More upgrades are planned for campgrounds at Horsethief Reservoir this year, a popular camping and fishing destination in Valley County.
Visitation to Horsethief has been on the rise in recent years, creating a need for more structured camping.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Treasure Valley YMCA and Southwest Idaho Resource Conservation and Development Council have received grants from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation to fund improvements to the Bear Knob and Timber Bay camping loops in 2021.
Bear Knob campground will mimic King’s Point and Osprey Bay, with a widened, paved entrance road and paved campsites, while improvements to Timber Bay will maintain a more primitive camping experience, similar to Easter’s Cove and the Eastside camping loops. Both will be closed during the summer.
There are also plans in the works to install services to a few of the camping loops at Horsethief Reservoir. There are two domestic wells in the area, and these will be used to provide community water spigots to each of the loops for campers.
Fish and Game proposes installing electric service to all camping sites in Kings Point and Bear Knob. And they want to install septic vaults for the host sites in Kings Point.
These developments would follow a number of improvements made to campgrounds beginning in 2018 when Beaver Tail, Trout Landing and Horsethief Creek were upgraded with compacted gravel loop roads, parking pads, new picnic tables and fire rings.
In 2019, Horsethief Reservoir underwent additional renovation targeting the King’s Point camping loop and the adjacent boat ramp area. The loop road was widened and paved, as were all 28 King’s Point campsites, with each site outfitted with large sand living pads, picnic tables and fire rings. The boat ramp parking area was enlarged and paved to better serve boaters. They opened to the public last year.
And in 2020, the Osprey Bay and Easter’s Cove Campground loops were upgraded. The Osprey Bay loop road was graded and paved, as well as the loop campsites. The Easter’s Cove loop road was properly graded, graveled and compacted to improve camper enjoyment as well. Campsites in both loops were improved, with the installation of new living pads, picnic tables and fire rings. They will be open for all to enjoy during the 2021 camping season.
Visitors should not overlook the great fishery that Horsethief Reservoir provides. A study by Idaho Fish and Game staff this past fall showed that rainbow trout are the most abundant fish species in Horsethief, ranging up to 15 inches long, followed by brown trout and Kokanee salmon, many of which exceed 14 inches in length.
