Entrance Sign at the Castle Rocks State Park Hiking and Recreation Area
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City of Rocks Idaho Camping & Castle Rocks State Park
Smoky Mountain & City of Rocks Campgrounds
You have two great options for City of Rocks Idaho camping:
For the best full-service City of Rocks Idaho camping, stay at the Castle Rocks State Park Smoky Mountain Campground. The developed campground offers full amenities and quick access to the City of Rocks National Reserve. Smoky Mountain Campground provides the perfect base camp for exploring the surrounding area, whether you’re coming to climb, hike, or explore the City of Rocks.
If you want to camp and climb, Idaho State Parks also manages rustic tent and van sites at 7 designated camping areas within the National Reserve. And some of these sites are a few steps from prime climbing routes.
Keep reading for all the information you need to book any of the City of Rocks and Castle Rocks State Park camp sites. Click the City of Rocks location map below to see where each of the campgrounds and recreation areas are, relative to Almo and the rest of the state.
Sunset over the Smoky Mountain Campground
City of Rocks Idaho Camping Fees
Fees & Amenities – Federal City of Rocks Camp Sites
Campsites
$12.72 per night
Group Campsites
$26.50 + $3.18 per night, per person (12 minimum)
Reservation Fee
$10.60 per reservation
The City of Rocks National Reserve camp sites are jointly managed by the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. Idaho State Parks manages the camp sites and reservations, which means you can reserve up to 9 months in advance, unlike the normal 6 month federal window for federal campgrounds and camp sites.
Sites are spread throughout the National Reserve in 7 designated camping areas.
Many sites are next to climbing rock and other natural features, so you can stay right in the heart of the City of Rocks.
Call the reservation center 7 days a week: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm Monday through Friday or 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday
An abandoned house between the two Castle Rocks State Park recreation and camping areas
Fees & Amenities – Castle Rocks State Park Camp Sites
Serviced Campsites
$24-$29 per night
Day-Use Shelter
$35 per day
Glamping Yurt
$125 per night (4 people)
Bunkhouse
$106-$117 per night (12 people)
The Lodge at Castle Rock Ranch
$159-$175 per night (8 people)
The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation manages the camp sites and reservations at all sites. This includes the unique overnight stays in the yurt, bunkhouse, and the Lodge at Castle Rock Ranch.
Idaho Parks and Recreation also manages the developed Smoky Mountain Campsite a few miles away, closer to Almo and the Visitor Center.
37 camp sites, 6 equestrian sites, a yurt, bunkhouse, and the Lodge at Castle Rock Ranch can be reserved online through the Idaho State Parks Reserve America website or by calling 1-888-922-6743.
Call the reservation center 7 days a week: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm Monday through Friday or 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday
The Lodge at Castle Rock Ranch and Sign to Other Overnight Facilities
Lodge Information – Castle Rocks State Park Camping
The Lodge at Castle Rock Ranch
A 100-year-old remodeled ranch house that can be reserved year-round.
Accommodates up to 8 people.
Master bedroom with a queen bed; TV room with sleeper sofa; triple bunk beds; twin bed.
Fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, and propane fireplace.
WiFi on site; Play Station; Outdoor deck with seating.
Willow Glamping Yurt Information – Castle Rocks State Park Camping
Willow Glamping Yurt
22-foot diameter yurt with king-size bed and futon.
Accommodates up to 4 people.
Views of Castle Rocks State Park formations and 10,339 foot Cache Peak.
Spacious deck and stairway leading to Almo Creek.
External restrooms; shower facilities available at the Smoky Mountain Campground several miles away.
Looking back toward Almo and the Castle Rocks campground from the City of Rocks.
Bunkhouse Information – Castle Rocks State Park Camping
Bunkhouse
Primitive, open one-room building for group reservations.
Accommodates up to 12 people.
Kitchen and dining room facilities; combination of bunks and double beds in shared sleeping space.
Wood-burning fireplace; external vault toilets; shower facilities available at the Smoky Mountain Campground several miles away.
Spacious camp sites at the Castle Rocks campground
Booking Camping Sites in Advance – Recommended Timeline
Plan ahead: federal and state campgrounds fill up FAST. Figure out when you plan to travel and then set a calendar reminder 9 months ahead (for Idaho State Parks through Idaho’s Site on ReserveAmerica.com).
