Portneuf Bend Campground is an RV park/campground in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Mountains and trees surround it, and there are around 60 sites for visitors to use. The park is owned and operated by Sherill Tillotson on her own property. Lava Hot Springs is famous for having large natural heated pools of water and is a major attraction of the area.
The Portneuf Bend Campground sits just outside of the city limits of Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. A decent amount of seclusion is offered to visitors, while still allowing short access to the town itself, which is filled with restaurants and other attractions to cater to the tourists that come into Lava Hot Springs year after year. Portneuf Bend Campground consists of 60 sites. Twelve of these sites are strictly for RVs and come equipped with electricity hookups. The remaining 48 sites have mixed possibilities, allowing for guests to use them either as RV sites or simply as camping spots for tents and other supplies. Each site comes with a picnic table, fire pit, and a grassy area for personal use. In general, Portneuf Bend Campground is shady. There is a small store on-site, offering essential camping supplies such as ice and wood. They also sell other novelties, like toys for children and a few snacks. It is described by the owner, Sherill Tillotson, as never having "more than a dozen items." The campground is open from the beginning of May until the end of September of each year. The busiest season for Portneuf Bend Campground is from the middle of June until the middle of August. The size of the sites at Portneuf Bend Campground is generally described as spacious. The Lava Hot Springs area is known for its outdoor activities. The hot springs that the town is named after are just one of many things to do nearby. Other attractions include hiking, fishing, ATVing, and swimming. There are a handful of places within a "day's trip" distance, meaning that guests can visit them before returning on that same day to Portneuf Bend. One such place to visit is the Museum of Natural History in Pocatello. Something unique about the property is its many sites that rest just alongside the Portneuf River.
Sherill Tillotson is the owner of Portneuf Bend Campground, and she would best describe her desired atmosphere of the campground as "a country camping experience." Portneuf Bend doesn't offer full hookups like many other RV parks in an attempt to attract people looking for a more traditional camping experience. At the same time, the fact that they are equipped with picnic tables, fire pits, and a more organized structure makes Portneuf Bend more than a standard campground. They strive to be right in the middle, catering specifically for those looking for a relaxing stay with a more rustic feel to the trip. Guidelines have also been set in place on the property so that everyone can have a more "enjoyable, pleasant, and memorable experience." The environment that Portneuf Bend Campground strives for is that of family-friendliness. They desire their campground to be a safe and comfortable experience for all those who come their way. The city of Lava Hot Springs is a tourist town, especially famous for its natural hot springs. There are only about 500 permanent residents in the town, but when summer months come along, the population fluctuates to around 2500 people. The area is mostly made up of seasonal homes to accommodate for this fact. Some farmers still actively work in the area, though, for the most part, the citizens of Lava Hot Springs are retired people with a few families here and there.
Before opening Portneuf Bend Campground, Sherill Tillotson owned a fair amount of farmland in the Lava Hot Springs area. Most of it was perfectly adequate for agricultural purposes, but there was a parcel of land over by the Portneuf River that simply wasn't good enough for growing crops. The soil, in particular, was quite bad for farming. In response to this issue, Sherill and her husband decided to convert the land into an RV park/campground. In 2008, that goal came to fruition, and the two slowly began to put more focus on it. Now that Sherill and her husband have entered "semi-retirement," they have rented the majority of their land to others to continue with the farming while they have moved more seriously towards Portneuf Bend Campground.
9250 S Blaser Hwy
Lava Hot Springs, Idaho 83246
United States
Campground
Sherill Tillotson
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