Jointly maintained and managed by the Bureau of Land Management and PacifiCorp, Maple Grove Campground is a quaint little five-acre site located on the southeast shore of the Oneida Reservoir of Bear River, in Pocatello, Idaho. The campground can be found exactly one-mile upstream of Oneida Dam.
This campground may be small, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in the sheer amount of recreational activities it offers. It boasts a total of twelve campsites with a developed boat launch area, day-use facilities, boat dock, and swimming docks amongst other facilities.
The campground is located in Southeast Idaho and representative of the typical landscape found in the region, with high-elevation subalpine firs that supports a variety of flora and fauna in the region.
Maple Grove Campground is maintained by the Pocatello Field Office of BLM and the area boasts plenty of non-motorized trails for hiking, bicycling, and equestrian use. Since the campground is in close proximity to the reservoir, it also allows visitors to enjoy water activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, water skiing, and jet skiing.
An hour’s drive from Pocatello, this region was always recognized for its outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities. The campground was developed for camping enthusiasts fond of spending time outdoors and even more campgrounds can be found in the nearby Bear Lake State Park, offering greater access into this vast Idaho wilderness.
Maple Grove Campground is located about eight miles away from Oneida Canyon, which lies on the east shore of the Oneida Reservoir in Idaho.
Maple Grove Campground can be approached from Preston, ID, which lies about sixteen-miles southeast. Drive towards Soda Springs and then head south on Highway 34 for about six miles. Then turn left and onto Highway 36. Three more miles of driving will get you to a sign that says Oneida Narrows. Take a left on this sign and drive north alongside the Bear River and you’ll come across Maple Grove Campground; right after Redpoint.
Signs are small and can be easily missed so keep on a lookout. The roads are a combination of paved, unpaved, and loose gravel, so make such your vehicle is adequately prepared to take on some slightly rough terrain.
Maple Grove Campground is a nice little campground with twelve fully-developed pull-thru trailer sites. Each campsite comes with a fire ring, fire grill, and a picnic table. The campground also has two clean and well-maintained vault toilets. There isn’t a dumpster on the campground and you’ll need to pack and carry out your trash. Make sure to leave no traces behind. Pets are allowed to stay at the campground with their owners as long as they are leashed and behaved.
All the campground rules and regulations are written at the entrance of the campground so make sure to read and follow them. There is an applicable overnight camping fee at the campground. Maple Grove Campground also provides access to horseshoe pits, boat ramps, boat docks, boat-trailer parking, and swimming docks.
The campground is also ADA accessible with ADA accessible campsites and toilets.
Fishing is one of the most popular activities at Maple Grove Campground. The site allows campers to easily access the fishing dock and enjoy catching a variety of fish species native to Bear River. Fish species found in Bear River and its tributaries include cutthroat trout, bluegill, yellow perch, channel catfish, common carp, rainbow trout, mountain sucker, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass, among many more.
The most famous and sought-after fish in the reservoir are walleye and anglers try their luck to catch one of these giants either from the shore or via boats.
Maple Grove Campground offers access to Bear River via its developed one-lane gravel boat launch area. The campground also features a boat dock and a boat trailer parking area. Visitors and campers can bring along numerous watercraft including sailboats, kayaks, canoes and other small-sized boats. Enjoy floating, jet skiing, swimming, and fishing in the river waters.
In summers – and if you are daring enough, in winters - campers can enjoy a refreshing swim in the cool river waters. There are two swimming docks at the campground that offer access to these calm waters.
In winters and during chilly weather, campers walk to the north of the reservoir instead, until they reach the famous Maple Grove Hot Springs which can reach temperatures of up to 172° Fahrenheit. Locals even skip the camping part and just make use of the day-use parking space and jump in for a cold or warm bathing experience.
There are numerous picnic tables set up right along the river that offer scenic views of the surrounding landscape. Maple Grove Campground also offers an up to four-vehicle day-use parking space for picnicking enthusiasts that want to spend an entire day enjoying nature and the many recreational activities available here.
Picnickers can also relax, eat their snacks by the river, take a nap, meditate, or take pleasant walks along the river for a more romantic picnic experience.
Southeast Idaho is home to numerous species of wildlife and many of them can be spotted at Maple Grove Campground. Some of the most common wildlife seen by campers who visit this neck of the woods include bald eagles, deer, and pelicans.
Stay out of sight, limit your movement, and you can observe and photograph the great pelicans and bald eagles soaring above or hunting in the nearby river and creek water. One can also spot deer casually munching on fresh grass growing on some of the more less traveled trails.
There aren’t many recreational opportunities in the winter months when snow can often pile up to about knee-high, and even more in some places. However, Maple Grove Campground is open in part in the winter months, allowing access to visitors looking to enjoy the nearby hot spring and also other winter-based recreational activities such as cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