If you don’t get a site in one of the state or federal campgrounds, call the specific campground or look online to see if they have walk-up sites available.
If no sites are available online or as walk-up sites, look on Reserve America for nearby private campgrounds and RV Parks, like the City of Rocks Retreat, which offers a variety of accommodation options very close to the Castle Rocks State Park Campground.
One of several pull-through RV/Trailer sites at the Castle Rocks campground
With all of the City of Rocks Idaho camping options, it’s hard to know where to start or how to pick from all the options. For groups or a unique overnight stay, the Lodge, Willow Yurt, and bunkhouse offer some fun and interesting options. The 100-year-old remodeled ranch house certainly wins for charm, history, and comfort. For tent camping and climbing, opt for the sites inside the National Reserve. But for a bit more comfort, space, and accessibility, nothing beats Smoky Mountain Campground.
Smoky Mountain Campground – Best All-Around Camping
Our top pick has a balance of rustic, outdoor camping, full-service hookups for RVs and trailers, and developed bathroom and shower facilities. The Smoky Mountain Campground sits between City of Rocks and the main Castle Rocks State Park recreation area, so it’s close to both. And although sites next to climbing are great if that’s your primary purpose, the spacious, developed sites at Smoky Mountain Campground are really hard to beat.
Inside the Smoky Mountain Campground
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Getting to the Castle Rocks State Park Smoky Mountain Campground
Castle Rocks State Park is divided into two areas. The first sits outside of the City of Rocks National Reserve to the northeast, but contains an impressive array of climbing and hiking options among ancient geological formations. The second, the State Park Campground, sits about 2 miles south, near Almo, just east of the City of Rocks Reserve. You can get to the Smoky Mountain Campground on a side road just out of Almo or by dirt road from the State Park recreation area. Here again is a City of Rocks/Castle Rocks State Park location map, so you can find where you need to go:
Driving from Boise
Boise to City of Rocks: 204 miles (328 km).
Twin Falls to City of Rocks: 283 miles (134 km).
Burley to City of Rocks: 45 miles (72 km).
Driving from Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City to City of Rocks: 163 miles (262 km).
Distance via I-80W through Kelton: 194 miles (312 km).
City of Rocks Idaho Camping
Almo’s State Park Visitor Center and Interpretive Trail
One of several covered wagons at the State Park Visitor Center
The Almo Visitor Center offers a great selection of books on climbing, geology, ornithology, and regional history. It’s a great stop for hiking maps and souvenirs. It’s also a chance to ask park staff about the best climbing, hiking, and exploration locations throughout the state and federal park system at City of Rocks. Take time, though, to walk the Center’s interpretive trail. In addition to several covered wagons on site, interpretive signs weave a story of migration and habitation in this storied geological region. Learn more about pioneers travelling the Oregon Trail, but also the indigenous peoples who pre-dated American settlers by centuries and millennia.
Interpretive Sign at the State Park Visitor Center Interpretive Trail
National Reserve Hours and Visitor Center Information
The City of Rocks National Reserve is open year-round, 24/7. Some roadways and trails may be inaccessible due to weather conditions, but the City of Rocks never closes.
The State and Federal Visitor Center, located in Almo, is also open year-round, with seasonal hours in the winter.
Operating hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Open 7 days a week, including holidays during peak season.
Closed holidays during the off season.
National Park Center Contact Information:
City of Rocks National Reserve, P.O. Box 169, Almo, ID 83312
Telephone: 208-824-5901
One of several covered wagons at the State Park Visitor Center
Camping & Accommodations Outside of Castle Rock State Park
City of Rocks Retreat Vacation Rentals & City of Rocks RV
If the state and federal camp sites are all booked up for your preferred dates, we have one other recommendation for nearby camping and accommodations. Just across the City of Rocks Back Country Byway from the Smoky Mountain Campground sits a private camping and cabin rental property, the City of Rocks Retreat Vacation Rentals. The Retreat offers a range of yurt, Tipi, apartment, and cabin rentals. And next door, the City of Rocks RV offers partial (water and electric) hookups for trailer and RV camping outside of the state and federal campgrounds. Walk-up sites are usually available at the state and federal campgrounds, but just in case, these two private options ensure you can find a place to stay at the City of Rocks and Castle Rocks State Park.
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