The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
South Hills is a recreational area in southern Idaho. It is managed and protected by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a US government agency that works to preserve wildlife areas and give the public a chance to experience the country's natural scenery for itself. If you're looking for BLM camping, South Hills is full of both free and paid camping options with access to trails and rivers right on the site.
South Hills has a ton of recreational activity options, from hiking and trail riding on Jeeps and ATVs to wintertime snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. If you travel 270 miles to the northwest, you'll find Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. This park is approximately 310,000 acres and is home to the Teton Range, which stretches out to 40 miles in length.
The Phantom Falls Trail is composed of a 1.5-mile hike on an inclined hill terrain. Although the walk is short, the inclination is deep, and the trail itself leads to the amazing 65-foot-tall Phantom Falls, which is hidden deep within the woods of South Hills.
Length: 1.5 miles
Intensity: Intermediate
Big Cottonwood Creek Trail follows along Big Cottonwood Creek, a thin river that flows through the wilderness of South Hills. The first half of the trail is considered pretty easy, but the intensity becomes more difficult after the halfway point, making it a true intermediate-level hike.
Length: 6 miles
Intensity: Intermediate
In the wintertime, the Wahlstrom Winter Recreation Loop becomes a great place for cross-country skiing. However, in the summer and on warmer days, it is also used as a hiking trail. The trail itself loops so that users can take as many trips around as they would like, and the terrain is quite hilly.
Length: 3.9 miles
Intensity: Intermediate
There are lots of options for fishing, boating, and swimming in and near South Hills. Shoshone Falls is one water recreational area that allows visits to take a four-hour round trip around Pillar Falls on either paddleboard or kayak. Dierks Lake is another water recreational area that offers space for swimming and water sports, and for fishing enthusiasts, Lake Cleveland is the place to be. Lake Cleveland is only accessible from July to October because it is at a high elevation, and the roads to the lake freeze during the rest of the year, but the lake does offer plenty of fishing spots and even a Lake Cleveland campground for long stays.
Bird-watchers can find plenty of local Idaho bird species in South Hills, especially on waterfronts, such as mallards, gadwalls, redheads, ruddy ducks, and Canada geese. Deer, rabbits, and chipmunks are very popular in the area, and some sightings of larger animals like mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, moose, and elk have been reported, though it's always best to watch these species from a distance.
Centennial Waterfront Park offers lots of options for picnicking and water recreation. The park has picnic tables set up year-round, and there are sheltered seating areas that even include grills.
The Rock Creek Recreation Area in South Hills offers lots of trails made specifically for ATV, motorcycle, and Jeep riding. A lot of the trails loop and intersect so that visitors can choose their own riding adventure, and it's even possible to ride from the Diamondfield Jack trailhead to Jackpot, Nevada.
There are lots of RV camping options on South Hills land, but there are also places to stay in nearby Twin Falls. One campground to consider is Oregon Trails Campground, which includes full hookups, showers, a game room, and laundry facilities. For camping even closer to the central site of South Hills, consider Porcupine Springs Campground, which includes options for camping with horses and is equipped with horse riding trails right on the grounds.
There are a few primitive camping sites in South Hills that require no fee to use. These include camping areas in Trapper Creek Recreation Site, Goose Creek Reservoir, and Backwaters Recreation Site. These sites are also non-reservable, meaning that they are first-come, first-served.
Some sites on the Bureau of Land Management campgrounds are reservable, so it helps to call ahead of your stay to see if you can reserve a spot. However, most sites are non-reservable, so you should create a backup plan to stay at nearby campgrounds in other areas. Also, be sure to pack clothing suitable for the time of year as the spring and fall months in Idaho can be much colder than summer ones.
Before you head out on your BLM RV camping trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
Bureau of Land Management free camping is a privilege, and it's very important that all visitors to South Hills clean up after themselves and do not leave any trash or waste behind on the grounds. It's also a rule that visitors, campers, and hikers do not feed the wildlife as the BLM wants to preserve wildlife in their natural habitat without human interference.
The nearest large city to South Hills is Burley, Idaho. To find South Hills from this location, take State Highway 27 south for about 30 miles past Twin Falls.
Address: Logan, ID 84321
Ready to visit South Hills? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you’ll have your RV to return to for the night, where you’ll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here’s a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.
