Friendly place to stay in an amazing part of Idaho

This campground is a 4-mile drive outside the little frontier town of Stanley. At first I thought it would be a little inconvenient out there, but we found that the view of the Sawtooth mountain range left us in awe every time we drove to or from town. There are Forest Service parks all around Stanley and Redfish Lake, but we needed hookups and wanted to be close to town. I'm actually glad the little town isn't full of RV parks. We really enjoyed our stay here. We're pretty reserved people and usually don't socialize with other RVers or camp staff, but they were so friendly there, and even invited us to participate in a campfire activity where a resident fired some beautiful pieces of pottery and then treated us all to hotdogs and marshmallows. On our loop through Idaho and Montana, this was our favorite campground.

The sites are a bit rough: They used chalk outlines, as they are mostly dirt surrounded by tall pines, so it would be good to bring mats or carpets. In our case, the owner brought us out two carpets to use. The lower part has shade, and the upper part has an amazing view of the mountains. The restaurant served us a nice breakfast, the laundry was free, and the showers were nice and clean during our visit. We're definitely going back.

We stayed here in a Travel Trailer.

Fun getaway for the kids, popular for family reunions

I asked my kids what they think about Downata. Here are some things they said:
"The water is perfect temperature. I love the Dragon slide."
"It could use new picnic tables."
"Need more camping spots."
"The swimming is fun and warm."
"The funnest slides I've ever been on."
"I liked how our family could spend time together."

We love going there, and obviously we're not the only family to think so. Some of the sites are pretty close together (yet, it is one of the quieter campgrounds I can remember staying at?!?). There are no waste hookups.

The staff is a huge reason why this is such a fun place to visit. From helping with reservations, to the friendly lifeguards and the campground staff, I have nothing but good things to say about how we have been treated. On our last visit, a tornado was spotted somewhere in the county, and I watched the staff quickly alert everyone, and then help with awnings, canopies, etc.

My wife and I take long walks, and we enjoy watching the Sandhill cranes and other birds near the campground.

It's a remote place as far as food goes, but fortunately the restaurant right in the main building serves really good food (we love the onion twigs and shakes).

So 5 stars, even though it's not a fancy campground--but because we always have such a great time--and best of all, they don't charge extra for large families! It's a little thing, but something that has become one of my pet peeves.

We stayed here in a Travel Trailer.

Great family campground

Crystal, like many hot spring resorts, saw its heyday in early part of the last century; but unlike others, this one continues to operate and thrive. The main attraction here is, of course, the mineral pools, which are kept clean, but the campground area that surrounds the pool is one of our favorite places to stay as well--and the price is right. Some sites don't have shade and some are close together, but overall we've always had a great time here. The kids love the water slides, and there are a couple of pools with varying water temps to suit your soaking preferences. I noticed last time we went (winter camping!) that they had made nice improvements to the main pool, adding rock water features. There are often youth groups here--oh, and the train loves to blow it's whistle as it passes by--but we've never had a bad experience staying here. There is a small snack bar, pavilions, a fish pond, etc, but it's all about the water!

We stayed here in a Travel Trailer.

Very popular campground in Ogden Valley

This is a very nice campground in Ogden valley, next to Pineview reservoir. Locals will tell you this place is a hot ticket among boaters during the summer months so plan early if you want a site, especially on the weekends. It can be a noisy place with generators running and energetic youth, so if you're looking for solitude, better drive a little further up the canyon.

Lost of recreational opportunities in the area, a couple of good restaurants nearby including the famous Shooting Star saloon, Huntsville BBQ, the Oaks among others, and beautiful scenery. Our favorite thing to do is to sit on the bluff along the lake and watch our kids play on the beach and the excitement on the lake. You think it's tough getting a site here, try getting a lakefront site!

We stayed here in a Travel Trailer.

City camping surrounded by trees

This county-run campgound is located on the grounds near the original Fort. It has nice, level pads with firepits and picnic tables. Most sites are shaded by large cottonwood trees. There are no hookups. The sites are nicely spread out

This is our favorite "staycation" campground, located in the middle of downtown Ogden, and close to our residence. You really can forget that you're in the middle of the city.

The kids enjoy canoeing (rentals available), walking the trails, and visiting the fort's trading post (not always open).

This campground is located very close to a busy rail line. You WILL hear trains at all hours day and night. As a rail buff, this doesn't bother me, but your mileage may vary, as they say. We have seen an occasional transient in the area, but not in the campground. Be sure to ask about park hours; at least in the past you could not return through the gates after leaving after-hours.

We stayed here in a Travel Trailer.

Kids love camping here in the Summer

Cherry Hill is a well established campground within a waterpark, with many family activities available including mini-golf, batting cages, a couple of waterslides, a large picnic/family reunion area, two arcades, two pools, a lazy river, and a huge wading pool for smaller children and toddlers. There is also a snack bar and an ice cream parlor/pie shop. My kids stay occupied here from dawn to dusk!

The campground area is nice, with trees and picnic tables, but be warned this is a very popular place in the summer. Some of the sites are very close, and you may be parked awning to awning. It helps if you're comfortable navigating your RV in tight places! Also a popular place for family reunions and groups, with several pavilions.

Be prepared to pay extra for more than 4 people per site, which I find to be annoying at an amusement park that also charges admission for the activities.

Very friendly staff, and clean facilities.

We stayed here in a Travel Trailer.

Great "hands on" recreation for the kids

Kids always love coming here. It seems like there are few places left like Goblin Valley where you can touch, climb, run, jump, etc. on the rock formations. Plenty of neat things to explore nearby if you wish, or just enjoy the amazing valley from the overlook to the east of the campground. Last time we stayed here, we enjoyed a nightime nature hike hosted by the park rangers, which was very informative. Ever see a scorpion under a black light?

Rent "Galaxy Quest" before visiting, it was filmed here.

We stayed here in a Travel Trailer.

Walking distance to most things in town

We usually try to stay here as it is close to shopping, restaurants, etc. It can get a little noisy, especially if there is something going on at the school which borders to the east. I like a lttle "background noise" when I camp with the whole family--it usually means people won't be concerned about a little bit of noise that the kids are making.

We stayed here in a Travel Trailer.

A peaceful and quiet campground only minutes from town

Antelope Island State Park seems to be one of those places that polarize people when they visit: They either love it and can't wait to go back, or they didn't like it and wouldn't care to return. I'm happy to be among the former.

The park's close proximity to the Wasatch Front means that I can take off on a thursday evening after work, arrive early enough to get set up, and then spend Friday morning working out of my RV while the kids play. Since the park is on the western side of the island, it is remarkably quiet and peaceful, absent of any city lights. In fact, it reminds me of camping along an ocean beach, and sunsets are often spectacular.

The naysayers don't like the bugs (just bring repellant), and sparse vegetation. You'll often see bison, pronghorn, coyotes, birds, etc. roaming around the campground. The campsites are very nice, with covered picnic tables, BBQ grills, and long pull-throughs.

We stayed here in a Travel Trailer.