Castle Rock State Park/City of Rocks Preserve in a Campervan
Recommended Stay: 3 to 4 days
Distance from Boise 210 miles/Drive Time: 4 hours
Tucked away into the Southern Idaho is Castle Rock State Park and the City of Rocks Preserve. The City of Rocks is a premiere destination for rock climbers, but can also be enjoyed by hikers and mountain bikers from Spring to Fall. There are loads of hiking and biking trails in both areas and these also connect to trails on Forest Service and BLM lands.
Campervan camping can be found in City of Rocks or in Castle Rock State Park. The campervan sites in City of Rocks Preserve are all dirt sites with limited services, but the upside is that you get to camp right among the rocks. Here is a link to the map and visit the Idaho State Parks reservation site to reserve. You will want to try and reserve ahead of time since there are limited sites and high demand.
Campervan sites in Castle Rock State Park have more services than those on the preserve. The Castle Rock State Park campground is call the Smokey Mountain Campground. The Smokey Mountain Campground is not located in the main State Park unit, but is instead just south of Almo, check out this map for details and then visit the Idaho State Parks reservation site to reserve. There is not a lot of shade so it is nice to have a campervan for hanging out at when you need a break from the sunshine.
We recommend getting reservations in advance during the summer months, especially on weekends and holidays. Off season camping is first-come first-served.
Campervans available for rent in Boise, Salt Lake City, Portland, Spokane/Coeur d’Alene