Camp That Site: Enjoy BC with the right site the first time

http://koa.com/campgrounds/jackson-hole/overview/

In 2010, we stayed at Snake River KOA as part of our trip from the Oregon Coast to Yellowstone National Park. There are not a lot of campgrounds in the area and the ones that were available were expensive. We decided on Snake River KOA because we wanted to go river rafting and this park has excursions that leave right from the campground. We could also swim in the river to cool down.  It is only a 15 min drive to Jackson Hole so its close enough for a day trip and a dinner out.

We arrived early on the first day so once we set up camp we headed into town to explore.  Jackson Hole has a great old Western Town atmosphere. With antler archways to the park and all the western themed stores it is a great get-away feeling. The kids wanted to buy some souvenirs so we poked around the various shops and bought tourist t-shirts, toy guns, and even an pistol-shaped marshmallow roasting stick.

We headed to the town square for an acted out shoot up.  So did all the other tourists. Trying to get a view of it through all the people is tough but it was a fun show and the kids liked it. Head there early so that you can get a spot up front.

The next day we were booked for river rafting. We selected an early afternoon tour so that it would be warmer. This allowed us to have a nice slow start to the day. We took the dogs down to the beach  to wear them out before leaving them alone for a few hours. It was indeed nice to have river access right at the campground.

Once it was time for our tour we walked to the office because it leaves right from the campground. We picked the “classic” white water rafting trip. Our kids were 12 and 11 at the time so we wanted something exciting but not too over the top. The float tours seemed a bit too slow but the smaller river rafting boat tours would have a been a bit too much for mom to worry about. This was perfect, enough rapids to get your heart going but everyone stayed in the boat when they were suppose to. The guides were knowledgeable but funny and interesting at the same time. We all had a great time and it was the perfect activity for the area. Once back we all cleaned up and then headed back into Jackson Hole for our last evening of western enjoyment.

Our thoughts on the campground.

• Recommended Sites: We stayed in site 38, which was at the end of the row. The RV sites in this campground are very much like the typical KOA. They were very close together and had very little privacy. We were camping in a tent trailer so the lack of privacy was a bit of a problem, especially because there was a street lamp right near our campsite that stayed on all night. This made it difficult to settle the kids and took away from the “great outdoors” feelings.  There are several cabins in the campground that had much better locations. I also see there are tent sites around the perimeter but we didn’t note them so either they were not there when we camped or they were tent only sites and we didn’t notice them. If I were to go again I would pick a RV site in the middle of the row (sites 31-36). Although you would still be crowded it would reduce some of the cabin traffic around the perimeter. Due to the size of the camping area this campground also limits RV to 30 feet and under. It also looks like some the tent sites are right on the river and have a lot more privacy. This might be a great option for those that are tenting.
• Campground Highlights
  1. Located right on the river.
  2. Restaurant and store on site
  3. Large clean shower house.
  4. Pet area and beach.
  5. Rafting tours that leave right from the campground.
  6. Full hook ups
  7. Tenting and cabin options available.
  8. Level sites
• Campground Lowlights
  1. RV sites are very close together and have not privacy.
  2. A drive to Jackson Hole.
  3. Can only accommodate units up to 30 feet.
• Things to do in the  area
  1. River rafting, leaves from campground
  2. Grand Teton National Park
  3. Horseback riding
  4. Fishing
  5. Hiking
  6. Shopping in Town Square.
  7. Skiing or summer chair rides at the ski hill
  8. Town Square Shootout
• Links
  1. Snake River Park River Trips – http://www.snakeriverwhitewater.com/
  2. Dave Hansen Rafting – http://www.davehansenwhitewater.com/
  3. Teton Horseback Adventures – http://www.horsebackadv.com/trail-rides/
  4. Tours to take in Jackson Hole – http://www.jacksonholenet.com/summer_recreation/horseback_riding.php
  5. Jackson Hole Skiing – http://www.jacksonholenet.com/ski_resorts/
  6. Jackson Hole Tram – http://www.jacksonhole.com/lift-tickets.html