By:
Submission
Paris Springs Campground is situated in scenic Paris Canyon, about five miles from Paris, Idaho. It is about 20 miles from Bear Lake, at an elevation of 6,600 feet. The campground gives Bear Lake visitors the opportunity to camp in a quiet area with lush vegetation.
Paris Creek runs alongside the campground, after bubbling up from Paris Spring, which can be accessed from a 300-yard trail within the site. Campers enjoy hiking and fishing along the creek.
The campground contains three group sites and nine single-family campsites. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided, but there is no electricity. Roads and parking spurs within the campground are dirt.
A mixed conifer and aspen forest covers the campground and much of Paris Canyon. Plentiful shade can be found throughout most of the campground. Summer wildflowers dot the landscape.
The Highline Trail, part of the National Trail System, can be accessed nearby. It is the premier trail of the Montpelier Ranger District, stretching 55 miles along the backbone of the Bear River Range. The trail is enjoyed by hikers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, motorcyclists and off-road vehicle enthusiasts from around the world.
Paris Ice Cave is also not far from the campground. Self-guided tours of the cave offer a look into an unusual cavern filled with ice year-round. The cave is not developed but a footpath leads through it.
Beautiful Bear Lake State Park is about 20 miles away, with boating, water skiing, fishing and swimming. Bear Lake's Raspberry Days festival occurs annually the first weekend in August, with a parade, fireworks, craft booths and a rodeo.
From Paris, Idaho, and U.S. Highway 89, turn west onto County Road 421 at the sign for Paris Canyon. Continue west approximately 4 miles and take the left fork of the Y onto County Road 427. Continue one mile, to campground at the end of the road.
We spent three days here. The bathrooms (pit toilets) actually smelled good and were very clean. The camp sites were spaced well and nice spots to put up tents. The hike to the springs and the whole area are just beautiful!
This campground is out of the way on a dirt road but a great place to camp. It's so dry there now the dust hangs on everything.
Beautiful grounds. Site #10 is ENORMOUS and serenaded by a lovely creek; I set up a chair and table and had morning coffee watching fish, birds, and chipmunks -- perfection. Fantastic dark skies. So why the three stars? Folks in the group camp section - just across the way from my site - played music and shouted games over their buzzy karaoke loudspeaker during virtually all non "quiet" hours. To be fair, they needed loudspeakers to be heard over the swarms of their shrieking children and dogs running wild about the grounds. I'm all for a good ruckus myself, but the misery on the face of my site neighbor told me that I wasn't alone in feeling things were pretty out of hand. Not the most peaceful way to spend a weekend. Camping here is probably divine when these folks *aren't* your neighbors - I just happened to lose campground roulette this particular weekend.
We took a large youth group tent camping in early June 2023. It's beautiful and secluded there's about a dozen camp sites. There was a water spigot at our camp site. There's a great little hike to the Paris spring. Nicely located if you want to go to the ice caves, bear lake north beach or down to garden city Utah.
This is a cozy 12-site campground, with sites right by Paris Creek. The creek is fed by Paris Springs, which is just a short walk from the campground. It is truly amazing to witness the water emerging from the ground and forming a gushing creek within a few short feet! There's an interesting beaver complex along the road into the campground, and a 2-mile-ish ATV trail that leads from the campground down into Bloomington Canyon. We hiked it, and enjoyed the exercise - watch for free range cattle, including a possible loose bull. It's still a long hike (maybe 5 - 6 miles) further up Bloomington Canyon road to the lake from the ATV trail junction with the road, however. Sites 5 - 9 are pull-through, but a bit tight. Our 28 foot Cougar made it in and out okay, but a longer trailer might have trouble. We will bring some loppers next time to remove some small branches that were close. Great spot, quiet even on Labor Day weekend, lovely sound of the creek nearby, great stargazing. Get the fresh raspberry shakes and drop by the Hermitage Art Gallery in Paris, and take the free Paris Tabernacle tour while you are at it! You are also close to Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge for some awesome birdwatching.
