Helende

Boise National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: LOWMAN, ID, ID

Price: From $12 per night

Price range: $12–$24 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (38 reviews)

Season: May through October

Helende Campground is located 10 miles east of Lowman, Idaho, along Highway 21 at an elevation of 4,100 feet. The South Fork Payette River lies a few hundred yards away. Visitors enjoy fishing and rafting on the river, soaking at nearby Kirkham Hot Springs and exploring the extensive Kirkham Ridge Trail.The South Fork Payette River offers whitewater rafting, kayaking and trout fishing.

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

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

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

Helende is a hidden gem federal campground along the scenic South Fork Payette River with excellent access to fishing, rafting, and nearby Kirkham Hot Springs. Campers praise its clean facilities, beautiful riverside location, and abundant wildlife viewing opportunities.

Wildlife alert: American Elk, Mule Deer, Canada Goose, Western Screech-Owl, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake documented in the area.

Insider tips for Helende: Book early — this is a popular federal campground that fills quickly, especially holiday weekends. Kirkham Hot Springs is only 6 minutes away by car and offers soaking opportunities. River access is within 5 minutes, ideal for anglers targeting trout on the South Fork Payette River. All 10 sites include fire rings and picnic tables; two vault toilets and potable water available.

Skip Helende if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs.. You prefer full-service amenities — this is a basic federal campground with vault toilets only..

Best time to visit Helende: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only..

Nearby campgrounds: Kirkham (LOWMAN, ID), Park Creek (Idaho) (Lowman, ID), Mountain View (Lowman, ID), Warm Springs Guard Station (LOWMAN, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Helende

Cell signal at Helende (LOWMAN, 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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›ID›Helende
Helende — photo 1
Helende — photo 2
Helende — photo 3
See all photos
Boise National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Helende

Share:
LOWMAN, ID, ID★ 4.3 (38 reviews)From $12/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Helende Campground is located 10 miles east of Lowman, Idaho, along Highway 21 at an elevation of 4,100 feet. The South Fork Payette River lies a few hundred yards away. Visitors enjoy fishing and rafting on the river, soaking at nearby Kirkham Hot Springs and exploring the extensive Kirkham Ridge Trail.The South Fork Payette River offers whitewater rafting, kayaking and trout fishing.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife 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 RV65 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 TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

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 — no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs.✕ You prefer full-service amenities — this is a basic federal campground with vault toilets only.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground that fills quickly, especially holiday weekends.

Kirkham Hot Springs is only 6 minutes away by car and offers soaking opportunities.

River access is within 5 minutes, ideal for anglers targeting trout on the South Fork Payette River.

All 10 sites include fire rings and picnic tables; two vault toilets and potable water available.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

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: American Elk, Mule Deer, Canada Goose, Western Screech-Owl, and Western Terrestrial Garter Snake documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1111111111· Boise National Forest
Getting there →

From Boise, Idaho, take State Highway 55 to Banks. Turn east and travel on Forest Highway 24/Banks-Lowman Highway to Lowman. Turn left on Highway 21. Campground is located at milepost 82.

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 — Boise National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Boise National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Helende cost per night?+
Helende costs $12–$24 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Helende open?+
Helende is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Helende have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Helende?+
Helende can accommodate RVs up to 65 feet.
How do I make reservations at Helende?+
Helende 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 Helende?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Helende is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Helende open, and what are check-in times?+
Helende 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.

$12 /night★ 4.3 (38)
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 Helende cost per night?+
What season is Helende open?+
Does Helende have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Kirkham

LOWMAN, ID

From $15/night

Park Creek (Idaho)

Lowman, ID

From $12/night

Mountain View

Lowman, ID

From $20/night

Warm Springs Guard Station

LOWMAN, ID

From $40/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$12–24 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability