Best Tent Camping near Pocatello, ID

Tent campgrounds near Pocatello, Idaho offer a mix of established sites and primitive camping areas along the Snake River and surrounding mountains. Graves Creek Campground and Trail Creek Bridge Campground provide basic tent camping options within reasonable distance of the city. Both campgrounds operate seasonally, typically from May to October, with Trail Creek Bridge offering vault toilet facilities while Graves Creek provides more primitive accommodations.

Most tent sites in the Pocatello area feature minimal amenities on natural terrain with limited site preparation. Drinking water is generally not available at the campgrounds, requiring campers to bring their own supply. Trail Creek Bridge and Graves Creek both offer vault toilets, but shower facilities and trash service are absent at most locations. South Tourist Park Campground near Idaho Falls provides more amenities including drinking water, trash service, and toilets for tent campers willing to travel slightly farther. Fire regulations vary by location and season, with some sites permitting campfires while others maintain strict fire bans.

Tent campers in the Pocatello region can access several walk-in sites that provide more secluded experiences away from RV traffic. Morning Bridge Campground includes walk-in tent sites with rough ground conditions but proximity to the river. The area experiences significant seasonal variation, with many sites becoming most accessible in late spring through early fall. Locations along the Snake River offer opportunities for fishing and hiking while providing natural surroundings. A camper described South Tourist Park Campground as "a great little stop over Campground with picnic tables, bbq, and fire pits at each site," noting that sites along the water offer "beautiful sunset" views, though noise from nearby train tracks can disrupt sleep.

Best Tent Sites Near Pocatello, Idaho (8)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Pocatello, ID

1 Photos of 8 Pocatello Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Pocatello, ID

311 Reviews of 8 Pocatello Campgrounds


  • A
    Sep. 25, 2020

    Scout Mountain Campground

    Beautiful basic camping in Furs and Pines

    Beautiful campground set high up in the Caribou National Forest. The campground is around 13 miles up a mountain from Pocatello- it took us roughly 30 minutes driving up curvy mountain roads to get up to the top. Be advised, our gps tried to route us off a dirt road half way up, but you just stay on the paved road all the way up. We got site 20, I’m not sure which loop, as the loops were kind of hard to determine. It was next to bathrooms and across from water and a group campsite which looked like it’d be awesome if you were in a group (site 19.) Beautiful in the pines and furs. You can’t see from the road but many of the tent pads are behind the tables and fire rings. The tent pads aren’t huge- Our tent pad wasn’t big enough for our 6 person REI tent so we pitched right behind our car on the parking pad, which was considerably larger. We were only staying for one night on a Thursday and it was very quiet with only a handful of other campers, but I saw reserve tags on most camp sites in our loop for the weekend. No showers, vault toilets. Drinking water. We tent camp so I didn’t see if there were any electric sites, ours was not. We saw cows, moose, birds and deer on the mountain. Wish we could have stayed an extra night to hike around the area.

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 1, 2019

    Goodenough Creek Campground

    More than the Name Suggests!

    Agreat little campground that is split into a more developed tent area and a primitive tent area.  The developed tent area had gravel pads along with picnic tables and metal fire rings.  There was also a halfdicap vault toilet near the entrance.  At the primitive site we found a wonderful little rope swing that swung out over the creek.  All the primitive sites were wonderfully cool and shaded while the developed sites were more exposed

  • Abner H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 16, 2025

    North Bingham County Park

    Nice Quiet Park - $45/night for Non Resident

    The park is nice and clean, appears to be recently paved or resurfaced.  The spots are relatively level. Restrooms are clean and nice shower is large.  The 12 pull through sites have 20/30/50 Amp outlets and potable water and each has its own picnic table.  The dump station is just past the sites there is a seprate potable water fill 50' from the dump station which has its own hoses and water for flushing tanks.  

    There are two areas of grass designated as tent sites with in ground fire rings and there is one shared elevated charcoal grill.

