HELENDE
HELENDE
HELENDE
HELENDE
HELENDE

Featured amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
River Access River Access
Fire Pit Fire Pit

About Helende

Helende Campground is located 10 mi east of Lowman, Idaho, along Highway 21 at an elevation of 4.1 ft. 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.

Available sites

9 total sites

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently closed

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
River Access River Access
Fire Pit Fire Pit
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Restrooms
Cooking and Fire

Cooking and Fire

  • Picnic Table
  • Fire Pit
Water Access

Water Access

  • River Access
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

9 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 001, Loop: HELE RV
Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 002, Loop: HELE RV
Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 003, Loop: HELE RV
Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 005, Loop: HELE RV
Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 006, Loop: HELE RV
Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 007, Loop: HELE RV
Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 008, Loop: HELE RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 009 - Double Site, Loop: HELE RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 010, Loop: HELE RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In

Reviews

50 reviews

Summary

AI generated

Helende campsite is praised for its cleanliness, friendly and helpful camp hosts, and quiet atmosphere, making it a great choice for families and groups. The proximity to the river and availability of firewood are additional highlights. However, some visitors noted the presence of loose dirt, limited shade, and aggressive chipmunks as minor drawbacks, along with occasional issues with restroom maintenance. Overall, it provides a pleasant outdoor experience.

Based on guest feedback

4.3

Overall rating

Based on 50 reviews

Write a review
5 stars 66.0% (33)
4 stars 14.0% (7)
3 stars 12.0% (6)
2 stars 4.0% (2)
1 star 4.0% (2)

Showing 50 reviews

Alicha L

Verified

June 4, 2020 Stayed at: 006, Loop: HELE

Small & beautiful campground. Pump drinking water added functionality and charm. Clean vault toilets. Our site didn’t have much shade but it looked like all the others did. Hosts were friendly & helpful. Very close to river- though water was too high & tide too strong to swim or wade in. We would camp here at Helende, again.

Helpful

Karla C

Verified

June 4, 2020 Stayed at: 001, Loop: HELE

Beautiful views and clean restrooms!

Helpful

Brihanna S

Verified

June 22, 2020 Stayed at: 001, Loop: HELE

The campsite manager was incredible! He brought us a whole stack of information about the history of the land, the hotsprings and a map to get them. Plus it was clean, potty was fully stocked and the area was so peaceful.

Helpful

jon s

Verified

July 22, 2020 Stayed at: 001, Loop: HELE

#1. Camp Host “Tall Paul” was soo Nice and informative!

#2. Super quiet and clean!

#3. Great location. Next to kirkham Hot Springs, and Sourdough Lodge for supplies.

#4. Great fishing hole in walking distance.

Helpful

Walter H

Verified

August 2, 2020 Stayed at: 005, Loop: HELE

Wonderful camp host, nice open sites

Helpful

Johanna C

Verified

August 20, 2020 Stayed at: 008, Loop: HELE

Great spot right by highway 21 but not too loud. Close to Kirkham hot springs. River access far but nice.

Helpful

Lorena E

Verified

September 12, 2020 Stayed at: 001, Loop: HELE

Awesome site, very large and well maintained.

Word of warning- the water available at the site is a drinking fountain style set up, which makes filling bottles and pots tricky.

Helpful

Mark B

Verified

June 9, 2021 Stayed at: 003, Loop: HELE

Fantastic campsite, clean bathrooms, very quite, and a great host.

Helpful

Melanie M

Verified

June 25, 2021 Stayed at: 007, Loop: HELE

When I made my reservation in February 2021 (for June 2021), the camping sites could not be reserved over the weekend. The notification was that each site was first come first served over the weekends. I reserved Thursday night with the expectation of reserving Friday and Saturday nights upon arriving on Thursday. However, when we arrived on Thursday, all sites had been reserved for the weekend by one person. We went to the Lowman Ranger station to ask for an explanation. They were apologetic and said it was a problem with Recreation.gov. We had additional family members coming to join us, but there wasn't even service at the Ranger station so that we could call and cancel the camping weekend. I don't expect we will return to the Helende campground.

Helpful

Richard H

Verified

June 26, 2021 Stayed at: 002, Loop: HELE

The facilities were very clean and the campground was well maintained.

Helpful

Location & Directions for Helende

7359 Hwy 21, Lowman, ID 83637 United States

Elevation: 1,277 ft

Nearest town

Lowman, ID - 9.5 mi

About 15 min to downtown

Policies & Rules

General

  • Idaho OHV Safety Message
  • Maximum two vehicles per site; additional vehicles must use parking lot and pay a fee
  • Day use fee for non-campers is $5
  • Additional sites may be available on a first-come, first-served basis
  • Please contact the Lowman Ranger District at 208-259-3361 for off-season camping information
  • Click here for more information on the Boise National Forest
  • Don't Move Firewood: Help prevent the spread of tree-killing pests in our national forests by obtaining firewood near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: October 24, 2026

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Explore Lowman, ID

Population: 46

Nearby city: Meridian, ID

Approx. 57 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 3,773 ft

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Managed by the USDA Forest Service