Campground Review: Juniper Campground, Ririe, Idaho

Introduction:

We loved our stay at this ultra green, beautifully maintained, and reasonably priced county park just minutes from Idaho Falls.

The Basics:

Overall Rating: 4.3/5

Price per night / Discounts: $25 / None

Campground website: Juniper Campground

Our Site #: C-8 - FHU / A-16 - FHU

Privacy Rating (how spacious and private do the sites feel):

5/5: There are three different loops of campsites and all provided very spacious settings. Our site in C loop was a pull-through site with lots of mature trees and lovely views of farmland in the distance. The sites are nicely spaced from one another and the trees added to the sense of privacy. We walked through the other loops and found all of those sites to be quite nice as well. You really can't go wrong in this campground.

2020 update: We stayed in Site A-16 which was very large and had plenty of privacy.

Location Rating (accessibility to points of interest or to major highways):

3.5/5: The park is located about 25 minutes from downtown Idaho Falls... so not bad, but not as convenient as some other campgrounds we've been to. It's definitely in farm country, so if you're looking for a relaxing place to hang out for a couple days, it's great. If you're looking for a lot to do, it might not be as great. There is a boat launch on the reservoir, so if getting out on the water is something you're interested in, it's a good location.

Site Quality and Big Rig Accessibility Rating (utilities and accessibility of campground hook ups):

3.5/5: Site quality is hard to judge. On the one hand, the sites are paved and very large. On the other, almost all of them are unlevel. Some of them were so unlevel, I don't know how anyone in anything larger than a tent could use them. Back-in sites in the other loops were similarly inconsistent. Some were more level than others. Roads through the campground were well maintained and easy to manage and we had no issues with the utilities.

Technology and Customer Service Rating (online resources, reservations, campground wifi, and staff):

4.5/5: You can call to make a reservation and you will speak directly with the long term camp host. There are also a number of first come first served sites that you are free to take. The site the camp host had reserved for us when we called ended up being very sloped, so we snagged a different site in the first come first served section. Either way, you pay by cash or check dropped in a mail slot at the entrance of the campground. It's a pretty hands off process, but whenever we dealt with folks who worked at the park, they were very nice.

2020 update: You can now reserve sites in A loop online at Junipercampground.com Loops B and C are still FCFS. Since we were all paid up, we went to our site upon arrival. About 10 minutes after we got there, the camp host stopped by to welcome us to the campground and give us the run down of information.

Overall Value Rating (the overall value of the campground; was it overpriced for what it was?):

5.0/5: Given the size of the sites, the beautiful surroundings, and the full hook ups, $25 per night is an absolute steal.

Summary:

We really enjoyed our stay at this park. While many of the sites have an issue with levelness, they are all paved, spacious, and green. To get full hook ups in a beautiful campground right on the water for just $25 per night was a steal. This is a good campground to stay in if you're making your way through this area of Idaho and want to stop for a couple days. There's not much to do right around the campground, but Idaho Falls is close by and has everything you need. In the meantime, you can enjoy a beautiful, well maintained, quiet, and lovely park setting for a fraction of the cost of most "parking lot campgrounds."

Campground Photos (Click for larger image):