    As of July 2025 the nightly rate is $25/night for Bingham County Residents and $45/night for Non-Residents.  There are envelopes for payment (cash or check only) at the front gate and inside the envelope is an information sheet with the bathroom codes.

    - AT&T Service is 3 bars and bounces between 5G+ and LTE my speedtest showed 10.38 Mbps Download

    - Starlink is partially obstructed in all of the pull throughs with ~15 outages greater than 2s in 15 minutes but has download speeds of 157.93 Mbps when not obstructed.

    - T-Mobile is 3 bars of 5G and my speediest showed 310.58 Mbps download speed.

  • P H.
    Jun. 23, 2020

    Devils Creek RV Park

    Close quarters but friendly faces

    This is an older campground, and space near reservoirs is a hot commodity. The RV park host was very friendly and accommodating. Very clean campground with a nice boat dock and plenty of spaces to get down near the reservoir and fish.

    Warning - Some of the spaces felt like extremely close quarters especially with slide outs. The picture below shows one of the older full utility locations. Some units may not have much room to slide out without contacting the utility boxes. Some units offer great shade and an awning next to a shared fire pit, shared picnic table. Some units have a really nice shared grass area between trailers. Also several people here are seasonal campers with monthly rates. This can make finding a space a little more challenging. Call ahead and make sure to get reservations so you can get a spot.

    Lot size seems inconsistent between spaces as some feel very cramped and some of the high number units without utilities had larger spaces between them, almost appearing as an extra space between two units people were using for pet/kid play areas.

    Dogs are to be kept on leashes, but people should consider short leashes/tie lines as it is easy for pets to cross into adjacent units depending upon where they are staked. Make sure to plan ahead for power adapters. Only one 30amp service so if your planning to run AC, plan to be the first in or coordinate with your neighbor.

  • Mark & Kelly G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 13, 2022

    Blackfoot Reservoir Campground

    Beautiful Campground

    Easy access.  Lots of wildlife - birds, fox, mule deer, moose!  Beautiful, level, improved sites with electric hook-ups.  Pavilions over each picnic table.  Fire rings.  Vault toilets - very clean.  Dump station.  Water available.

  • Beth B.
    Jul. 22, 2018

    Scout Mountain Campground

    Perfect in every way!

    We stayed on site #3, nice and shady, perfect walking distance to clean vault toilets, water spigot not far, and off the road so you feel tucked away. Nice sturdy picnic tables, latern stand, and great fire ring with attached grill, and an additional freestanding grill available. Loved that spot!

  • Jane H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 5, 2025

    Pipeline Campground

    Great for overnight stop

    The access to the water’s edge is nice. Our campsite has the basic amenities with fire ring and picnic table (a bit worn down). The vault toilet is clean and well maintained. I would definitely stay here again.

  • Curtis W.
    Jul. 6, 2024

    Twin Springs Campground

    Primitive Campground, dry, filled with Grass and Sagebrush

    This review is from July 2024, and it appears to have been a dry year.

    I found the campground over run with Red Currant Bushes which were full of mature fruit.  There was also a lot of Crested Wheatgrass and Sagebrush.  The 5 campsites are still in good repair, but due to the Red Currant Bushes, access to the springs area was difficult if not impossible.  The Springs themselves, due to the low water table were all but dried up, with only a small puddle of water marking each one.  The water pump is still missing it's handle, and is now dry, so no water could be pumped.  There was a moose present when I was there, but he was down in the outflow area, and did not seem interested in anything but lying down there.  The Vault toilet was clean, odor free, and well maintained.

    I cannot recommend this campground for mid summer or fall.

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 26, 2018

    Malad Summit Campground

    Plenty of shade next to a large creek with trout!

