles from the campground, is the Paris Ice Cave. This is very interesting and I recommend visiting!
Tent camping near Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, offers a blend of scenic beauty and outdoor adventure, making it a perfect getaway for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Lava Hot Springs, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Lava Hot Springs, ID is Portneuf Lower Sportsmen's Access with a 4-star rating from 1 review.
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TheDyrt.com has all 16 tent camping locations near Lava Hot Springs, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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