Camper submitted image from Kirkham Campground -- Temporarily CLOSED (Day Use Only) - 1

Camper submitted image from Kirkham Campground -- Temporarily CLOSED (Day Use Only) - 2

Nature

Camper submitted image from Kirkham Campground -- Temporarily CLOSED (Day Use Only) - 3

Water

Camper submitted image from Kirkham Campground -- Temporarily CLOSED (Day Use Only) - 4

Roads

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Camping

Established Camping

Kirkham Campground -- Temporarily CLOSED (Day Use Only)

12 Reviews

About

National Forest

Boise National Forest

Overview

Kirkham Campground is located next to the South Fork Payette River just east of Lowman, Idaho, along Highway 21 at an elevation of 4,000 feet. Visitors enjoy soaking in popular Kirkham Hot Springs on the banks of the river and exploring the scenic Kirkham Ridge Trail.

Recreation

Popular Kirkham Hot Springs is located at the river's edge within the campground. A trail with staircases leads down to the soaking pools and small steaming waterfalls. The South Fork Payette River offers whitewater rafting, kayaking and trout fishing. The Deadwood and Danskin River Access areas are nearby. Kirkham Ridge Trail is one of the Lowman Ranger District's premier trails. It begins less than 1/4-mile away and stretches through beautiful country for 35 miles, connecting with many other trails in the area. It is open to hiking, mountain biking and horses. Sections of the trail are open seasonally to off-road vehicles.

Facilities

Natural Features

The campground offers little shade, though a few Ponderosa pines are scattered throughout the site. The campground can be very hot and sunny during the summer. Wildflowers dot the landscape.

Nearby Attractions

Numerous natural hot springs pools can be found along Highway 21, also known as the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, and the Banks-Lowman Highway, also known as the Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway. Both byways offer scenic views, wildlife watching, historical information kiosks and several trail opportunities. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are popular activities on the South Fork and Main Payette Rivers. Several companies in the area offer guided half and full-day trips.

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Location

Kirkham Campground -- Temporarily CLOSED (Day Use Only) is located in Idaho

Directions

From Boise, Idaho, take State Highway 55 to Banks. Turn east onto the Banks-Lowman Highway and travel to Lowman. Turn left on Highway 21. The campground is located 5 miles east at milepost 77.

Address

7359 Hwy 21
Lowman, ID 83637

Coordinates

44.0722222 N
115.5422222 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Stay Connected

WiFi
Unknown
Verizon
Unknown
AT&T
Unknown
T-Mobile
Unknown

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

Trash
Drinking Water
Toilets
Alcohol

For Vehicles

Pull-Through Sites

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Contact

General Info

Reservations

(877) 444-6777

allison W.

Legend

Reviewed Jul. 24, 2022

Hotter than heck, but worth it

I was here in the thick of summer with no A/C and not even a fan, so I sweltered and felt like I lost my body weight in sweat. That said, this is the closest spot to the Kirkham Hot Springs and I would totally recommend it for that reason alone. I ended up going on something of a hot spring tour throughout Idaho and Montana and it is so cool to see these geothermal wonders. As a camper, you are much closer than other visitors who have to park outside the gate. There are a couple of different pools with different temperatures, so you can find one that suits your fancy (and isn’t as crowded as the others, hopefully). Tons of trails in the area.

** NOTE: I was recently informed that the camp section of this area is not open as of July 2022 and it is day use only, but the campground is expected to reopen at some point after renovations. Check conditions on the ground before you go.

Month of VisitJune

Amy S.

Legend

Reviewed Jan. 3, 2021

Right on the river

This is a very popular campsite all year round. It is right on the river and hot springs. Close to other hiking and other forest activities. Can be crowded.

Month of VisitJuly

Patrick M.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 6, 2019

Great hot springs... but

Great place for a day trip. Close to town, Boise, about an hour and half out. Springs are awesome and there are several. We stayed the over night and it became a little rowdy and a bit of nudity in one of the hot springs... my sons will always remember this place! All in all it is really a good place to visit and stay over night, just be ready for it.

Patrick M.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 26, 2019

Great, but...

The camp ground is well cared for and the site managers do a good job. The hot springs are incredible. There are multiple springs throughout the camp ground and along the river.
The camp ground gets crowded and not everyone respects the rules while there. Late nights and a bit of nudity kept my wife and I on edge with our young boys around.
We will come back but only for a day trip.

Tom B.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 31, 2018

Crowded and Loud

This campground was recommended to me by some Boise locals. I arrived at dusk and it was very crowded. Short walk to the hot springs. They’re not that hot, and there were 50 people scrambling for a spot. It is right off the road, so it’s at least convenient. Facilities were clean.

Lauri P.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 19, 2018

Great Hot Springs, nice campground

I stayed here one weeknight. It was pretty crowded during the day with many people visiting the hot springs, but cleared out by evening. The bathrooms were relatively clean - considering the numbers of visitors during the day, however one was completely out of toilet paper, and the other was running very low (luckily I had my own)

At my campsite there wasn’t really anywhere that was a designated place for my tent - no completely level surface. I made the most of what I had available and was reasonably comfortable during the night. Multiple late night arrivals to camp made for poor sleep though - driving in with headlights then flashlights shining everywhere well after midnight while the new neighbors were setting up tents.

The hot springs were great! I didn’t soak in the ones right beside the campsites both because they were quite hot, but also because of the biting horseflies. But the area down the trail beside the river was great!

Eden T.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 10, 2018

Waterfall hotsprings

Kirkham is by far one of my favorite spots, especially during the fall and spring. The gate entrance closes during the winter but you can still walk in and access the natural hot springs. If you’re visiting Idaho, this is a must see! the hotsprings waterfall into small pools alongside the ice cold river. The only downside is that it can get very crowded on the weekends.

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Simran D.

Guide

Reviewed May. 31, 2017

A hot spring right on the river

Located right on the payette river this hot spring is a sight to see. The spots are far enough away from each other for a little privacy, however, people will be walking through the campground to get to the hot springs. Try and visit on a weekday night for better chances of privacy. The steam from the spring keeps the ground warm on the cooler nights.

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Peter H.

Scout

Reviewed Apr. 27, 2017

Great but...

The campground is awesome. There is a hot springs right by it. There is also another one down by the river. There are lots of elk and deer on the side of the hill. The only downside is that there are a lot of people. Most leave after a few hours but there is always a big noisy group.

Katie F.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 30, 2016

Great camping spot for easy hot springs access

Kirkham Hot Springs / Campground is one of our favorite places to camp. Although I wish there were more trees (it gets pretty hot when the sun is out), this is an excellent spot for camping in the fall. It's a somewhat small campground, and the best part about it is it has easy access to hot springs. There are natural pools right along the campground itself, or if you want to hike down along the river (I use the term "hike" very lightly here - it's a quick walk, but along rocks / boulders), the natural pools of hot water come trickling off the hillside and pool up right next to the Payette River. It is beautiful.

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Danielle R.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 23, 2016

Being in hot water has never been do nice. Mk

Fun easy place to camp. In the winter you have to hike in because the bridge is closed. The pools are right on the water and hot year round. Down side is its not the most natural camping with only a few trees.

Jill R.

Ranger

Reviewed Jun. 23, 2016

Kirkham camp ground and hotsprings

Kirkham campground is located very close to the road, however, the Payette river blocks out any noise from the traffic. Multiple Hot Springs are available with the nearest one to us right next to the parking lot other ones are available at different temperatures with just a short easy hike down to them, a beautiful place to spend the night, enjoy nature, and have a good soak.