Massacre Rocks State Park

I stayed one night after leaving the Tetons heading into Idaho. I would normally boondock however I wanted easy access with water to top off my tank. Thankfully I had electric to shore up since it was blazing hot when I pulled in, AC was needed! (July 16) Host was super friendly and the showers were nice and clean. Great views of the snake and you get access to Register Rock with camping permit.

This beautiful state park is located right off of the freeway about 7 miles outside of American Falls, Idaho. There is a little bit of road noise at the park because of the proximity to the freeway but it wasn't a bother at all. The views of the river are beautiful and the sunset was amazing. There are a lot of trails to walk on here, and since the park is pet friendly our three big dogs walked the trails with us. There is a disc golf course, although we didn't try it out. The camp host was great. The bathrooms were clean, although only half of them are open in the off season. The only draw back we could see is that the spots aren't very spacious, so if you're new at parking your rig, or if you have a really large rig, it could be a tight fit. We were in a 33 ft TT and the pull through spot (17) was plenty long, but kind of narrow. Spot has 50 and 30 amp hook ups as well as water if you camp during the summer-no water in the off season.

We needed to find a place just for one night as we were traveling from eastern Oregon to Montana. We did not have reservations and called the state park in the morning as we were out on the road. The woman told us that hardly any one was in campground and that we could either go online and reserve for the day of or just drive in and find a spot. Decided to take our chances and check out what was open when we arrived. Took site 031 in the lower loop, gorgeous view of the River! Had water and electric, pull through. Quiet except a little sound from the interstate.

Booking online was very easy. Checked online first to see what was available, drove through and checked the spots available to make sure how and if we would fit. Site 23 was perfect for our 30’ Airstream and 25’ F250. We could stay attached, as we are only here 1 night. Lots of grasshoppers in August and the river didn’t seem inviting to play in. 50 amp and water, with a dump station nearby. We still give it 5 stars because it was quiet and you can’t hear the freeway. The camp host was excellent and informative. The visitor’s center was nice and provided good history about the massacre. We would definitely stay here again.

High desert camping and hiking on the Snake River. Water and electric at our site, a picnic table and a good overlook to the River. A short hike(s) down to the water and some nice fishing spots. Only issue is when the wind blows so does the dust.
30 min from good shopping and a couple of hrs to Craters of the Moon Nat. Monument, a cool geological site. Very interesting place.
Restrooms were clean, showers need some updating.

This is a very well maintained park that sits right on the Snake River. Also, only 20 minutes to American Falls Reservoir. Great fishing and other water sports close by make this a great destination. Like many state parks this only had water and electric hookup. Dump station is convenient. Camp sites are mostly uneven, and in our case, a bit tricky to negotiate. Otherwise, it was a fun visit. Hope to do it again sometime in the future.

Nicer than anticipated! Beautiful historic site overlooking the Snake River. There are two camping loops. Only the upper loop is open in winter, first come first served (walk up). All but one of 21 (upper) sites have hookups. The centrally located bathroom has one stall open with hot water. Not sure if the shower was closed due to COVID-19 or seasonal. Nice gravel sites but only a few sites accessible to big rigs. One other travel trailer in the campground. The only down side is road noise from the Interstate which is right next to the park. Trails, river access, geologic and historical interest (and two disk golf courses!). Big wind farm across the highway from the park.

- We stayed here Thanksgiving Day

Open year round
- Winter camping fees all upper sites: $25 + $5 entry fee if you do not have Idaho state parks pass
- Water at each campsite is off for the winter but potable water is available across from the payment kiosk via frost free hydrant
- Sites 13 (backin) & 14 (pull through) (upper loop) have nice river and sunset views (both could accommodate bigger rigs)
- Visitor center not open during our stay

This was an excellent place for kids to explore. They had a great time chasing lizards, climbing on rocks, and following trails. It isn't the most tent-friendly campground, though. We were in site 25 and the only place our large tent would fit was in the gravel driveway. We were given the option of moving the picnic table to use that space, but it was a tent pad sunken inside a wooden frame and not large enough. Also, the picnic table would have only fit on the driveway. Ours was not the only site not well designed for tents. A few sites in either loop had a good spot for a big tent, but the sagebrush and sloping ground did not permit large tents in most sites. This campground was mostly occupied by trailers and RVs.

The bathrooms were clean and had soap. The lower loop bathroom has only cold water with faucets that are hard for kids to use. The upper loop has warm and cold water with easier faucets and big counters. The showers were closed due to COVID.

While they discourage swimming in the Snake River due to the current, there is a small dock that you can sit on to soak your feet on hot days (and boy was it hot here in July). We might come back in a few years in the fall, with a small tent, and would still prefer the lower loop for views and less road noise.