Lava Hot Springs Camping – Camping near McCammon Idaho
Lava Hot Springs, Idaho is a great place for families and couples to vacation together and go camping. There is so much more to do in the area than just the hot springs themselves! Whether you are looking to spend a weekend at a campsite, or camp for free and boon-dock you will have plenty of options.
There are family friend Lava Hot Springs RV park’s such as KOA and budget friendly options. No matter what time of year you decide to come, you are pretty much guaranteed to find an open site in the area.
This article will highlight some of the best campsites and boondocking places near Lava Hot Springs and McCammon Idaho. To make things even easier, we will break them down to family friendly, budget friendly and boondocking destinations. If you find yourself heading North check out our Yellowstone National Park camping guide.
Lava Hot Springs Camping – Family Friendly RV Parks
The best family friendly campgrounds near Lava Hot Springs is going to be KOA. There is actually an east and west KOA campground in Lava Hot Springs, which is odd. If you have kids, and want to be in the center of town the West KOA in Lava Hot Springs is the way to go. The East KOA is not too far away (about 1/2 mile) but is on the far end of town and is more private and quiet. The KOA has laundry, a bounce house for kids, and the West KOA is the closest RV park to the water park. Rates at the KOA should average between $50 – $70 per night depending on how long you stay.
Located near the East KOA is Mary’s Place Campground which has large super sites and is great for group campers. These super sites can accommodate 2 RV’s or fifth wheels and are full hookup. When traveling with a family, or large groups it is always nice to stay together at a campsite and cozy up by the fire at night. The history of the campground is also interesting, as the owners donated it to the Bannock County Deputy Sheriff’s Association in 2010 as the got too old to manage it. RV sites range anywhere from $50-$85 for the super sites!
The best campsite in the area to spread out and have room to play is Lava Mobile Estates Campground. This is not your typical campground, as it is essentially just a large grass field for vans, tents, and RV’s. Price’s range from $30 (no hookups) to $40 and $50 for electric or full hookups. This campground is great to play football, throw a frisbee or to just let the kids run around on the grass. Normal RV parks generally don’t have nice grass to play and hangout on, so take advantage of it!
Camping near Lava Hot Springs – Budget Friendly Campgrounds
The Lava Campground is probably the best budget friendly option that is located in the town. RV sites start at $25 (weekday) and up to $45 for a 50ft full hook up site. These are very reasonable prices compare to other sites in the area, and is located right next to the East KOA on the side of town. Everyone online talks about how roomy and spacious the campsites are, which seems to be unheard of with modern campgrounds!
Another budget friendly RV Park near McCammon Idaho is actually called the McCammon RV Park. It is located around 15-20 minutes from Lava Hot Springs but is usually alot more empty then any other RV park. The rates average between $30-$45 per night depending on your hookups. They have laundry, a gas station out front and a subway! This would be our first choice, but is a great backup option if the others are full.
Another great option that is away from the crowds in town is the Hilltop Camp Spot which allows a maximum of a 30ft rig. Their rates start at $40, but the views and privacy compare to the other campsites is unmatched. This has got to be one of the nicest campgrounds in the area and HIGHLY recommend staying here if you want to relax.
Free Camp spots near Lava Hot Springs Idaho
Our favorite types of campsites are the FREE ones, as you almost always get better views, more privacy and its 100% free. Free campsites are generally farther from town, but the experience is almost always better than at a normal campsite.
The BEST FREE CAMPING spot near Lava Hot Springs is Good Enough Creek Campground, located in McCammon Idaho. This is one of the best free campsites we have EVER stayed at. The campsite offers 8 large RV spots with fire rings, picnic tables, tent/hangout area and awesome views. There is also a few tent sites farther back on the road. The campsite is located around 30 minutes from Lava Hot Springs, but is well worth the extra drive.
The road going to get campsite is pretty steep and long, so be prepared to go up a large hill in your RV. We arrived here on a Friday night and there was still 4 open sites, as the place is still not known to the public that well. We had amazing AT&T service (5 bars) and 3 bars T-mobile. Even if you decide to camp in town, we would recommend taking a drive to either hike the trail in the back or just to see the campsite.
The other FREE camp site that is only 5 minutes from Lava Hot Springs is the Portneuf Lower camping area. It is located at coordinates (42.641479,-112.005806) and is a fairly even and easy drive to town. This area is known for having trains running daily, which can get annoying but it is located right along the river. Some people have also complained about an abundance of bugs during the summer months.
Camping near McCammon and Lava Hot Springs Idaho
Lava Hot Springs is a great place to vacation, whether for hiking, the hot springs or exploring the town. The outskirts of McCammon Idaho has some amazing mountains and hiking trails also. If you want to adventurous consider renting an ATV or UTV to go exploring and off-roading!
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