JUNIPER CAMPGROUND, RIRIE, IDAHO

Our Opinion: Recommend, if you want to get away from it all - nothing much around here.

Date of Stay: September 22 through 24, 2010.

Weather During Stay:  Balmy fall days and cool nights; very windy afternoons and evenings.

Site Description:  What a mix of sites!  The campground, with a large reservoir on one side and agricultural fields on the other, consists of 2 paved loops with 40+ paved sites and a grassy area for tents.  Perhaps a third of the sites have a large enough flat spot for a big rig - the rest (mostly back-ins) are either too short or two sloped for big rigs. 

The utilities are also a mix.  Most sites are FHU, with at least 20/30 amps, but several sites have 50 amps.  Some of the developed, paved sites have no utilities at all, and one has 30 amps and water, no sewer.

Sites are very spacious, and each site has a concrete picnic table and a large fire ring.  Well-watered and manicured grass surrounds all of the sites, dotted with appealing juniper trees.  Each loop has a restroom, and the picnic table has its own.

Rate:  $18/night for FHU, $16/night with a Golden Age Pass.  $10/night for tent sites. 14 day limit.

Phone/radio/TV:  Strong Verizon signal for phones and aircard.  No obstacles for the roof-mounted satellite TV dish.  No cable TV here, and we didn’t try the antenna.  Local NPR from Rexburg on 100.5.

Elevation/landscape/terrain: Located at around 4,900 ft., this park feels very remote (nearest town, tiny Ririe, is 4 miles away).  The irrigated grass is very appealing.  Local views are of grass, junipers, and neighboring rigs; distant views are of open agricultural fields and big skies.

Lighting/noise:  Very dark at night - the only lighting came from inside the restrooms.  Very quiet when we visited (but the park was virtually empty).

Favorite Sites:  These are the sites that will accommodate a big rig reasonably well, mostly pull-outs but a few are backins:
50 amps - A8, A20, B3, B6, B10, B13 (our site), B15, B17, B19, B20
30 amps - A14 (no sewer), A17, A23, A25, A26, B4, B12
No HU: A10 and A12, both quite private with great water views.

Hiking/Walking:  Walking the campground loops is pleasant, and some primitive trails wind through the undeveloped area of the park.

Comments:  This park was almost empty when we camped here, a few days after the “close of the season”.  The nearest grocery store is 20 miles away in Idaho Falls, so bring food with you!  We were told the place fills up in summer, especially on weekends, so reservations are a good idea.  Locals come here to picnic, boat, swim.