    This place is wonderful! There's plenty of shade and plenty of pools to take a dip in the creek. There are vault toilets picnic tables and permanent fire rings at each of the campsites. If the campground is full there is dispersed camping up and down the same road


Guide to Pocatello

Tent camping near Pocatello, Idaho primarily centers around the Snake River Valley and surrounding mountain terrain. Most established sites sit at elevations between 4,400-5,500 feet, creating distinct temperature variations between day and night even in summer months. The camping season typically runs May through October, with July and August experiencing daytime temperatures in the 80-90°F range and overnight lows that can drop into the 40s.

What to do

Fishing access points: Morgans Bridge Campground offers direct access to prime Snake River fishing spots with an ADA-accessible fishing dock. According to a camper, it's a "great desert camping spot" with "two walk-in only camp spots" positioned "right next to the river," making it convenient for anglers seeking early morning or evening fishing opportunities.

River recreation: Trenner Park provides day-use opportunities for water activities and riverside exploration. A visitor notes it's "an area that is visited a lot by locals but a pleasant spot. Great if you want to spend a day fishing or hiking along the Snake. There is also bathroom available and a handicap access dock."

Biking trails: South Tourist Park Campground connects to riverside cycling infrastructure. One camper highlights that "there is a bike path right from the campground that follows the river and leads to downtown Riverwalk area," providing both recreational opportunities and practical access to urban amenities.

What campers like

Riverside campsites: South Tourist Park Campground features waterfront sites that offer exceptional views. A visitor remarked, "A few sites are right along the water and we were lucky enough to snag one - beautiful sunset on the water." Another camper confirmed there are "a few nice spots right on the river."

Basic but functional amenities: Cutthroat Trout Campground and other sites provide essential facilities without unnecessary frills. At South Tourist Park, campers appreciate that each site comes with "picnic tables, bbq, and fire pits," while the "basic flush toilets were clean" according to one visitor.

Affordability: Sites generally maintain reasonable pricing compared to more developed areas. One camper at South Tourist Park noted it was "fairly cheap for a couple nights stay," though recent visitors have reported price increases with one stating, "as of Sept 2024 the price is $18 per night."

What you should know

Limited water access: Most campgrounds require bringing your own water supply. At Graves Creek Campground, no drinking water is available on-site, requiring campers to transport all necessary water for their stay.

Noise considerations: Some sites experience significant ambient noise that might affect light sleepers. A South Tourist Park camper warned about "a lot of traffic noise (constant hum) and a VERY LOUD train that went by a few times during the night, blowing its whistle," while another confirmed "train noise twice during the night."

Seasonal restrictions: Many campgrounds have limited operating seasons and may implement fire restrictions during dry periods. Multiple sites around Pocatello operate only from May to October, with Trail Creek Bridge Campground and others closing completely during winter months.

Tips for camping with families

Security awareness: Some sites have minimal supervision and varying levels of security. One visitor at South Tourist Park observed that "because it is a city open park there are people occasionally driving through. No security but there is a camp host," while another mentioned "late at night a lot of homeless roam around the camp."

Insect preparation: Bring appropriate bug protection, especially for camping near water. A camper specifically advised that "bug spray is necessary" at riverside locations during summer months.

Early morning disruptions: Maintenance activities may begin early at managed campgrounds. One family at South Tourist Park reported "the mowing service was out and about at 6:30am. Luckily we're early risers, but we just thought it was a little strange."

Tips from RVers

Dump station availability: Mill Flat and most primitive sites lack sanitary dump facilities. For RVers requiring dump stations, South Tourist Park provides this amenity, with one camper noting, "I love that there is an RV dump in the campground."

Size restrictions: Many sites accommodate only smaller recreational vehicles. At Morgans Bridge Campground, there are only "3 RV slips for smaller rigs ~30'," making it unsuitable for larger motorhomes or travel trailers.

Hookup limitations: Most sites offer dry camping only with no electrical or water connections. South Tourist Park is described as having "no hook ups," though it does provide "a dump site, fresh water and toilets," making it suitable for self-contained RV camping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Pocatello, ID?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Pocatello, ID is Trenner Park - Idaho Power with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Pocatello, ID?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near Pocatello, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.