As a major destination for travelers to Idaho, the Wood River Valley has a lot going for it. Surrounded by natural beauty with a sophisticated and vibrant arts community and access to events and organizations normally reserved for large, urban centers, the Wood River Valley may not have it all, but we pack quite a bit in our pretty little Valley. Save one - camping.

 

Our Valley has seen recent increases in the number of options for a travelers wanting to stay in a hotel, while there has been little done to help another significant segment of our visitor base find places to camp. As our millennial base continues to age they are becoming a vital demographic and they are also finding that camping suits their lifestyle well.

 

Here in Idaho, we enjoy access to our public lands not available in other states. The idea of pulling your trailer down a dirt road to set up camp for the night is unheard of in most states where this type of access was lost years ago and expecting our visitors to know and understand this is naive. We must make our campers feel welcome and build places for them to stay when they visit our part of the state to enjoy our natural beauty. Our tourist-based economy is only as strong as the infrastructure we build to support it and camping options in our Valley are sadly lacking. Everyday that a camper leaves our Valley to find a suitable campsite in the Sawtooth Valley or beyond, our Valley loses important tourist dollars. Our retailers and restaurants need all of the business they can get and campsites are an easy and immediate way to help.

 

On a positive note - our campgrounds at Lake Creek, Trail Creek and North Fork of the Big Wood are among eight in the state that have been recognized in a list of the best in the country in Campendium's annual Camper's Choice Awards. More info on each can be found here:

 

Lake Creek Campground  

 

Trail Creek Campground