Campground Review - Lava Hot Springs / City Center KOA - Lava Hot Springs, Idaho

Description

The Lava Hot Springs / City Center KOA is a nicely landscaped campground in the heart of Lava Hot Springs and right next to the scenic Portneuf River. The park is within convenient walking distance of the water park, Olympic sized swimming complex, and the World Famous Hot Pools. This KOA is a convenient and relaxing place to stay while enjoying the many attractions of this resort town.

Location

Lava Hot Springs / City Center KOA
89 N Center St
Lava Hot Springs, ID 83246
Park: (208) 776-5209
Latitude: 42.619950 N, Longitude: -112.012395 W, Elevation: 5,020 feet (1,530 m)

Details

We stayed for two-nights at the Lava Hot Springs / City Center KOA in early September, 2018. This is a clean, nicely landscaped, and well-maintained campground within walking distance of most of the attractions in Lava Hot Springs. We met a friend here and enjoyed soaks in the nearby World Famous Hot Pools.

Cost

For two-nights at a premium 50 amp full hookup back-in site, we paid about $85 per night, including tax and our KOA Value Kard Rewards Discount. There were no fees for pets or an extra vehicle.

Ratings (1-5)

Accessibility – 5/5

The campground is easily accessible via paved roads. Lanes in the park are well-maintained asphalt or gravel. The park has back-in sites and can accommodate large rigs. The campground facilities have provisions for Universal access.

Facilities/Amenities – 3/5

The campground offers the basic amenities expected from a KOA, including full and partial hookup sites, dry tent sites, rental cabins, RV dump station, propane, restrooms and showers, laundry room, and playground. The park features a gift shop/convenience store, Mexican food truck, Kamp Kitchen, pet run, float tube rentals, firewood sales, fishing, and bounce pillow. Facilities are clean and well-maintained.

Site quality – 4/5

Sites have full or partial hookups with 50/30/20 amp electric, fire ring or grill box, and a picnic table. Sites are gravel, with grassy median and fair separation between sites. Many sites have shade trees. There are several extra large premium RV sites.

Scenic Value – 4/5

The campground is nicely landscaped, well-maintained and right next to the Portneuf River and lava cliffs. The park has nice views of the rocky hills behind the town.

Location/Isolation – 4/5

The campground is in the heart of Lava Hot Springs and is conveniently within walking distance of most of the water parks, hot pools, and other attractions. Since this is a resort town, the campground can be extremely busy, especially during weekends and peak season. Our site had a lot of noise from the cooling units of a grocery store behind the campground. Good location – poor sense of isolation.

Paws Friendliness – 4/5

The campground is pet friendly and has an enclosed pet run with cleanup station. The campground is not very large, so may require several laps through the campground or around town to get a decent walk for your pet.

Overall Rating – 4/5

Overall, the Lava Hot Springs / City Center KOA campground is a lovely and convenient place to stay when visiting this resort town. We enjoyed our stay here and would visit another time.

Additional info

Internet access

We received a moderate 4G Verizon signal at this campground. The campground provided free WiFi.

Water Quality

The water at this campground tested moderately hard.

Nearby Amenities

Gas stations, restaurants, and some automotive services are available nearby Lava Hot Springs. A wide range of grocery stores, restaurants, shopping, automotive and RV services are available at Idaho Falls, ID (84 miles), or Salt Lake City, UT (150 miles).