Farragut State Park — Attraction in Idaho

We normally stay at this campground when we go visit Silverwood theme park. We have been to this campground a total of 6 times and have never had the experience we had this last visit. We live in southwest Washington so it’s a 6-7 hour drive for us. We understand check in is at 2 but all the years past and almost any of the several other campgrounds we’ve stayed at over the years have always let not only ya but lots of people get into their camping spot before 2pm but not this time. After our 7 hour drive we got to the campground at 12, tried to drive into the campground area to see if it was vacant only to hit an actual roadblock and have a staff member tell us we have to check in first. So we go to the front office and are told cannot check in until 2 no exceptions. Informed the other staff member said we could check in but front desk told us that’s between us and that employee but can’t check in. Upset about it but nothing we can do so we unload the kids have lunch there in the parking lot of the front office. We wait 2 hours only to have a huge line of people who were also forced to wait until 2. After check in drive to our spot to see it’s empty ( shocker). Kids set up a hammock that was tied to a couple of trees and while we were setting up camp they took regular sidewalk chalk and started drawing on the cement parking area of our camp spot. The camp host came by and told us to remove the hammock and they aren’t allowed to be connected to any trees only freestanding . Also was told we had to remove the chalk drawings before we leave. Out of all the years and places we stayed we’ve seen so many other kids do the same along with ours and have never heard of employees telling campers to clean up the drawings. We didn’t have a problem with it but we’re just surprised by it. We stayed there 3 nights and on the day we were to leave we got a visit of from the camp host again to remind us about the chalk and not 5 minutes later the park ranger basically threaten us with a citation for vandalism if we didn’t clean up before we left. I get the markings weren’t there but they could just as easy wash it off with a hose. We pay more then our share for staying at the cite not to mention Idaho decided to increase rates to double that to out of state residents when staying at state campgrounds. We washed it off before we left but definitely will be looking for another campground to stay at on our next visit to Silverwood unless they change up the staff, seemed like they had recently hired a group of uptight senior citizens that don’t even want to be working there. They act like letting people check in early would cause them to loose out on money. Not to mention we seen the camp host take less then 5 minutes to clean up the sight next to us when it became vacant so why force people to...

👎🏻 Strict 2 PM check in (with a lot so small it cannot accommodate the waiting crowd of campers & cars parked in RV spaces) is a complete buzz kill after a long day of travel, having to sit and wait in the heat of summer. 👎🏻 Long line of campers waiting to check in inside the air conditioned visitor center is a stressful non-welcome. Be sure to bring the ID of the person whose reservation your name is under otherwise lose your spot in line as soon as they make the announcement 2 minutes before they start checking people in. 👎🏻 EXTRA $7/$14 a day that applies to a motorhome tow vehicle is obscene and exists nowhere in the lower 48 state parks! Seems like they are mis-applying the rule and charging a day use fee to someone who already has a reservation. Once I park my motorhome it’s parked like a pull behind RV. The only vehicle I’m driving is the tow vehicle same applies to any pull behind camper or tent camper, the only vehicle you’re driving once you’re set up is your tow vehicle. 👎🏻 Not a very bikeable park outside of camping loops, the trail that runs to the beach and boat launch is insufficiently maintained and challenging for a family or road bike tires or bike trailers. More of a mountain bike trail. Biking on the south road is very dangerous half ton and 1 ton trucks pulling boats going 50 miles an hour (in a 30mph zone) Rangers driving at the same outrageous speed on a narrow road. Spoke to a Ranger about it & they said there’s nothing they can do. I disagree it’s a State park, a State Road = your responsibility to enforce or bring the sheriff out or if you are unwilling. Major liability. 👎🏻 outrageous out-of-state rates!!!!! 👎🏻 showers are very dark and have no lighting until a certain time of night. Was a challenge with young children who are afraid of the dark. Can imagine the same if you are elderly or have any vision impairment.

The park is a beautiful park, the lake and surrounding mountains are gorgeous. The camp hosts do an amazing job in the Waldron area maintaining sites and keeping everything tidy, that’s the really only highlight for us. Idaho State Parks is leaving a pretty rotten taste in our mouth. Beautiful parks but sadly decisions being made that affect the guest experience leaving us not wanting to return. So much...

I have been coming here from the time I was a child and this place has aways been a peaceful getaway with the best activities for families. Naturally I thought it was going to be the perfect place for my son to celebrate his 4th birthday by doing a camping trip. I started off by the office giving me false information saying that I could set up before I got my cabin key and then once I did, they sent to Park Ranger out to tell me I couldn’t after I had already gotten everything done. Keep in mind I called first to confirm because I like to have my ducks in a row. Miscommunication can be forgiven but out of line behavior from a park ranger can not. The specific young Park ranger harasses women and children. PARENTS BEWARE. He kept repeatedly driving around our cabin in an annnoying and harassing manner staring at our children and looking for everything he could to complain about so he had excuses to keep showing up at our cabin. It was very stressful and alarming. Keep in mind I have stayed here many times and have never once had a ranger act this way. When I confronted him he threatened to kick us out. We were supposed to stay tonight, but we ended up, leaving after the first due to his awful and disgusting behavior. Our state park system needs to DO BETTER. This man should be fired. As you can see from the response below they refuse to take accountability for their employee acting out of line and downplaying a serious situation. Anything brought to our attention was immediately resolved yet we were still repeatedly harassed from this individual. We even went so far as to rent the space next to us in the EMPTY campground because we had elderly disabled veterans that shouldn’t have to walk basically a half mile from the parking area to the site. The Ranger made sure to tell them it wasn’t his problem and he didn’t care. We did not have guests inside the cabin at all we were on the picnic tables outside. Picnic tables outdoors in a state park seems to be a reasonable place for a child’s birthday party wouldn’t you think? No one acted out of line and there were no problems besides this park ranger. You still have not addressed the concerns with...