Lower Portneuf Campground

This lovely little campground, just out of Lava Hot Springs is perfectly situated. Only a few minute drive from the springs. The night sky is black and beautiful!! I pulled in after dark (in October 2022) and there were cozy fires and glowing windows in the rigs around the circle. It felt safe and homey. UNTIL ... the trains blew past, blowing their horns for the road crossings - only a few dozen feet from the campground. This was not a once a night thing... as their were multiple trains. IF THE TRAIN NOISE DOESN'T BOTHER YOU, this campground is in a pretty little setting, close to Lava Hot Springs and a wonderful place to hang out.

This is a good campground That’s close to the hot springs. I think there was 8 or 10 sites that all seem big rig friendly. Our 42’ 5er fit fine with plenty of room. HOWEVER beware of the trains. The tracks are only about 100 yards away and they all blast their horns 4 times while going through the crossing. We slept with ear plugs so it was manageable.

Easy access just off on Hwy 30. The spots are level and have gravel pads. They are also spaced far enough apart that you don't feel like you're sitting on top of one another. There was only 1 other visitor when I arrived on the Thursday before Labor Day. It filled for the weekend. There is a rail line adjacent to the grounds. There are two tracks actually with one being a siding. There was one train on the siding during the entire that blocked the entrance for about an hour.

The only drawback is that when it's 90+ degrees out, there isn't any shade temper the heat. However, the temperature drops down pretty quickly when the sun goes down.

Good Verizon and AT&T coverage. Not able to speak on T-Mobile.

First things first, yes, there are trains that pass by the site at all hours and, yes, it can be quite loud. If that is a dealbreaker for you, look elsewhere. If not, this site is near perfection. Each site is level and has a fire pit. I arrived on a Sunday afternoon and only 2 others were there. Filled up as the week went along, but was never constantly busy. The river is just a short walk away from the sites which is perfect for early morning strolls. Lava Hot Springs is just down the road, and then Soda Springs and Pocatello about a half hour away in each direction. Only negative I had was a few wasps tried to infiltrate my RV within a few minutes of being there, but was not a constant problem. I’ll mention the train again, because I actually found it quite cool. I was also in a spot closer to the river so the train was less loud compared to other sites, but there was still a night where I was woken up from a deep sleep because I thought the train was coming straight into my house lol. Seriously though, I can’t wait to come back to this site. Reliable internet, nice views, and FREE!!!

Yeah, there are trains, but they didn’t wake us up during the night. Sites not very level, but they are wide. We parked diagonally to find the most level before setting up. Clean vault toilet in day use area.

Stayed here to take advantage of Lava Hot Springs outdoor pools after a few long days of driving. Quiet. Two others in the campground-one in a rental moving truck & one in a pick-up/cargo trailer. Odd, but not sketchy.