Big Springs - Caribou

Caribou-Targhee National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: POCATELLO, ID, ID

Price: From $20 per night

Price range: $20–$80 per night

Rating: 3.9 out of 5 (41 reviews)

Season: May through October

Big Springs Campground is nestled along the banks of Pebble Creek at an elevation of 6,500 feet, just 16 miles from Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Visitors enjoy fishing and exploring local trails.Pebble Creek offers cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing. Big Springs Nature Trail begins in the site, offering an easy path along the creek.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Camp Host, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/big-springs-caribou to be notified when sites open up.

Big Springs sits at 6,500 feet along Pebble Creek with direct access to cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing plus the easy Big Springs Nature Trail. The multi-use Boundary Trail also offers hiking, biking, and horseback riding options all from the same campground.

Wildlife alert: Wilson's Snipe observed in the area; white Colorado Columbine and Jacob's ladder wildflowers present.

Insider tips for Big Springs - Caribou: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 16 total sites and high demand Bring a self-contained RV or prepare for tent camping; no hookups available Access via Blaser Highway/Old Highway 30 north from Lava Hot Springs (9 miles away), turning onto gravel Forest Road 036 across railroad tracks

Skip Big Springs - Caribou if: You need RV hookups—none are available at most sites. You require year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only.

Best time to visit Big Springs - Caribou: May through October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only per RIDB data.

Nearby campgrounds: Pebble Guard Station (POCATELLO, ID), Scout Mountain Campground (POCATELLO, ID), Mink Creek Group Site Campground (POCATELLO, ID), Blackfoot Reservoir Campground (Soda Springs, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Big Springs - Caribou

Cell signal at Big Springs - Caribou (POCATELLO, ID): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Caribou-Targhee National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Big Springs - Caribou

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POCATELLO, ID, ID★ 3.9 (41 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Big Springs Campground is nestled along the banks of Pebble Creek at an elevation of 6,500 feet, just 16 miles from Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Visitors enjoy fishing and exploring local trails.Pebble Creek offers cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing. Big Springs Nature Trail begins in the site, offering an easy path along the creek.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV70 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites10 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesCamp Host
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—none are available at most sites✕ You require year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 16 total sites and high demand

Bring a self-contained RV or prepare for tent camping; no hookups available

Access via Blaser Highway/Old Highway 30 north from Lava Hot Springs (9 miles away), turning onto gravel Forest Road 036 across railroad tracks

Best: May through October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only per RIDB data

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Wilson's Snipe observed in the area; white Colorado Columbine and Jacob's ladder wildflowers present.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
208-236-7500· Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Getting there →

Just east of Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, look for "Pebble Area" sign and turn left onto Blaser Highway/Old Highway 30. Go north on the paved highway 9 miles to Pebble Creek Road, known locally as Mike's Place or Whiskey Mike's. Turn left across railroad tracks on gravel Forest Road 036. Travel about 7 miles to the campground. Pebble Creek Road is a narrow single-lane dirt road with limited sight distance and not suitable for the very large RVs (the tour bus size RVs that require overhead clearance

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Caribou-Targhee National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Caribou-Targhee National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Big Springs - Caribou cost per night?+
Big Springs - Caribou costs $20–$80 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Big Springs - Caribou open?+
Big Springs - Caribou is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Big Springs - Caribou have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Big Springs - Caribou?+
Big Springs - Caribou can accommodate RVs up to 70 feet.
How do I make reservations at Big Springs - Caribou?+
Big Springs - Caribou is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Big Springs - Caribou?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Big Springs - Caribou is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Big Springs - Caribou open, and what are check-in times?+
Big Springs - Caribou is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$20 /night★ 3.9 (41)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Big Springs - Caribou cost per night?+
What season is Big Springs - Caribou open?+
Does Big Springs - Caribou have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Pebble Guard Station

POCATELLO, ID

From $60/night

Scout Mountain Campground

POCATELLO, ID

From $20/night

Mink Creek Group Site Campground

POCATELLO, ID

From $80/night

Blackfoot Reservoir Campground

Soda Springs, ID

From $10/night

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