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Lower Penstemon

Sawtooth National Forest — hiking

Location: BURLEY, ID, ID

Price: From $8 per night

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (20 reviews)

Season: May through October

Lower Penstemon Campground is located along the scenic Rock Creek Road, in southern Idaho, at an elevation of 6,600 feet. Visitors come to the area to enjoy its abundant trails and natural beauty.The campground contains single-family campsites with picnic tables and campfire rings. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.

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

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

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

Lower Penstemon offers scenic mountain camping at 6,600 feet elevation with abundant nearby trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, plus trout fishing on Rock Creek. Campers praise the views, wildflowers, and surrounding wildlife.

Wildlife alert: Moose, coyotes, Great Basin rattlesnakes, and owls (Northern Saw-whet, Flammulated) present in area. Greater Short-horned Lizards also documented nearby.

Insider tips for Lower Penstemon: Book early — federal campground fills up quickly Arrive with full water tanks; water availability reported unreliable as of mid-June 2024 Sites are small and uneven; inspect your spot before setting up

Skip Lower Penstemon if: You need RV hookups — none available at most sites. You visit outside May-October — seasonal closure. You require level camping spots — sites are very uneven.

Best time to visit Lower Penstemon: June — Wildflowers abundant beginning June; campground open May through October. Winter — Suitable for sledding (winter access conditions not verified).

Nearby campgrounds: Upper Penstemon Campground (Twin Falls, ID), Pettit Campground (Murtaugh, ID), Diamondfield Jack Campground (Murtaugh, ID), Porcupine Springs (BURLEY, ID).

Cell Phone Coverage at Lower Penstemon

Cell signal at Lower Penstemon (BURLEY, 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
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    CamperWatch›ID›Lower Penstemon
    Lower Penstemon — photo 1
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    Sawtooth National Forest — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

    Lower Penstemon

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    BURLEY, ID, ID★ 3.5 (20 reviews)From $8/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
    On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

    Lower Penstemon Campground is located along the scenic Rock Creek Road, in southern Idaho, at an elevation of 6,600 feet. Visitors come to the area to enjoy its abundant trails and natural beauty.The campground contains single-family campsites with picnic tables and campfire rings. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.

    Best for:HikersWildlife 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 RV30 ft
    HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    PetsAllowed
    Max/site6 people

    Amenities

    RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
    Essentials
    Fire RingsDrinking Water
    Recreation
    Picnic Tables
    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 — none available at most sites✕ You visit outside May-October — seasonal closure✕ You require level camping spots — sites are very uneven

    Insider tips & when to go

    CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

    Book early

    federal campground fills up quickly

    Arrive with full water tanks; water availability reported unreliable as of mid-June 2024

    Sites are small and uneven; inspect your spot before setting up

    Best: June

    Wildflowers abundant beginning June; campground open May through October

    Best: Winter

    Suitable for sledding (winter access conditions not verified)

    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: Moose, coyotes, Great Basin rattlesnakes, and owls (Northern Saw-whet, Flammulated) present in area. Greater Short-horned Lizards also documented nearby.

    Location

    Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
    Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
    208-678-0430· Sawtooth National Forest
    Getting there →

    Travel south on Twin Falls County Road G3 which becomes Forest Road 515, commonly known as Rock Creek Road, for approximately 27 miles from Hansen.

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

    Frequently asked questions

    RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
    How much does Lower Penstemon cost per night?+
    Lower Penstemon costs $8 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What season is Lower Penstemon open?+
    Lower Penstemon is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Does Lower Penstemon have hookups?+
    No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What is the maximum RV length at Lower Penstemon?+
    Lower Penstemon can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet.
    How do I make reservations at Lower Penstemon?+
    Lower Penstemon 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 Lower Penstemon?+
    According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Lower Penstemon is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
    What season is Lower Penstemon open, and what are check-in times?+
    Lower Penstemon 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.

    $8 /night★ 3.5 (20)
    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 Lower Penstemon cost per night?+
    What season is Lower Penstemon open?+
    Does Lower Penstemon have hookups?+
    All 7 questions →

    Nearby Campgrounds

    Forest campground camping

    Upper Penstemon Campground

    Twin Falls, ID

    From $20/night

    Pettit Campground

    Murtaugh, ID

    From $20/night

    Diamondfield Jack Campground

    Murtaugh, ID

    From $20/night

    Porcupine Springs

    BURLEY, ID

    From $10/night

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