Baumgartner

Summary

Baumgartner Campground is situated alongside the South Fork Boise River, offering excellent fishing opportunities and access to Baumgartner Hot Springs. The campground features single, double-family and group sites, with picnic tables, fire rings, utility tables and drinking water. Hiking, biking, horseback and off-road trails also surround the campground, along with the historic Iron Mountain Lookout. Wildlife is also abundant in the area.

Overview

Baumgartner Campground is situated alongside the South Fork Boise River, 11 miles from Featherville, Idaho. The area offers excellent fishing, hiking and off-road vehicle riding opportunities. Baumgartner Hot Springs is located within the campground, where visitors can enjoy soaking in the pool while admiring the scenic, natural setting.

Recreation

The campground's main draw is Baumgartner Hot Springs. The 101-degree water is piped into a large concrete soaking pool. The pool is open during daylight hours and is drained and refilled daily. The pool is pressure washed Tuesday mornings and will not open until around noon.

The South Fork Boise River provides great fishing for wild and stocked rainbow trout. Younger campers love splashing in the cool mountain waters. An accessible path leads to a bench overlooking the swimming/fishing hole on thenorth end of the campground.

The John Baumgartner Gravesite is a short walk from the hot springs. A 1/4-mile interpretive nature trail begins at the hot springs and meanders up the hill through the forest.

Kelley Creek/Iron Mountain, Virginia Gulch, Willow Creek, Van Gulch and Big Water Trails all begin in the area. Ponderosa Trail Learner's Loop is located approximately 1 mile to the west of the campground and offers beginner level trails for young ATV and off-road motorcycle riders.
ATVs, UTVs and off-road motorcycles cannot be ridden within the campground. You may trailer them in and out of the campground but the trailer must fit within your camping spur.

Facilities

The campground offers single and double-family sites, as well as one quad site and one large group site (Site 100), all with picnic tables, fire rings and utility tables. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Roads and parking spurs within the main campground are paved. Site 100 is not paved.

Natural Features

The campground is nestled beneath towering ponderosa pines at an elevation of 5,200 feet. The gentle South Fork Boise River runs along the site, offering beautiful scenery and recreation. A variety of wildlife is commonly seen in and around the campground, including deer and moose.

Nearby Attractions

Numerous hiking, biking, horseback and off-road vehicle trails crisscross the surrounding area. Kelley Creek Flats Recreation Area is adjacent with additional designated dispersed site camping and livestock corrals near Kelley Creek. The historic Iron Mountain Lookout is located to the south of the campground. It is approximately a 12 mile one-way trip along the Kelley Creek trail which is open to vehicles 50" or less in width.