Montpelier Creek KOA

The Great Outdoors

Whether you want to explore southeast Idaho's outdoors on foot, two wheels, or ATV, the 55-mile Highline Trail is sure to get your adrenaline going. Follow the trail through mostly 9,000-foot terrain and forests as it snakes from Soda Springs to Preston close to the Utah border. When you book an RV rental near Montpelier Creek KOA, you can easily access the trail at Emigration Canyon Trailhead, about 20 minutes' drive from the campground.A lake with mesmerizing aqua-blue waters and sandy beaches rightfully earns the nickname "Caribbean of the Rockies." Measuring 20 miles long, Bear Lake and the state park on its north and east shores attract its share of water-loving crowds who come here to fish (primarily the Bonneville cisco), boat, and watch birds and other wildlife (pelicans, cranes, and moose, among others). In the winter, Bear Lake State Park is a favorite destination for ice fishing and snowmobiling. Several dozen water/electric serviced RV camping sites can be found here, along with two campsites with ADA access.If aquariums were set in stone, the Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming offers one of the clearest glimpses into the area's Eocene past. You're only a 90-minute drive away when you book an RV in Bear Lake County, so there's no reason not to come here and marvel at astoundingly preserved and incredibly detailed remains of ancient fish species, reptiles, and birds on exhibit at the visitor center. Four miles of maintained trails are available for exploration, and if you want to cover more ground, follow the Scenic Drive up a four-mile steep gravel road.

Exploring the City

You don't have to leave town to admire flocks of herons, pelicans, and Canada geese drawn to the Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, an 18,000-acre landscape of cattail marsh, flooded meadows, and open water. Prime viewing months are May and June, and when birds start leaving in November, raptors like hawks and bald eagles stay behind. Occasionally, moose can be spotted (rutting) from mid-September to mid-November.Camp in an RV near Montpelier and you’ll experience one of the most historic trails in the United States. The Oregon Trail opened up the West to emigration from the east in the mid-19th century. While no longer intact in its entirety, remnants of the trail can still be seen in many other states, including Idaho. Montpelier's National Oregon/California Trail Center provides a glimpse into this storied past with historically accurate reenactments by costumed guides. A simulated wagon train ride headed west and brought to life by a cast of pioneers makes the experience more immersive. For the artistically inclined, Oregon Trail paintings and murals are also on display at the center.RV camping at Montpelier Creek KOA puts you less than an hour’s drive from Minnetonka Cave. Measuring half a mile long, the cave features stalactites, stalagmites, and banded travertine rock you can admire in nine "rooms." The cave is a family-friendly destination with guided tours from mid-June through Labor Day.Before leaving town, refill your tank and your grocery list at one of the town’s handful of gas stations and convenience stores. The road is calling, and onward you go. Idaho lives up to its nickname, and there’s so much more to discover before you leave.